Queens:
A History of the Most Diverse Place on Earth

This is a virtual program — online only.

In his new book, Queens: A History of the Most Diverse Place on Earth, prolific author Lawrence R. Samuel charts the historical development of the New York City borough from the 1920s to today. Samuel's narrative traces the evolution of Queens from a quasi-suburb of Manhattan for the white middle class into, today, the most diverse multiethnic, multiracial, and multireligious county in the United States. From the leafy enclaves of Forest Hills Gardens and Sunnyside to the transformations of Flushing Meadows, Samuel focuses on the residential development that has become home to more than 2.4 million New Yorkers. As he argues, following the trajectory of Queens adds much to our understanding of the city, the country, and the world.

After his presentation, Samuel will be engaged in dialogue with Lynne Sagalyn, a scholar of planning, policy, and real estate who was raised in Kew Gardens, Queens. 

To register for this FREE program, click on the link above to RSVP. You will be redirected to Ticketstripe to reserve your seat. The Zoom room is limited to 100 people. If you can't enter the Zoom, you can watch the program live on our YouTube channel when it begins at 6pm.

Lawrence R. Samuel

Lawrence R. Samuel is a Miami- and New York City–based independent scholar. He holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Minnesota and is the author of many books, among them The End of the Innocence: The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair, Making Long Island: A History of Growth and the American Dream, and Tudor City: Manhattan's Historic Residential Enclave.

Lynne Sagalyn

Lynne Sagalyn is Earle W. Kazis and Benjamin Schore Professor Emerita of Real Estate at Columbia Business School and the author of Power at Ground Zero: Politics, Money, and the Remaking of Lower Manhattan and recently, Times Square Remade: The Dynamics of Urban Change.