Our journey with local history began in 2009 when our community rallied around landmarking efforts and preservation of open spaces here on Long Island. We have lost much of our local history to the detriment of those who live here. In various ways, Sangha Education Center hopes to extend the legacy of the Stevens Family of Bellmore and the local farming and maritime culture to which they belonged. We are working to weave our Long Island history together toward a shared vision resulting in our Long Island History In Your Own Backyard program offering.
Through connecting past to present, we wish to evoke a sense of wonder in adults, teens/young adults, and children alike, enabling all of us to become more compassionate citizens, caretakers of the Earth, and one another. We encourage community members to work with us in support of local history. In 2018, Sangha Education Center ran a pilot of Long Island History in Your Own Backyard for teens and young adults in our Project Stewardship program, and we are working to introduce and expand our offering to serve the broader Long Island community for the benefit of future generations.
Our location at Historic Malcolm House on the Jericho Preserve demonstrates Nassau County’s rich history related to abolition and the Underground Railroad on Long Island, and the impact of civic engagement as communities work together to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Sangha Education Center’s educational contributions begin with workshop presentations, activities, historic house and walking tours, and exhibits. We welcome you to participate with us, starting with a welcome event: Introduction to Historic Malcolm House and the Underground Railroad on Long Island, this coming year, in alignment with the 250th anniversary of America’s independence from England.
Workshops & Walking Tours
Sangha Education Center’s initial workshop presentations, activities, historic house, and walking tours, related to the Jericho Preserve, consist of four modules: Long Island Quakers, Abolition and the Underground Railroad on Long Island, Historic Malcolm House, and Women and Abolition. Focus will be expanded to include the former Quaker and African American communities of Wantagh/N. Bellmore and Old Bethpage that were connected through family ties, friendships, and a shared mission. If interested in learning more about Long Island History In Your Own Backyard, to join an upcoming workshop, or to schedule a private event, please contact us.
In addition to regularly scheduled events, we will host group and School Programs in the form of field trips as well. Long Island History in Your Own Backyard is an interdisciplinary program utilizing our local community history as the backdrop for connections to New York State curriculum on Long Island History, bringing it closer to home. Hands-on farming via our Meadow Farm Learn & Grow and the nature and wellness experiences in Forest Bathing reconnect our community to nature, and related maritime themes that serve as tools for learning. Sangha Education Center is a BOCES-affiliated partner/vendor, and school districts may contact them for field trip subsidies.
History at a Glance
History at a Glance began as online exhibits reflecting the life and times of local families and the farming and maritime culture to which they were connected. We are looking forward to offering in-person exhibits at Sangha Education Center. Artifacts, narratives, and photographs will be on display in collaboration with the local history initiatives of our community partners on both the North and the South Shores of Long Island.
One narrative in our collection: Timeline and Local Education History Reflection provides background about the history of education, its development in the Bellmores, connection to progressive education, and some of the education issues still experienced today. It touches upon the importance of building a collaborative community and the role that Sangha Education Center has been playing as reflected in our mission, vision, values, and philosophy.
We look forward to inviting the Long Island community to explore our exhibits beginning in 2027, as we approach the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in New York State and celebrate the influences of local families who lived ordinary lives yet had an extraordinary impact on their communities and beyond.
