Assembly Resolution No. 2289

BY: M. of A. Barrett

CELEBRATING the life of Joan Kaplan Davidson,
preservationist and philanthropist who devoted her
life to the betterment of New York State and the
Hudson River Valley and to improving quality of life
for all New Yorkers

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, who long
worked to support and advance efforts to protect New York State's
natural and built environments in both urban and rural settings, to
champion the arts, and to fight for civil liberties and social justice,
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 the built and natural landmarks that are
essential to the cultural history of New York and was a devoted public
servant of New York State, serving as both the Chair of the Council on
the Arts from 1975 to 1977, and the New York State Parks Commissioner
from 1993 to 1995; 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 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 created and served as the first
President of Westbeth Artists Housing in lower Manhattan, one of the
first adaptive reuse initiatives dedicated to providing affordable
housing and workspace for artists and arts organizations, which would
become a model for the rehabilitation of industrial buildings; and

WHEREAS, Succeeding her father, Joan Kaplan Davidson served as
President of the J.M. Kaplan Fund from 1977 to 1993, spearheading the
fund's efforts on behalf of the environment, preservation, civil
liberties, and the arts, establishing 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, Midwood, her
19th-century estate on the Hudson River, became the center of cultural,
social, and political discourse and activism in the region; her
graciousness in 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 myriad 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, who served as chair of the
Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission, was personally
committed to the protection of the Hudson River and the Hudson River
Valley, and would often be found deeply immersed in 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 an extraordinary legacy,
which will long endure the passage of time and remain enshrined for
generations in the historic buildings and natural landscape that she
helped to renew and preserve; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
celebrate the well-lived life 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.