Welcome to Broadway Stages’ Spotlight, where we feature local shops, restaurants, organizations, individuals, and venues. In celebration of  Black History Month, we are shining the spotlight on the achievements of Black Americans who have paved the way and continue to blaze a trail forward. Today, we honor Hattie Carthan, who brought agricultural and environmental outreach to Black communities in our city.

By 1964, only three trees remained on the block of Vernon Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy). But that wasn’t the case when Hattie Carthan moved to the block in 1953.  The streets were lined with trees that offered the beauty and function of nature. It was then that Carthan decided to right this wrong. At first, she started replanting trees on her own. But seeing the large scale of the work ahead, she knew it was time to get organized and muster the troops. And muster she did! 

Carthan contacted everyone on her block,  which sat between Throop and Tompkins Avenues, to form the T&T–Vernon Block Association. The association raised funds to ‘regreen’ the block by throwing block parties. Then Mayor John Lindsay attended one of the now annual fundraising barbeques. The event drew city-wide attention, and the City Parks Department was impressed enough that it implemented a tree matching program.

Building off that success, in 1966, Carthan founded the Bedford-Stuyvesant Beautification Committee. In 1971,  the Committee received a grant to teach youth about tree care. The grant also included a stipend for summer work, known as the Neighborhood Tree Corps. Carthan founded Tree Corps to inspire young people to care for and plant trees. Her passion helped build a grassroots movement for more green space in cities. In all, Carthan oversaw more than 100 block associations that planted over 1,500 trees.

When Hattie Carthan passed away in 1984, she established herself as one of the nation’s first Black community-based ecology activists. And her legacy lives on through various organizations that are rooted in Carthan’s passion for regreening her community. 

“We’ve already lost too many trees, houses and people…your community – you owe something to it. I didn’t care to run.”                        – Hattie Carthan

The Magnolia Tree Earth Center creates community awareness of ecological, horticultural, and environmental concerns. It serves a vital purpose by introducing inner-city children to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Moreover, it fosters urban beautification, earth stewardship, and community sustainability.

An outgrowth of the Neighborhood Tree Corps is the Urban Agriculture Youth Corps. The Youth Corps teaches youth agricultural skills and an understanding of how local food production affects local communities. It also provides youth with hands-on experience owning and operating a community venture. Information about applying for the Corps can be HERE. Your donations are greatly appreciated. And you can follow their good work on Facebook and Instagram.

The Hattie Carthan Community Garden and Herb Farm are in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant. The Gardens is a grassroots, African-American-led agricultural revitalization project. They provide a healthy and self-sufficient community with a holistic sense of the environment. The Gardens fill a crucial need by providing locally grown fresh food and communal education  to all facets of the community in a neighborhood classified as a “fresh food desert.”

The Hattie Carthan Community Farmer’s Market is just a couple of blocks away. These markets give opportunities to rural and minority farmers to distribute what they’ve grown. The markets also benefit community members struggling to find fresh food. You can contribute to the community nature of the Market by making a donation or volunteering. You can also support the Market by shopping for merchandise in-person or online. Finally, you can follow the Market on Facebook and Instagram for the most up-to-date information.

Broadway Stages actively supports and applauds initiatives that advance equity – social, economic, and environmental – and we are grateful for individuals like Hattie Carthan who make a difference in their community.