Northcutt Legacy Fund honors Eleanor Thompson

Graciously in lieu of flowers, Eleanor's family has asked her loved ones and supporters to make donations in her name to the Howland Cultural Center. Continuing her contributions to the Howland was among the most important to her.

Howland Cultural Center was always very important to Eleanor.  It was dear to her because it showcased art that she found beautiful, fascinating, and endearing.  It was precious to her because it gave her a safe place to exhibit her own work.  And it helped her to lift up the voices and work of others whose artistry may otherwise have gone unnoticed. For these reasons, she was a huge advocate of the Center.  In 2007, as a Board Member, she had a vision for the historic Howland to expand its reputation as a center for cultural activities in the Hudson Valley.  She dreamed of a program that would connect all communities by way of their commonalities, which was through music. She believed that “When it comes to cultural diversity, we’re all students".  Her dream and her advocacy led to the birth of the Gospel Cafe. 

In addition, with the support of the indelible Florence Northcutt, Eleanor was able to expand the showcasing of female artists and artists of color in the Hudson Valley. "Women Artists of the Hudson Valley" in 2000 and "A Celebration of Women of Color in the Arts" in 2006 were among the shows inspired by her, in which she participated.  In 2019, even though she had moved to Texas 9 years earlier, she was honored to return with her grandson Bobby when they both exhibited in “The 25th Anniversary of African-American Artists in the Hudson Valley"... because that is how much the Howland meant to her.

An accomplished resident of the Hudson Valley during the time she lived there.  She did many things, including: Served two terms in Beacon as Councilwoman in Ward 2 (2000, 2002) Served in Beacon as Councilwoman-at-Large (2005) Co-founded the Young Artists’ Mentoring Project Served as Program Director at the Martin Luther King Community Center, establishing a curriculum for the "Partnership with Schools and Businesses", a multi-partnership with the Eleanor Roosevelt Foundation, the Beacon Board of Education Was a member of the Beacon Light Tabernacle Seventh Day Adventist Church:  Serving on the Building Committee; Chair of the Educational Development Corporation; and Chair of the Community Service Ministry Was a real estate professional for 18 years 

In addition to having her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Lehman College and her Master's in Education from Columbia University

Eleanor was awarded: The 2005 recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Award, the 2005 Shirley Chisholm Legacy Award, the 2004 Empire State Federation of Women’s Clubs, Inc. Community Award, and the Beacon City Concerned Citizens Inaugural Beacon Community Award