American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, New York State

Created in 1968, the commission consisted of twenty-one citizens: eleven who were appointed by the governor (one of whom was the chief of staff to the governor); five who were appointed by the temporary president of the senate; and another five who were appointed by the speaker of the assembly. The governor appointed John H.G. Pell as chairman and E.K. Fretwell as vice chairman. The remaining members were appointed in June, 1969. In 1974 (Chapter 92), commission membership was expanded to twenty-seven. The State Education Department's Office of State History (under commissioner Ewald B. Nyquist) served as the administrative arm of the commission. State historian Dr. Louis Leonard Tucker served as executive director until December 31, 1976. Dr. Thomas E. Felt served during 1977, and Richard S. Allen from 1978 until the commission ceased operations in September, 1979. In cooperation with the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA), the federal bicentennial agency, the state commission processed and approved applications for the"Bicentennial Community" and "Bicentennial Campus" programs, processed applications and distributed funds under the federal matching grants program, and listed local programs on the ARBA's Official Master Register of Bicentennial Activities. The commission made films, sponsored symposia and essay contests, and supported publications, a historical records microfilming project, various performing arts programs, and a reenactment group called the Brigade of the American Revolution. Other commission activities included publishing a quarterly newsletter, "The Correspondent" (1970-1978), holding a competition open to New York State resident artists to design a medallion commemorating the Bicentennial (which was later distributed by the commission), and sponsoring symposia on Revolutionary War topics. Supported by funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the commission produced three motion pictures: "And Take Me By the Hand," "Don't Tread on Me: Voices from the American Revolution," and "The Other Side of Victory." The later two films were shown on public television. One of the commission's largest undertakings was the sponsorship of the New York Festival Barge, a refitted railroad car barge which toured the state's waterway system in 1976 and received over 900,00 visitors. The barge carried and received visitors, exhibits, performers, and craft demonstrators. The commission ceased operations in 1979 when no appropriations were made to continue its existence, despite the fact that it was initially authorized to operate until the end of 1981.