On Wednesday, June 23, AB Rinders, Mayor of Stitch Vecht Municipality, opened the exhibition ‘Full with a Suitcase to Brooklyn’ at the Wecht n Venen (RHCVV) Regional Historic Center in Brooklyn. The inaugural event was attended by a select group of people, including members of the Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Foundation and the Stitchche Vect Calcurfonds.
In the exhibition, the visitor is taken through four centuries of history of Dutch culture in the United States based on archival documents, photographs and stories. Mayer was particularly impressed by the interactive and educational elements at the Reinders exhibition: ‘RHCVV has put together an interesting exhibition for young and old alike. What is special is that you can write your own name in beautiful 17th century handwriting with the help of a light box. Very awesome and amazing! ‘
The Dutch have been moving to the United States since the seventeenth century. May 21, 1646, 375 years ago, a group of Dutch immigrants founded the village of Brooklyn in the United States. Over time, the name was changed to what we now know as Brooklyn. Despite the name change, New York County has not lost its Dutch roots; Brooklyn’s goal is still there ‘Introduced Mack Mack’. The Dutch also left their mark on American culture elsewhere in the United States. This influence is reflected in street names such as Wall Street (Wallen Street) and place names such as Nordelus and Holland. In addition, the impact on eating habits is clear. For example, the typical American donut descends from the traditional Dutch soundtrack. These stories and many more are on display.
Practical information
Exhibition “To Brooklyn with a suitcase full. Four centuries of Dutch-American culture in archival records‘ Free to visit RHCVV in Brooklyn (Saturdays and Holidays) from June 24 to December 31, 2021 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm). For current start-up hours, visit RHCVV’s website (www.rhcvechtenvenen.nl). Exclusive archive documents are explained and all activities and events related to the exhibition can be found on social media channels and on the website of RHCVV. During the summer holidays, an activity takes place every week.
