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Historically Speaking
Published
by The Afro-American Historical Association of the
Niagara
Frontier
, P.O. Box
63, Buffalo
NY
14207
Sharon
Holley and Madeline Scott, Editors
Volume 29 Number
2 September
2005
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Madeline O. Scott
The Afro-American
Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier (AAHANF) is hosting the 90th
Annual Conference of the Association for the Study of African American Life and
History (ASALH), October 5 – 9 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. ASALH, founded by
Carter G. Woodson in 1915, is the major national organization of scholars who
specialize in the study of African American History. This represents the first
time that the organization has held its convention in Buffalo. It is expected
that from 400 – 500 persons from all over the country will attend. Buffalo was
selected for the 2005 meeting to commemorate and celebrate the 100th
Anniversary of the founding of the Niagara Movement (the forerunner of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). For a
nominal registration fee of $100 ($80 for Senior Citizens), individuals will be
able to attend 4 days of workshops presented by national scholars.
Two of the programs of
the conference will be especially relavent to the local community, the “Teacher
In-service Seminar”, and “Youth Day Workshop”. (The Afro-American Historical
Association has secured funding to underwrite the cost of individual
registration for both of these workshops. Interested local teachers or youth
should contact us at P.O.B. 63, Buffalo 14207).
The “Teacher
In-Service” will include a training session and a luncheon. Teachers from the
Buffalo area schools are invited to participate in a training session that is
facilitated by the editor of the “Black History Month Kit”, (a curriculum packet
containing materials and guides for teaching African American history for one
year). The teacher in-service training will include review of the National
Black History theme, and related articles and essays with companion curriculum
guides. The Teachers’ luncheon will honor local teachers who have incorporated
African American History into the curriculum.
In the “Youth Day
Workshop”, 300 area high school students will be presented with a workshop by a
group of their peers, namely Kiamesha Youth Empowerment Organization, a youth
guild of ASALH consisting of youth ages 14 to 18. The workshop will enlighten
the youth about the legacy of Carter G. Woodson as well as promote respect and
pride in African American life, history, culture and experience. The workshop
will also address topics such as, the importance of education in relationship to
their future, the continuation of honesty and the role they play as ambassadors
and peer mentors within their generation.
Other information on
the conference can be found on the ASALH web site www.asalh.com.
LOCAL AGENCIES & BUSINESSES
SUPPORT A.S.A.L.H. CONFERENCE
The Afro-American
Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier is honored to act as the local
“host” for the 90th Association for the Study of African American
Life and History (ASALH) Conference. Being the local “host” offered an
opportunity to impact the ASALH Conference in a number of ways: (1) We have an
opportunity to showcase some of the many African American heritage sites in
Western New York. We wanted to offer heritage tours of the area to some of the
nations leading authorities on African American History; (2) It gave us an
opportunity to insure that this tremendous amassing of talent and expertise in
our community offered sessions and benefits to our children and educators. We
wanted to sponsor and underwrite sessions and activities that were geared
specifically to the needs of local youth and local educators. We wanted to
register local young people to attend ASALH’s “youth workshops”, and register
local educators to attend ASALH’s workshops on “teaching African American
history and culture”. We realized at the outset that being the local “host”
would require funding sources to underwrite the specific activities that we
wanted our local community to have access to.
Moreover, we wanted
our visitors to be comfortable and to see the “best” side of our city.
Everything from providing transportation between the Hyatt Hotel (main site of
the conference) and other sites of conference activities (U.B., Buff State,
etc.), recruiting and supervising student volunteers, and misc. other duties, to
make their visit memorable, were part of the host’s duties.
Being local host was
one of our Association’s biggest undertakings to date. Consequently, we called
on some of our local agencies, foundations, and businesses for financial
assistance and some of them stepped forward and helped us with either financial
grants and/or in-kind services. We are most grateful for their interest and
support!! Their names are listed below.
The County
of Erie (grant to support the activities and responsibilities of the host);
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt’s Office (NYS grant to underwrite the cost of 100
Black History curriculum packets for area teachers, and registration fee for 100
area students to attend the “Youth Day Workshop”); Gannett Foundation-WGR
(grant to help underwrite an area African American Heritage Tour); Buffalo
State College, Center for Excellence in Urban & Rural Education (grant to
pay registration fees for twenty local educators to attend the workshop on
teaching African American history and culture); M&T Bank Foundation
(grant to help underwrite an area African American Heritage Tour); Equity
Foundation (grant to support the activities and responsibilities of the
host).
Both SUNY at
Buffalo, and Buffalo State College are contributing in various ways.
The director of African American Studies at UB, Dr. Lillian Williams, is the
program co-chair. She has received financial support from the College of
Arts and Sciences, the Humanities Institute and Canadian Studies.
Prof. Ray Scott composed a five movement symphony, “The Ode to the Niagara
Movement”. A special event will introduce it. Prof. James Pappas will exhibit
some of his original oil paintings. African American Studies at SUNYAB
has provided various kinds of in-kind support.
Dr. Felix Armfield,
member of Buff State History Dept., is also program co-chair. Buff State has
also contributed to the conference in numerous ways. Buffalo State College,
Provost’s Office (purchased canvas bags for registration packet); Buffalo
State College, Instructional Resources (will provide audio-visual equipment
needed for on-sight sessions); and Karpeles Musuem & Buffalo State College
Museum Studies Program (will host “Buffalo Night Out” for conference
participants).
THE AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION OF THE NIAGARA FRONTIER, & BUFFALO STATE COLLEGECO-SPONSOR
GROUNDBREAKING REGIONAL HISTORY PRESERVATION PROJECT
During the early 1970s, the
Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier, and Buffalo State
College launched a pioneering effort to preserve primary sources in regional
Afro-American History on microfilm. For more than thirty years, Professor
Monroe Fordham (member of the Buffalo State College History Department)
coordinated the project, which involved working with community groups and
community leaders, to locate and preserve primary historical sources pertaining
to the Western New York African American community. When Fordham retired,
Buffalo State College established the Monroe Fordham Center for Regional History
to continue developing the “Buffalo State College Regional History Collection”.
Over the thirty year period,
that joint effort has resulted in almost a hundred titles being added to the
microfilmed collection. Copies of the microfilmed “Buffalo Afro-American
Collection” are held at three locations: the Buffalo State College Butler
Library Archives; The Buffalo State College Monroe Fordham Center for Regional
History; and the North Jefferson Branch Library and Center for Local
Afro-American History and Research (soon to be the Frank Merriwether Branch
Library).
The list of
microfilmed titles of Afro-American community historical papers includes:
Buffalo Cooperative Economic Society Records, 1920s-1960s; the Colored Musicians
Union Records and Papers, 1917-1975; the B.U.I.L.D. of Buffalo Federation of
community Organizations, 1967-1975; the Bethel A.M.E., Buffalo Church Records,
1920s-1960s; the First Shiloh Baptist Church Records; Buffalo Model Cities
Papers; Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier Corporate
Records; Buffalo Challenger Newspaper, 1963-2003; Buffalo Criterion
Newspaper, 1940-2003; Buffalo Branch NAACP Papers; Buffalo Urban League
Papers, 1927-1977; H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities Made Equal) Papers,
1963-1995; Niagara Community Association Papers, 1927-1977; and the J. Edward
Nash Papers, 1896-1953. A complete list of titles in the “Buffalo Afro-American
Collection”, can be found on the Association’s WEB site—www.aahanf.org.
The “Buffalo
Afro-American Collection”, and the “Buffalo State College Regional History
Collection”, should serve as national models for preserving primary historical
source materials of overlooked and under-represented community groups with small
budgets.
RECENT & PROJECTED MICROFILMED TITLES
In August,
2005, the Monroe Fordham Center for Regional History completed microfilming the
Coles Papers (Robert T.). The Coles title has been added to the “Buffalo
Afro-American”, and the “Buffalo State College Regional History” collections. A
total of 9 rolls of microfilm make up the Coles Papers. Robert T. Coles is a
Buffalo Afro-American architect. Coles has been a “behind the scenes” mover and
shaper of many of Buffalo’s civil rights activities during last 45 years. He
was also on the cutting edge of many of the civil rights advances in his
profession.
In the fall semester
the Fordham Center will begin work on the “Collins Papers” (former Buffalo
Councilman David Collins). Also in the fall semester, the Center will work with
the St. Luke’s AME Zion Church in planning to microfilm the St. Luke’s Church
Records.
BUFFALO AFRICAN AMERICAN
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY SEPTEMBER MEETING
By Sonia Walker
Members of the Buffalo
Genealogical Society of the African Diaspora focuses on assisting each other
with genealogical research. The next meeting of the Society will be September
10th. Call Sonia @ 884-9146 for more information. We continue to collect
Funeral Programs which are being microfilmed by the Afro-American Historical
Association of the Niagara Frontier and Buffalo State College
FRANK E.
MERRIWEATHER, JR. LIBRARY
By
Sharon Holley
The last public library constructed in the city of Buffalo opened in
1986. In October 2005, the new Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Branch Library will
open at Jefferson and East Utica Street to replace the North Jefferson Branch
Library, 332 East Utica Street, which was constructed in 1929.
After entering the
stately wooden doors designed by artist Valeria Cray Dihaan, one will step into
a 20,000 square foot library based on the concept of an African village.
Designed by Robert Trayhnam Coles, Architect, P.C., this $4.5 million dollar
facility was built by the City of Buffalo for use by the Buffalo & Erie County
Public Library. Adorning the walls inside of the circular pods are colorful
wall murals designed by artist Carol Wells.
The focal point of the
Merriweather Branch is the African American Resource Room. This will house the
largest reference collection of African American materials in Western New York.
That collection will include the “Buffalo Afro-American Collection”, microfilmed
papers and documents on local history, which was developed by the Afro-American
Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier and Buffalo State College.
Exhibit space is also included in this area. Other public spaces include large
reading rooms for children and adults, a Public Access Computer lab, a small
meeting room and an auditorium that will seat 150 people.
The library was named
to honor the late Frank E. Merriweather, Jr.. Merriweather was the publisher of
the Buffalo Criterion, a weekly African American newspaper founded in
1925 by his father, Frank E. Merriweather, Sr. The younger Merriweather was
also a founding member of the Buffalo Urban League, and was active in the
Buffalo Branch of the NAACP. A graduate of Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee,
Alabama where he earned a degree in journalism and printing operation, he began
working with his father in 1935 and operating the business after his father died
in 1959. In addition to his newspaper business, he was also a musician in
several groups and was active in local politics. He died in 1995. The
Buffalo Criterion continues to be published by the Merriweather
family.
CARTER G. WOODSON
LOCAL HISTORY ESSAY CONTEST
By Sharon Holley
For 28 years, the Afro
American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier has sponsored the Carter
G. Woodson local History Essay Contest for Youth. The writing contest is an
effort to engage youth in the study of local African American History. It is
open to all youth in grades 4 – 12. The participants write on a local theme,
chosen each year by the committee. Some of the past themes have been: Justice
for African Americans in Western New York (2005); African American Ministers and
Religious Leaders in Western New York (2003); African American Artists in
Western New York (2001); Along the Freedom Trail in Western New York (1999); A
Salute to African American Educators in Western New York (1996); and Celebration
of African American Women in Western New York (1986). All of the themes give
the youth an opportunity to research and interview persons (even their own
family members) about local history. In addition to certificates and cash
prizes, winning essays are printed in the April issue of Historically
Speaking.
The theme for this
year’s Woodson Essay Contest is “A Salute to African American Youth in Western
New York.” The contest is open to all youth in grades 4-12 and must be
received by the Afro-American Historical Association, or at the new Frank E.
Merriweather, Jr. Branch Library (Jefferson and E. Utica) by February 10, 2006.
Essays must be printed or typed in 500 words of less on the theme. The essay
must be written about an African American youth (living or deceased) who made a
contribution to Western New York in school, church, family or community. Youth
would be considered a person who is 21 years of age and under. Include the age
of the person in your essay and describe in detail why they are being saluted.
It may include yourself or a family member. Certificates and cash prizes will
be awarded to the winners in February 2006.
FUNERAL PROGRAM
COLLECTION
By
Sharon Holley
The Buffalo
Genealogical Society of the African Diaspora (BGSAD) has begun work on Volume 2
of the “Buffalo African American Funeral Program and Obituary Collection”.
Volume 1 of this collection was microfilmed by the Afro-American Historical
Association and Buffalo State College includes more than 3,000 funeral programs
and newspaper obituaries. Persons who would like to contribute funeral programs
to this collection should contact, Sharon Holley @716-886-1399 or 716-858-7151.
Original programs that
you want returned can be copied and returned to you. For an index of funeral
programs and obituaries that are included in Volume 1; contact The North
Jefferson Library & Center for Local African American History and Research (Merriweather
Library); The Butler Library Archives at Buffalo State College; or the Monroe
Fordham Center for Regional History at Buffalo State College. BGSAD realizes
that bits of genealogical information may be found in funeral programs. The
programs are from persons who were born, lived, died or had family in the
Western New York area. BGSAD was founded by Robert Davis and Sonia Walker.
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ANCESTRAL
TOUR AT FOREST LAWN CEMETERY
By Dr. Barbara Nevergold
Few people think of
the cemetery as a resource for historical information. However, since 2001, the
Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier, Inc. has worked to
change this concept so that cemeteries can be viewed as one of the vital
community links to local African-American history. The African American
Ancestral Tour at Forest Lawn Cemetery is a collaborative partnership between
the Association and the Forest Lawn Group, thanks to the support of AAHANF Board
member and Forest Lawn Associate, Karen Davis. While Forest Lawn has offered a
variety of tours of this 160 year-old cemetery, none of the gravesites visited
were those of African Americans. Members of the AAHANF saw an opportunity to
develop a tour that focused on the members of our community, whose history is an
integral part of the history of the entire Western New York region.
The hour and a half
tour, via motorized coach, meanders throughout the scenic Forest Lawn Cemetery,
making stops at the gravesites of more than forty African Americans, historic
and contemporary figures whose contributions and accomplishments have enriched
and shaped the history of our community. The tour guides, Ms. Sharon Holley,
Ms. Karen Davis, Dr. Felix Armfield, and Dr. Barbara Nevergold, AAHANF Board
members, provide running commentary on the lives of these individuals and the
historical timeline in which they lived. The tour illustrates both the extensive
nature of local African American history and its impact on local, national and
international history.
During several stops
along the tour route, actors in period dress board the motor coach to greet the
tourists and to add their own personal touch to the guide’s narration. The tour
participants are always pleasantly surprised to meet, Rev. J. Edward Nash,
long-time pastor of the Michigan Street Baptist Church, Mrs. Mary B. Talbert,
President of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs and NAACP leader,
John H. Dover, Civil War veteran and Miss Amelia Anderson, President of the
Buffalo Branch NAACP and first African American to earn a Ph.D. at Syracuse
University. These re-enactments are an added feature that helps to emphasize
the rich heritage presented by the Ancestral Tour.
Now in its fourth
year, the Ancestral Tour is normally offered in July and August and has
developed an enthusiastic and diverse audience. This year, the two 40-seat
capacity buses were sold out. We had a waiting list and individuals who followed
the buses in their own cars. The tour has consistently received positive
evaluations for its innovation and for the role it has played in filling a void
in local history. The AAHANF is pleased that the Ancestral Tour provides another
avenue in our efforts to preserve our historical heritage and heighten knowledge
and the level of awareness about the importance of local African American
history.
BUFFALO STATE COLLEGE
PROFESSORS RECEIVE HUMANITIES GRANT
By Dr. Felix Armfield
Dr. Felix L.
Armfield, Associate Professor of History and Social Studies Education, and Dr.
Wanda M. Davis, Associate Professor, Educational Foundations of Buffalo State
College along with Dr. Shelia K. Martin, Assistant Professor of English. Erie
Community College have just been awarded a New York Council for the Humanities
Grant. This grant will help to support a yearlong lecture series to be held
throughout the city of Buffalo. The series is entitled: “What Price Freedom?
The Centennial Celebration of the Niagara Movement in Western New York.” The
first scheduled event will be September 15, 2005 on the campus of Buffalo State
College in the Warren Enters Theatre. The topic is “Tales of the Underground
Railroad”, by Kevin Cottrell. Commentary will be by Ms. Kim Pearson, Department
of English, The College of New Jersey.
Other such topics that will be
discussed over the course of the next year are “The Slave Narrative”, “Life
Beyond the Canadian Border”, “J. Edward Nash & the Michigan Ave. Baptist
Church”, “W. E. B. Du Bois and the Talented Tenth”, and “From the Niagara
Movement to the NAACP”. Events are scheduled to be held at the Langston Hughes
Center, Buffalo State College, the J. E. Nash House Museum, the Buffalo & Erie
County Historical Society, and the Karpeles Museum. Speakers for the various
topics will include two-time Pulitzer prize winning author David Levering Lewis,
Stephanie Shaw of the Ohio State University and many other national and locally
known scholars.
NAACP NATIONAL BOARD MEETS IN BUFFALO
By
Madeline O. Scott
The 64 member Board of
Directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) will meet in Buffalo, NY at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, October 14 thru 16,
2005. This will be the first time the National Board has met in Buffalo.
Buffalo was selected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
“Niagara Movement”. The founders of the “Niagara Movement” caucused in
Buffalo, July 11th, 1905. The 1905 meetings continued on July 12 &
13th at the Erie Beach Hotel in Fort Erie Canada. The “Niagara
Movement” was spearheaded by Dr. W.E.B. DuBois. The movement gave rise to the
NAACP in 1909. Julian Bond is the current NAACP Board Chair, and Bruce Gordon
is the newly appointed CEO.
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