Dear Family and Friends,

THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION FROM THE FAMILY OF THE LATE CAPTAIN SAMUEL E. AND MRS. KATHERINE WHALEY HUSBANDS:

Help dismantle green-space inequality and environmental injustices within the predominantly African, Caribbean, and Afro-Indigenous, community of St. Albans, New York! 

Join us in officially establishing the legacy of our father and grandfather, the late Captain Samuel E. Husbands (August 4, 1917 - August 27, 1982) by demanding NYC Parks to permanently recognize and memorialize Captain Samuel E. Husbands, along with his wife of 36 years, at the time of his untimely passing, Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands. For 41 years, Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands, her children and grandchildren personally financed and physically maintained the professional and/or self maintenance of the green-space due to NYC Parks negligence, abandonment, and deliberate disregard of the grounds existence. 

This petition is NOT required to receive the permanent name because the community showed their support of the naming of the memorial park in 1984, but NYC Parks failed to document the permanence of the park name. It was/is the responsibility and duty of NYC Parks to have the park permanently and officially listed as a NYC Park within their database, and a sign must be erected.

By signing this petition, you are supporting the historical and cultural preservation of our grandfather's memorial garden by tenderly and passionately demanding NYC Parks to permanently name the green space at 189-24 Linden Boulevard, St. Albans, Queens, New York:

The Captain Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands' Legacy of Love Permaculture Garden and Park.

We also request for the installation of the NYC Parks' Pan African design signage first installed during the renaming of 16 NYC Parks, which were named after 16 Historical African American figures, under the leadership of NYPC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver. (Lin 2021)

Brief History of Captain Samuel E. Husbands

Captain Samuel E. Husbands, the son of two Barbadian immigrants, was born on August 4, 1917 in Harlem, New York. His father, born in the late 1800's, was the Associate Minister at Panama Missions Church, a hard-working, self-made millionaire, shrewd businessman, and Multi-Family Real Estate Investor in Manhattan and Barbados. Minister Husbands instilled a strong work ethic, grit, and a spirit of excellence and achievement within both of his sons at an early age. After experiencing first hand the racial disparities existing within our communities, Captain Samuel E. Husbands learned early on that financial status does not produce immunity from racism. His strong work ethic, grit, financial prowess, along with other characteristics, were cultivated and utilized to strategically work towards the advancement of Black people as a whole.

Captain Samuel E. Husbands was a God-fearing, first generation Barbadian American, Harlem native, a WWII and Korean War Army Veteran, and a member of the historically acclaimed and courageous Buffalo Soldiers Division, a military organization, the 92nd Infantry Division (Buffalo Soldiers Division), WW2:

"The 92nd Infantry Division was a segregated unit with primarily African American enlisted personnel, and majority Caucasian officers. During WWII, the 92nd Infantry Division (known as the Buffalo Soldiers) fought in the Italian Campaign, marking the only full African American infantry division to see combat in Europe, where they faced significant challenges due to segregation while battling against German forces in Italy's mountainous terrain; they are particularly remembered for their participation in the final push towards the Alps after the fall of Rome, primarily along the Ligurian coast." (Bultman 2021)

Captain Samuel E. Husbands was also a retired NYC Correction Officer, politician, prominent and successful Multi-Business and Real Estate Owner in Queens and Manhattan, a Civil Rights activist, an athletic organizer, community activist, NAACP Jamaica Branch Board Member, Real Estate Broker, Elder at The Presbyterian Church of St. Albans, a husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, friend, and strong supporter of St. Albans residents and beyond.

In 1984, after his untimely passing which occurred immediately after handling business for the NAACP Jamaica Branch, The St. Albans Chamber of Commerce, along with The Honorable Archie H. Spigner and Congressman Joseph Patrick Addabbo Sr. (father of the current New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr. representing the 15th Senatorial District), dedicated the park at 189-24 Linden Boulevard, St. Albans, NY to Captain Samuel E. Husbands due to his unrelenting service and contributions to both our country and community at large.

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The Purpose of this Petition

For the past two years, the Husband’s family has been in correspondence with NYC Parks GreenThumb staff concerning our grandfather’s memorial park in St. Albans, Queens, New York.:

NYC Parks has completely disregarded our charge for the permanent naming of the park, and has demanded for us to sign a Licensing Agreement under their partnering organization, GreenThumb, in order to temporarily name the park. The Licensing Agreement would only allow for us to keep the name of the park for 10 years before it will be up for potential renewal every ten years thereafter. However, had the Husbands' family not maintained the grounds through the use of thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket-expenses and physical professional and personal labor, the park would have become an abandoned, disastrous, neglected, toxic, pest-infested cesspool and landfill. For this reason, the agreement is not an agreement, it is an active attempt at bypassing accountability and upholding a longstanding issue of inequality within green-spaces. Furthermore, it is apparent, this lack of accountability and recognition presents itself as being tied to a string of undercutting events occurring within our neighborhoods that are meant to uproot African, Carribean, and Afro-indigenous people from our connection to nature and public access to land.

We are calling for NYC Park to permanently name the green space The Captain Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands' Legacy of Love Permaculture Garden and Park.

The names of parks harness subconscious power, it can either nurture inclusion or exclusion. The stripping away of Black management within green spaces can be easily viewed as a trickle down affect associated with a more serious agenda, especially with the rising awareness of climate change and the need for there to be more access to green-space within densely populated areas. Without needing to mention much more on the latter, the names of prominent, local African, Caribbean, and Black Native American residents who exuded excellence, "encouraged meaningful discourse" (Lin 2021), and effectively served others by doing good work within their communities, must be preserved within green-spaces. When a park holds the name of a Black leader within an African, Caribbean, and Afro-indigenous community, it serves as a welcoming sign amongst the culture. For this reason, before any agreements are made with NYC Parks and/or GreenThumb, NYC Parks must recognize and honor our father and grandfather through the official naming of his memorial park, in perpetuity. 

 
NYC Parks' and GreenThumb’s demands are not only predatory, but it is an attack on our father and grandfather's legacy, as well as an ultimate active attack on green-spaces within predominantly African, Caribbean and Afro-Indigenous American communities, which is evident in the ongoing severe unfathomable issues surrounding Roy Wilkins Park. With over 30,000 acres of green-space and $8 billion in capital within NYC Park portfolio, it will be nothing more than an undermining of our intellectual capacity for NYC Parks to believe they can arbitrarily neglect, abandon, and destroy the legacy of our parks, then, attempt to avoid permanently naming the park after our ancestor. This is a display of disrespect upon our cultural preservation, our rights, our aptitude, our freedom, and an outright abuse of power. 
 
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Brief Summary and Statistical Data on St. Albans, Queens, New York

St. Albans was home to world renowned greats, such as Duke Ellington, Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, alongside well-established, prominent Black community leaders, such as our father and grandfather Captain Samuel E. Husbands, an unsung community leader and activist within the St. Albans community. In 1946, Captain Samuel E. Husbands and his growing family of 8 were one of the first African and Caribbean Americans to become homeowners and residents within the St. Albans community. St. Albans was an up-and-coming well-sought after place for Black families to establish their roots and raise their families during the post-World War II Era. Captain Samuel E. Husbands’, alongside his wife Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands, also a WWII Veteran and community member who lived to be 101 years old in 2021, helped leverage more access for other African, Caribbean, and Afro-indigenous families to thrive within the community by creating economical and social opportunities, such as a laundromat, real estate brokerage office, spirit store, restaurant, and more. He was also a part of the blueprint design process for some infrastructures within and around St. Albans, Queens.

Our father and grandfather left a deep impression on the St. Albans community, thus leading to the St. Albans Chamber of Commerce's decision to honor him with a memorial park, which includes an erected marble memorial stone, in 1984 at 189-24 Linden Boulevard, St. Albans, New York 11412, one of the most heavily trafficked intersections within the heart of St. Albans. Our family, the Husbands’ family, has been financially and physically maintaining the grounds for almost 41 years, with zero assistance from other organizations or city funding. Therefore, his legacy of community revitalization, service and unity is meant to be preserved without reservation, by having his name permanently placed on the outside of his memorial park. His name and legacy should also be added to NYC Park historical archives, and officially listed as an official NYC Park.

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Projected Impact of Captain Samuel E. and Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husband's Legacy of Love Permaculture Garden and Park

According to the 2010 and 2020 Census, St. Albans, Queens, NY is currently a thriving, robust community with a population of 56,337 with a median age of 40.1 years old, and median income of $72,397. The community is comprised of 88.6% of Black, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1% White, 0.9% Asian, 0.5% other races, 2.2% two or more races, 0.3% Native American, 0.0% Pacific Islander, where the majority of residence. (https://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/NY/Queens/Saint-Albans-Demographics.html

With proper agricultural-centered community programing, The Captain Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands' Legacy of Love Permaculture Garden and Park is capable of being a mindfulness-centered green-space designed to further the elevation of our community by producing more opportunities for residents to reconnect deeply with nature. Much like our parents and grandparents, The Husbands Family, along with the community, are able to...

...help allocate necessary resources for agricultural-skills building,

...efficiently and sustainably increase food security,

...help lower social risks,

...increase community connections,

... and create sustainable ways to elevate ecological and economical practices within an agricultural-centered landscape.

This effort is bigger than the preservation of a name. As we steward the land in our ancestors honor, we are going to uphold indigenous, sustainable, ecological, economical, and social farming practices through the utilization of permaculture plant design systems meant to sequester carbon, lower greenhouse emissions, harness and generate green, clean energy, while promoting the preservation of the symbiotic relationship between people, animals, plants and micro & macro organisms which will benefit those who will one day call us their "ancestors."

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Why You Should Sign?

Your signature symbolizes the overall need to ensure our father's and grandfather's legacy of community revitalization and unity is preserved. It also helps safeguard the ultimate preservation of Black agricultural spaces, specifically spaces named after prominent Black figures.

"The time is always now" for our communities to stop being treated as charity cases and “marginalized” people. We are entitled to the same level of recognition as other races and nationalities. We should not have to continuously fight for every single morsel of dignity and respect our unalienable rights offer us, and preeminently God's law calls for us to harness. The right way of handling this unnecessary dilemma was to immediately honor our father and grandfather publicly without NYC Park continuing to expect our communities to be forced to bow down and beg for what should automatically be done as a responsibility of the ones who were elected and positioned to do their part. 

We are living on land originally stewarded by Black Natives and Indigenous people, so it is our duty to end the stripping of our existence by making sure the names of our ancestors are honored and recognized permanently as a constant reminder to others that, We were and are here...TO STAY!

(Again, this petition is not required to receive the permanent naming of the park due to the fact the St. Albans community already showed their support of the memorial park in 1984. (Please refer to the images below.) We need to have the park permanently and officially listed as a NYC Park, and added to their historical archive.

For further questions, feel free to email us at samuelhusbandsmemorialpark@gmail.com.

Stay up-to-date on our efforts by following us on IG: @samuelehusbandsmemorialpark https://www.instagram.com/samuelehusbandsmemorialpark?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
 

Thank you for being a conduit for change within our communities!
 


Humbly,

 

The Husbands’ Family
 
 

(The large spacing between photos is due to the web layout and formatting.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The late great Captain Samuel E. Husbands', WWII and Korean War Army Veteran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The late great Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands, WWII Army Veteran, Successful Business and Multi-property Real Estate Owner, wife, mother of 6, middle child of 8 children from Maysville, Kentucky. Mrs. Husbands' was a former student at NYU, as well as a Chicago Flight School in the 1930's, an active community board member with countless community organizations, including The St. Albans Civic Association, P.S 36 PTA and The Presbyterian Church of St. Albans Naomi Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Above Image: Google Pro Back Aerial View of The Cpt. Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands' Legacy of Love Permaculture Garden and Park)
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Above Image: Google Pro Front Aerial View of The Cpt. Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands Permaculture Community Farm and Garden)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Above Image: Outside View of The Cpt. Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands Permaculture Community Farm and Garden)
Image taken by Mysteena Saunders
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Above Image: The Inside view of The Cpt. Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands' Legacy of Love Permaculture Garden and Park)
Photo taken by Mysteena Saunders
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Above Image: View of Memorial Stone within The Cpt. Samuel E. and Katherine Whaley Husbands' Legacy of Love Permaculture Garden and Park)

Photo taken by Mysteena Saunders
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands' standing in front of the park dedication ceremony for her late husband, Captain Samuel E. Husbands, memorial park. Standing beside her in full support are local politicians, community members, family and friends.
Photographer Unknown; image taken in 1984 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands' standing in front of the dedication ceremony organized by The St. Albans Chamber of Commerce for her late husband, Captain Samuel E. Husbands, memorial park. Standing beside her in full support are local politicians, community members, family and friends.

Photographer Unknown; image taken in 1984 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands' standing in front of the dedication ceremony organized by The St. Albans Chamber of Commerce for her late husband, Captain Samuel E. Husbands, memorial park. Standing beside her in full support are local politicians, community members, family and friends.

Photographer Unknown; image taken in 1984  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands' standing in front of the dedication ceremony organized by The St. Albans Chamber of Commerce for her late husband, Captain Samuel E. Husbands, memorial park. Standing beside her in full support are local politicians, community members, family and friends.

Photographer Unknown; image taken in 1984 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain Samuel E. Husbands and Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands displaying love and affection while reminding all of us to, "Find someone who look at you like that," and "Beside every great man is an even greater woman!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Captain Samuel E. Husbands and Mrs. Katherine Whaley Husbands, both WWII Veterans, Entrepreneurs, and parents of 6 children, displaying fortitude, resilience, grace, and most importantly, Black excellence. It's a reminder to all of us to, "To walk boldly and confidently in every room God brought us into because WE BELONG in every space!

 

 

References:

1. African-American Namesake Parks: Queens. NYC Parks. Official Website of New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/african-american-namesake-parks

2. Gates, Jr., Henry Louis. 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro: George Washington's Runaway Slave, Harry. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/george-washingtons-runaway-slave-harry/

3. Lago, Marisa, et al. 2020 Census Results for New York City: Key Population & Housing Characteristics. August 2021. New York City Department of Planning. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/planning-level/nyc-population/census2020/dcp_2020-census-briefing-booklet-1.pdf#:~:text=•%20In%20Queens%2C%20St.%20Albans%20(40%2C700)%20was,concentrations%20in%20the%20surrounding%20neighborhoods%20of%20Springfield

4. Benson, Hayley. Greenspace Inequality: An analysis of underserved communities in Baltimore, MD. 17 December 2020. Storymap ArcGis. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5ca38273e1154da29c7e0c015647ba60

5. Florida, Richard. The Inequality of America's Parks and Green Space. 19 March 2019. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-19/access-to-green-space-varies-by-class-race-in-the-u-s

6. Minich, Judy. Black History in Our National Parks: A History of Segregation. A future of inclusion. 7 February 2023. IDEA. https://www.ideafit.com/black-history-in-our-national-parks/

7. List of Parks. NYC Parks. Official Website of New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. https://www.nycgovparks.org/park-features/parks-list?boro=Q&page=49

8. Lin, Sarah Belle. 16 NYC Parks Renamed After Historical Black Leaders: Honorees include Malcom X, Kwame Ture, Audre Lorde and more. 18 June 2021. Patch. https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/16-nyc-parks-renamed-after-historical-black-leaders

9. Bultman, Lori. Remember the service of the Fifth Army's 92nd Infantry Division. 18 February 2021. U.S. Army. https://www.army.mil/article/243460/remembering_the_service_of_the_fifth_armys_92nd_infantry_division