Flushing Remonstrance Comes Home To Queens
BY LIZ GOFF

The Flushing Remonstrance came home to Queens last Thursday for only the fourth time in the document's 350-year history. Dignitaries from Queens and aroud the world, legislators and the descendants of Flushing freeholders came together at the Queens Library at Flushing on December 6 to share the document's rekindling of the spirit of freedom- freedom guaranteeing the right to worship according to the religion of one's choice.

Photo Joanne King, Queens Borough Public Library State Senator Frank Padavan (l.) holding a copy of the event program with a facsimile copy of the Flushing Remonstrance, and Queens Library Director Thomas Galante at the reception honoring Remonstrance signers' descendants.

The document that guaranteed religious freedom in the colonies was welcomed home to Queens at an invitation-only reception hosted by the Queens Library. Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Thomas W. Galante, Library director, City Councilmember Leroy Comrie, state Senator Frank Padavan, Congressmembers Joseph Crowley and Gary Ackerman and representatives of the Netherlands were among the dignitaries at the event who joined with almost 70 descendents of the original signers of the Remonstrance at the reception.

The Remonstrance was signed on December 27, 1657 by 28 freeholders of "Vlissingen" (Flushing), who put their lives on the line by putting ink to paper. The document is considered to be a forerunner of the First Amendment to the Constitution that endorsed religious freedom in the United States.

Also on hand was Rosemary Perryman Bowne, a 10X great-granddaughter of John Bowne, whose seven-year odyssey from New Amsterdam to The Netherlands and back led to Dutch approval of religious freedom in the colonies.

Perryman Bowne said she is "proud, and always inspired" by the sacrifices made by John Bowne. "He is an example of the courage of ordinary citizens of that era," she said.

As part of its ongoing celebration of the 350th anniversary of the Flushing Remonstrance, the Queens Library hosted Commemorative Stamp and Postcard festivities on December 10.

Marshall and Galante headed the festivities, distributing postcards with the original 3-cent stamp celebrating the Remonstrance from 1957 to the first 250 visitors to the exhibit.

Officials from the Flushing Post Office were on hand to affix a special "350th Anniversary" cancellation on the postcards, while school children wearing clothing from their countries of ancestry celebrated the ethnic diversity of Queens.

At 2 p.m. on December 27, storyteller Rivka Widerman will bring the signers of the Flushing Remonstrance to life through stories, maps and pictures for children ages 9 to 13 at the Flushing branch of the Queens Library at 41-17 Main St. Admission is free, but reservations are necessary; they can be made at 718-661-1200.

"We are thrilled to be part of this historic event in Queens history," Joanne King, Queens Library assistant director of marketing and communications, said. "We encourage our customers to come see the Flushing Remonstrance during its display at the Queens Library at Flushing. The Remonstrance is just one example of the important role the borough of Queens has played in American history."

The Flushing Remonstrance will be on display at the Flushing branch of the Queens Library, 41-17 Main St. (near Kissena Boulevard) through Jan. 7, 2008 during all regular library hours.

The Remonstrance is being exhibited along with photos selected by library archivists that depict houses of worship throughout Queens. Admission to the exhibit is free.