Senate Resolution No. 2567

BY: Senator HINCHEY

MOURNING the death of Joan Kaplan Davidson, a
preservationist and philanthropist who devoted her
life to the betterment of New York State and the
Hudson River Valley

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and this
great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson of Germantown, New York, whose
charitable work of preserving and restoring New York State's
architecture, historic buildings, and natural resources improved the
quality of life for all New Yorkers, died on Friday, August 11, 2023, at
the age of 96; and

WHEREAS, Born in New York City on May 26, 1927, Joan Kaplan Davidson
was a tireless advocate for buildings that are important to the cultural
history of New York and an exemplary public servant of New York State,
serving as both the Chairwoman for the Council on the Arts and the New
York State Parks Commissioner; and

WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson earned a bachelor's degree from
Cornell University and a postgraduate degree in education from the Bank
Street School and began her public service career, which continued for
many years, in Washington, D.C., where she worked on the staff of the
Senate Armed Services Preparedness Committee under Senate Majority
Leader Lyndon B. Johnson; and

WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson managed the creation of Westbeth
Artists Housing in lower Manhattan, which would become a model for the
rehabilitation of industrial buildings, and served as the first
President; and

WHEREAS, From 1977 to 1993, Joan Kaplan Davidson served as President
of the J.M. Kaplan Fund and established her legacy as a philanthropist
and preservationist through actions, such as the fight to preserve
Broadway theaters, the restoration of the Eldridge Street Synagogue, and
the groundwork and provision of much of the funding for the Gracie
Mansion Conservancy which renovated and preserved the New York City
Mayor's residence; and

WHEREAS, A lifelong conservationist, Joan Kaplan Davidson
established programs to support the protection of New York State's
natural resources and the preservation of rural communities, such as the
Rural New York Grant Program and the Industrial Heritage Reuse Project,
and was especially active in the Hudson Valley where she resided; and

WHEREAS, In 1995, Joan Kaplan Davidson founded Furthermore, an
organization with a mission to provide grants for the publication of
nonfiction books related to the arts, history, and the natural and
man-made environment, and has assisted with the publication of more than
1,400 books, utilizing more than $8 million in grants; and


WHEREAS, In 1996, Joan Kaplan Davidson was one of the founding
members of Historic Hudson, a preservation organization dedicated to
protecting the quality of life and the cultural and architectural
heritage of the city of Hudson; and

WHEREAS, Under Joan Kaplan Davidson's stewardship, her family's
19th-century estate on the Hudson River, known as "Midwood," became the
epicenter of cultural, social, and political discourse and activism in
the region; hosting gatherings, large and small, throughout the year was
a personal contribution to her community and beyond; and

WHEREAS, In her work to protect the Hudson River and the Hudson
River Valley, Joan Kaplan Davidson and the J.M. Kaplan Fund provided
grants to a myriad of important organizations, including Adirondack
Experience, Adirondack Wild, Hudson Hall, Scenic Hudson, Historic
Hudson, the Fisher Center at Bard College, the Thomas Cole Historic
House, the Shaker Museum and Library, and the Columbia Land Conservancy;
and

WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson was personally committed to the
protection of the Hudson River and the Hudson River Valley and would
often be found at the center of efforts to clean the river, preserve its
scenic banks, and protect endangered species of fish; and

WHEREAS, Joan Kaplan Davidson is survived by her children, John
Matthew, G. Bradford, Peter W., and Betsy; her twelve grandchildren; and
her five great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Imbued with generational foresight and a deep well of
compassion, Joan Kaplan Davidson leaves behind a legacy, which will long
endure the passage of time and remain enshrined for generations, in the
buildings and natural landscape that her philanthropy helped to renew
and preserve; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Joan Kaplan Davidson and to express its deepest
condolences to her family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Joan Kaplan Davidson.