Rikers Island Lecture

Rikers: Once the Island of the Unwanted, Now Just the Unwanted Island.” Retired NYC Correction Dept. director of historical services and former spokesman for the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Thomas McCarthy, will give a presentation tracing the isle’s history from the New Amsterdam era to modern times. Formerly a reporter, feature writer, columnist and editor, at various times, with three weeklies and three dailies, including the Long Island Press, Long Island Star Journal and Queens Tribune, McCarthy has been webmaster of CorrectionHistory.Org since founding it in 1999. His talk will give a historical perspective to the current campaign in sundry quarters to close the huge jail complex. Afterward, an open forum discussion on the fate of the island future, moderated by Executive Director Bob Singleton. GAHS Members Free / others $5