This year marks the 400th anniversary of Walloons settling in the New Netherland colony. A few decades later the Walloon and Huguenot families who would become known as the founders of New Paltz, would voyage to the colony and, eventually, establish a village on the banks of the Wallkill River.

Who were the Walloons and the Huguenots?  What is the difference?  What were their Protestant beliefs?  Why and how were they persecuted?  

Join HHS and Sandra Robinson for an illustrated talk set in the 16th century Low Countries (today's Netherlands and Belgium) and 16th-17th century France, complete with heroes, villains, and the invention of the word 'refugee'.

Sandra Robinson is a UK-based genealogist who specializes in Huguenot ancestry. She speaks French, Dutch/Flemish, and German, having lived in The Netherlands and Belgium, including working in these languages. Sandra is on the Council of the Huguenot Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and is consultant genealogist to the Huguenot Museum in Rochester, UK. She was the Huguenot ancestry expert for the BBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" TV episode with Joe Sugg, broadcast in November 2021. Sandra works for private clients and also regularly publishes articles on Huguenots, often co-authored with art historians or other subject specialists.  

This program will be presented entirely online via a link provided after registration.

This program will be recorded, and access to the recording will be provided to registrants the following day.

$8 General Admission

$5 Discounted admission for HHS members, seniors, students, active military personnel and their families, and veterans

Sponsored by Marshall & Sterling.

This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.