State Archives Announces Publication of New Book “The Best Of New York Archives”

A new book, The Best of New York Archives: Selections from the Magazine, 2001— 2011, is available now for pre-order, the New York State Archives and the Archives Partnership Trust announced today. The book offers readers a chance to discover or rediscover some of the most popular articles on New York State history from the pages of the award-winning New York Archives magazine. Published and distributed by SUNY Press, the book will be released for sale on March 1 for $60 ($39 for Archives Partnership Trust members).

Articles from Pulitzer Prize winners and best-selling authors tell lively and engaging stories of New York State’s rich history based on research in archival records around the state. The 506-page book, featuring 37 color and 79 black and white photographs, is available for pre-order by phone at (877) 204-6073 or online at http://www.sunypress.edu/p-6404-the-best-of-new-york-archives.aspx.

“Nearly 400 years of history comes alive in The Best of New York Archives. This is an excellent resource for historians, educators, students, and history enthusiasts,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa.

“The Best of New York Archives is an important contribution to the literature about New York’s history and it underscores the vital role that primary source materials play in telling New York’s story in an engaging and insightful way,” said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia.

“The State Archives is proud to make the state’s historic documents accessible for the public to study, analyze, and learn from,” said State Archivist Thomas Ruller. “Our award-winning New York Archives magazine, and now The Best of New York Archives, exemplifies the important collaboration between the donor-supported Archives Partnership Trust and the State Archives.”

Following are endorsements of the book:

“By evoking the Flushing Remonstrance, Evacuation Day, the women’s suffrage movement, and other pivotal episodes in the state’s history, The Best of New York Archives: Selections from the Magazine, 2001-2011 reminds readers that, as Columbia’s Ken Jackson likes to say, ‘America begins in New York. ’” — Sam Roberts, New York Times

“The New York State Archives is full of rich documents that serve as gems—they reflect and reveal transformations in national and world history. You’ll find many of those gems presented here, and New York’s vibrant history comes to life through the eyes of those who lived through it.” — Kimberly Gilmore, Senior Historian, History Channel/A+E Networks

“The Best of New York Archives is a treasure trove of compelling essays that inform and expand understanding. The selected narratives reflect the essential role the New York State Archives plays in the preservation of the fascinating and wide-ranging particulars of New York State’s history. As a bonus, the sampler is a storehouse of golden nuggets useful to deflate any annoying know-it-all whose behavior cries out for it.” — Harry Rosenfeld, author of From Kristallnacht to Watergate: Memoirs of a Newspaperman

“An original, authoritative, and entertaining walk through Empire State history—provided by a who’s who of leading historians and all inspired by the unparalleled treasures in the New York State Archives.” — Harold Holzer, Jonathan F. Fanton Director, Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College

The New York State Archives is the largest repository of state government records in the nation, holding over 200 million records of state and colonial governments dating back to the Dutch colonial period in 1630. The New York State Archives is a program of the State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. For more information, visit www.archives.nysed.gov.

The Archives Partnership Trust is a statewide non-profit whose mission is to keep over 350 years of New York’s rich documentary heritage within the New York State Archives accessible and alive though donor-supported education, preservation, and outreach programs. For more information on the Trust and Best of New York Archives: Selections from the Magazine, 2001-2011 visit www.nysarchivestrust.org.