October 16, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 5 Ridgewood Museum show highlights diversity and acceptance the resurgence from 1923 and 1926, a time when homes in the area were generally sold to “people who look and think like us,” meaning not merely European whites, but European white Protestants of Anglo-Germanic, Dutch, or French Huguenot ancestry. She said the decision had to be made to focus on four groups that did not fit this traditional Ridgewood mold: the African-Americans, who always had a small presence; the Irish, now the largest population group; the Jews, once dis- couraged from buying local houses, but now a major force in local business, education, and politics; and the Koreans, the most visible Asian presence in Ridgewood today. In 1965, Ridgewood churches supported African- American civil rights with protests and vigils. Church groups also raised $75,000 to prevent the eviction of 18 long-term black families whose apartments were slated for renovation by the landlord, leaving the long-term residents with no viable place to live. A venerable African-American Bible and hair-curling utensils are part of the exhibit and appear in a special dis- play case. Rabbi David Fine, president of the Ridgewood Inter- faith Counsel, loaned the Schoolhouse Museum his own shofar, a ram’s-horn trumpet, and other liturgical articles related to the Jewish holidays. Irish heritage is celebrated with musical instruments including a fiddle and a tin whistle and a colorful dress (continued on page 13) by John Koster Beginning this week, the Ridgewood Schoolhouse Museum will be presenting an exhibit on Ridgewood’s development from an “exclusive” community to a village that has increasingly welcomed people of all races and reli- gions. The New Jersey Historical Commission had urged local history groups to celebrate the 350th Anniversary of New Jersey (as an English colony) in 2014 with some sort of show that focused on either diversity, liberty, or innova- tion. “We decided to be the first out of the box,” said Ridgewood Historical Society President Sheila Brogan. “We decided to tackle all three of these themes.” The show was arranged by Board of Education Presi- dent Brogan as president of the Ridgewood Historical Society along with Board Member Roberta Sonenfeld and former Board Member Vicky Herbert. The show is entitled “A Community’s Journey: Our Place in New Jersey’s History.” The first general showing will be on Oct. 17 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., with subsequent showings from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, following that schedule through July 27. Visitors who enter the Schoolhouse Museum at 650 East Glen Avenue near the Old Paramus Reformed Church will find displays of a Lenape Indian corn grinder and arrow- heads on one side and a Dutch Bible, craft tools, and pairs of wooden shoes to commemorate the two oldest groups of residents, often represented in museum shows. But the new show includes a display of a Ku Klux Klan hood and robe and some communications between Klan members. Brogan said the local Klan was at its strongest during Sheila Brogan and Roberta Sonenfeld