Bird lovers from across Northern New York are invited to celebrate the beauty of birds, nature, and the regional community of Black birders this weekend. In honor of the sixth annual Black Birders Week, the Adirondack Diversity Initiative (ADI) and John Brown Lives! will host a special day of birding at the John Brown Farm State Historic Site near Lake Placid, NY this Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Established in 2020 as a response to the Central Park birdwatching incident and police brutality against Black Americans, Black Birders Week is a nationwide celebration of diversity in the outdoors, highlighting the contributions of Black birders and naturalists while promoting inclusivity in natural spaces.
The theme for this year’s event, celebrated nationwide from May 25 to May 31, is “Grounded in Community” and will focus on the collective joy and power of the Black community in the outdoors.
“As an avid birder of color, I deeply understand the significance of safety and community in birding and exploring new natural spaces,” said Tamara Jolly, Community Initiatives Manager at ADI, a program of the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA).
John Brown Farm, the former home and final resting place of abolitionist John Brown, offers exceptional birding opportunities for beginning and experienced birders alike.
Event participants will learn the basics of birding through a variety of family-friendly activities, including guided walks led by guest naturalists. Birding experience is not necessary, and all are encouraged to attend.
The event also includes tours of John Brown Farm and its Timbuctoo exhibit, which highlight African American roots in the Adirondacks.
Giselle Pemberton, a guide with the New York City Bird Alliance, and Stephan Roundtree, an avid birder and Regional Deputy Program Director of Vote Solar, will share knowledge and lead guided birding walks.
Local artist Winosha Steele will provide curated birding activities for families including a children’s scavenger hunt and birding storytime.
Attendees can enjoy a light breakfast and lunch prepared by professional chef Lewis Hughes, who is a descendant of Lewis Sheridan Leary, a Black man who fought alongside John Brown at Harper’s Ferry and was killed during the raid. Hughes will also lead a wreath-laying ceremony at the John Brown Farm gravesite.
Described by founders as a “bold and unapologetic reclamation of the Black community’s role in environmental spaces — a powerful celebration of our enduring connection to the earth and a resounding call to dismantle the oppressive systems that have excluded us,” Black Birders Week is about more than just birding.
The celebration aims to reshape narratives and support a movement for liberation, healing, and the transformative power of nature as a tool for resistance and reclamation. Learn more about Black Birders Week at Black AF In Stem.
The Black Birders event occurs on the weekend of the Northern New York Audubon (NNYA) Great Adirondack Birding Celebration on Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31.
A Birders Mixer, hosted by NNYA, will take place at Hotel Saranac in Saranac Lake on Friday evening, and additional free birding-related activities will be offered at Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center on Saturday afternoon. Hotel Saranac is offering discounted rooms for Black Birders Week participants.
For the event schedule and other information, visit bit.ly/nny-black-birders-event. Registration is encouraged but not required. Contact Tamara Jolly at tjolly@adirondack.org with questions about the event.
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