New “Flatbush & Main” Podcast

The Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) announced the launch of a new podcast, Flatbush + Main, this week.

Flatbush + Main, hosted by Julie Golia, BHS’ Director of Public History, and oral historian, Zaheer Ali, will “dive deep into Brooklyn’s iconic, quirky histories, and tie them to some of the most salient issues facing New Yorkers and Americans today.”

BHS issued a statement explaining the new podcast:

What’s in a name? Flatbush Avenue is the spine of Brooklyn, running from the Manhattan Bridge to Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways. The neighborhood of Flatbush represents both Brooklyn’s agricultural past and its defining diversity. Main Street is where it’s all happening – a concept that will resonate with listeners across the country.

The podcast aims to examine the intersection of Brooklyn’s past and present, at the corner of Flatbush and Main.

The first episode, released this Wednesday, looks at the history of trash in Brooklyn. Guests include historian Elizabeth Pillsbury, discussing how Brooklyn’s sewer system “prompted the demise of the local oyster industry,” and artist Barry Rosenthal, whose photographs of water-borne trash have attracted worldwide attention.

A new episode will be produced each month, says BHS, covering subjects such as the history of hip hop; Crown Heights past and present; the built environment of Brooklyn’s waterfront; how an institution like BHS talks about race and racism; Shirley Chisholm and other female politicians, and more.

Flatbush + Main will be available for audio download on iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud, and other listening platforms.

Episodes and show notes can also be found on BHS’s blog.

Take a listen and let us know what you think!