Happy Independence Day!

Celebrating
50 Years of Central
This April marked 50 years since the Central
Library opened its doors at Merrick Boulevard,
Jamaica. To commemorate this significant
occasion, library staff and customers attended
a ceremony with speeches by NY Senator Leroy
Comrie, New York State Assembly Member Alicia
Hyndman, New York City Council Member I.
Daneek Miller, Borough President Melinda Katz,
Public Advocate Letitia James, and Queens
Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott.
Members of the public attended a
range of special activities, including
free cartoon portraits, a performance
by Queens Poet Laureate Maria Lisella
and spoken word artist Shayshahn
“Phearnone” MacPherson, and an R&B
concert by singer Alexis Hightower.
The celebrations also featured 50
Years of Technology, a presentation
by Denny Daniel, the curator of The
Museum of Interesting Things, and
The Hits of ’66, a step back in time to
hear the music teens listened to half a
century ago. ■
14 QUEENS LIBRARY MAGAZINE