Wainscott Heritage Project will host the second in a series of free history talks with attorney and author Mark Torres who will make a presentation based on his 2021 book, Long Island Migrant Labor Camps: Dust for Blood. This book documents and reveals what Torres refers to as “a dark chapter in Long Island’s labor history” when, beginning during World War II and over the next two decades, more than 100 camps were established to house migrant farmworkers who came to eastern Long Island lured by promises of good wages and decent housing.
Torres says, “The main objective of my writing has always been to enlighten and entertain readers with obscure local New York history that has largely been underreported and often cries out for justice.”
Acknowledging the lives of migrant farmworkers is a compelling endeavor that aligns with the origins of Wainscott Heritage Project, which was formed by a group of local residents who in 2021 saved a “Little House” on Wainscott Hollow Road that once served as tenant housing for African-American farmworkers on the former Strong Farm.
Wainscott Heritage Project is honored to have this opportunity to hear Mark Torres speak on the broader subject of a labor force that has been largely ignored in historical accounts. His talk will be accompanied by a presentation of photographs and documents that portray a painful history of dismal, often inhumane treatment and living conditions.
About Mark Torres
Mark Torres has tirelessly represented unionized workers and their families throughout the greater New York area. He earned his law degree from Fordham University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in history from New York University all while working full time as a refrigeration engineer at NYU, attending evening classes while raising a family. He is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Hofstra University teaching a new course titled “Migrant Labor in New York”.
This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are encouraged.
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