The Church of Saint Edward the Martyr, 1941. The church was designed by architect George A. Bagge and completed in 1887. A 1903 expansion, financed by philanthropist, lawyer, senior warden of the parish Elbridge T. Gerry included interior decoration such as stained glass, mosaics, and marble and metal work, designed and installed by famed decorative arts firm J. & R. Lamb.

\*Odetta (1930- 2008), born Odetta Holmes, was an influential artist/activist of the civil rights generation. During her 60-year career, she influenced numerous performers, including Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Janis Joplin. Her signature song was “This Little Light of Mine.” Odetta took part in the historic freedom marches of the 1960s in Selma, Alabama, and in Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. named her “Queen of American Folk Music.” President William J. Clinton honored her with the National Medal of Arts, saying, “Odetta reminds us all that songs have the power to change the heart and change the world.” \*Text from the Cultural Medallion placed on 1270 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan

Cultural Medallions are porcelainized enamel plaques affixed to the exterior of buildings, in order to commemorate an individual (or occurrence) that has made a significant contribution to New York City’s rich cultural heritage. These are the Cultural Medallions in Manhattan. See more from the Historic Landmarks Preservation Center here.