Listen in to WUSB 90.1/107.3 FM at Stony Brook University for a special Black History Month live broadcast on Saturday, February 28, from 10:30 am to 11:15 am, featuring historians Charles Bevington and Chiitra Wells. 

Presented as part of WUSB’s commitment to community dialogue and historical awareness, this live interview will explore the rich and often overlooked history of free African American communities in Rocky Point and the surrounding Brookhaven area. 

The conversation will highlight the late 18th and early 19th-century free Black settlement in Rocky Point, including the life and legacy of Jonah Miller, a free Black landowner as early as 1789. Families like Miller’s worshiped at Mount Sinai Congregational Church and built long-standing community roots despite living in a predominantly white, slave-owning area. 

The discussion will also examine the archaeological and historical research surrounding the Betsey Prince site on North Country Road, which has provided important insight into how these families owned property, built homes and engaged with their community during New York’s period of gradual emancipation. A 2013 historical marker on Route 25A now commemorates these early African American settlers and their contributions.

Bevington will reflect on his recent work in Albany and how it connects to ongoing conversations about preserving and honoring Black history. Wells will share an overview of her work and her deep ties to local history and community storytelling.

WUSB host Ahmed Ali and members of student media have been invited to participate in the event, reinforcing the station’s longstanding tradition of amplifying diverse voices and amplifying meaningful discussion.

The live broadcast offers an opportunity to reflect on the lives and resilience of early free Black settlers on Long Island and to consider how their stories continue to shape our understanding of local and national history. 

Tune in live at 90.1 FM, 107.3 FM or stream online at www.WUSB.fm.