The town of Orangetown honored the first Black teacher in the Pearl River school district for Black History month. That was back in 1960, and Dr. Arlene Clinkscale went on to become Rockland’s first Black female principal over in East Ramapo, and then Nyack’s superintendent of schools in 1981, the first Black female school superintendent in the state. At a ceremony earlier this month at Orangetown Town Hall, Dr. Clinkscale said black history is American history…
Orangetown supervisor Teresa Kenny, the town’s first female town supervisor, recalled meeting her for the first time just before the pandemic began, and the advice she offered her that day…
Black History Month was first celebrated during the country’s bicentennial in 1976, when it was officially recognized by former President Gerald Ford.