I am a historian, curator, and writer working in a variety of settings—in print, online, in museum galleries, and as a public speaker.

Born in New York City and raised in the West Village, from an early age I became fascinated by the city’s past. Initially drawn to the idea of becoming an artist and educated at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art, I went on to study American history at Princeton University and then to obtain a doctorate in history from Harvard University in 1989. I am based in Maplewood, New Jersey, where I have been living with my family for the past 25 years.

I initially became a classroom teacher, but eventually realized that my interest in “thinking with my eyes and ears” also suited me for using cultural artifacts to enrich and expand the understanding of history. Since 1993 I have worked as a staff historian and curator, guest curator, and consultant for an array of museums and other institutions. You can view a selection of images from some of my curated exhibitions in this website. 

I am also an author with a range of publications that you can explore from this website. A page here also links you to several audio-video appearances I have made in documentaries and lecture series. 

Finally, I am a busy (and obsessive) avocational photographer. Feel free to scroll through some of my photos that I have posted here. Thanks for visiting, and don’t hesitate to reach out to me with your questions or comments.

 
 
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Selected Press

Sam Roberts, “This Museum Show Explains Why New York Is So New Yorky,” New York Times, November 17, 2016. Read Here.

Seph Rodney, “The Story of Labor in New York and What It Requires of Us,” Hyperallergic.com, September 9, 2019. Read Here.

Julianne McShane, “Labor Day Art Guide: Shows to See Before They Close,” New York Times, August 29, 2019. Read Here.

AFineLyne, “City of Workers, City of Struggle Opens at the Museum of the City of New York,” GothamToGo, April 30, 2019. Read Here.

Lisa L. Colangelo, “Museum of the City of New York spotlights city’s labor movement legacy,” AMNY, April 30, 2019. Read Here.

Andy Battle, “City of Workers, City of Struggle,” Gotham: A Blog for Scholars of New York City History, June 11, 2019. Read Here.

“Portraits of the street sellers of 1840 New York,” Ephemeral New York, July 27, 2020. Read Here.

Edward Rothstein, “Exhibition Review: You Can Fight City Hall,” New York Times, May 13, 2010. Read Here.

Christopher Gray, “Streetscapes/Schermerhorn Row: Showing and Telling How Old New York Worked,” New York Times, March 26, 2000. Read Here.

Alice Kennedy, “The Fluid Identity of New York’s Irish Bars,” Edible Manhattan, February 9, 2018. Read Here.

Kerry O’Shea, “Why Irish bars in New York City are something special,” Irish Central, March 22, 2019. Read Here.