]> APAP-294 JOHN WOLCOTT PAPERS, (APAP-294), 1954-1992 Kathleen Broeder M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives

1400 Washington Avenue / Albany, New York 12222

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Descriptive Summary John Wolcott Papers 1954-1992 0.7 cubic ft. processed to date M. E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University at Albany, SUNY The John Wolcott Papers document the revival of the historic Pinxter Festival in Albany, New York between 1972-1992. The materials in the collection are in English. The materials are located onsite in the department. Access

Access to this record group is unrestricted.

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of copyright. Whenever possible, the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives will provide information about copyright owners and other restrictions, but the legal determination ultimately rests with the researcher. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Acquisition Information

John Wolcott donated his materials in 2007 to the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives. In 2013 Wolcott donated an additional 26 cubic feet of materials which will be processed at a later date.

Biographical Sketch

John Wolcott was chairman of the Pinxter Committee of Albany, also called the People’s Pinxter Festival Committee, which coordinated the annual Pinxter Festival. The festival is known as Pinxter, Pinxter Sunday or Pinkster, Dutch for Pentecost, and as Whitsuntide, the English term for Pentecost.

During the colonial period, Pinxter celebrations were held throughout eastern New York in communities of Dutch origins. Africans played a major role in organizing Pinxter, adding African music and dance to the festivities. In 1811 the Common Council of the City of Albany passed a Whitsuntide Holiday law which banned the essential elements of the festival and, as a result, the festival died out.

In 1971, Pinxter was revived in Albany and celebrated on Sundays during Tulip Fest in Washington Park with craft vendors and musicians. It was often advertised as an illegal festival. Wolcott wrote several letters asking the 1811 law be repealed. The Whitsuntide Holiday Law was repealed in 2011, two hundred years after it was enacted.

Scope and Content Information

The John Wolcott Papers contain materials related to the planning and advertising of Pinxter Festivals in Albany, New York. The collection includes festival posters, fliers, photographs, news clippings, hand written notes, correspondence and programs of similar festivals, including a early souvenir Tulip Fest envelope. Craft vendors were a major part of the festivities and the contact information for many of them is included. Information about historic Pinxter festivals, Albany’s relevant laws and policies, and a small collection of colonial Dutch recipes were used in the planning process.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized chronologically. There are no series.

Subject and Genre Headings Wolcott, John R. Folk festivals New York (State) Pentecost Festival Albany (N.Y.) Clippings (information artifacts) Correspondence Fliers (printed matter) Posters Black-and-white photographs Programs (documents) Newspapers Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Identification of specific item, series, box, folder, John Wolcott Papers, 1954-1992. M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University at Albany, State University of New York (hereafter referred to as the John Wolcott Papers).

Container list 1 1 Tulip Fest 1954 1 2 Pinxter Fest 1972 1 1 KITE News Clippings 1972-1980 1 3 Pinxter Fest 1973 1 4 Pinxter Fest 1976 1 2 Pinxter Fest Posters 1976-1982 Undated 1 5 Niskayuna Folk Festival 1977 1 6 Northeast Craft Fair 1977 1 7 Pinxter Fest 1977 1 8 Pinxter Fest 1978 1 9 Pinxter Fest 1979 1 3 The Entertainer News Clippings 1979-1980 1 10 Pinxter Fest 1980 1 11 Pinxter Fest 1981 1 12 Pinxter Fest 1982 1 13 Pinxter Fest 1983 1 14 Pinxter Fest 1984 1 15 Pinxter Fest 1985 1 16 Pinxter Fest 1992 1 17 Albany City Special Event Policy Statement Undated 1 18 Craft Vendor Business Cards and Flyers Undated 1 19 Craft Vendor Notebook Undated 1 20 Loose Leaf Notes Undated 1 21 Pintxer Fest Undated 2 1 Pinxter Fest Photographs Undated 2 2-3 Planning Notebook Undated 2 4 Recipes Undated 2 5 Research Materials Undated 2 6 Treasures from Eleanor Skelton Cash, Poetry Undated