Library: Archives & Special Collections: African American History

Collection Subject: African American History

African American Studies Department at Buffalo State [1973-1991] The files of the African American Studies department became dormant after the department was dissolved (1977). The papers that are microfilmed in this collection are primarily from the 1970s. After the department was dissolved and African American Studies became a "program", records were kept by the coordinator of that program. Professor Keith Baird. Records from the "program" period are not included in this collection. In 1988, Monroe Fordham was asked to serve as Acting Coordinator of African American Studies. In 1989 Dr. Anthony Neal was appointed as Coordinator of African American Studies.
Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier Inc. The Afro-American Historical Association was founded in 1974 and is chartered by the New York State Department of Education. The primary mission of the Association is to preserve historical sources that pertain to Afro-Americans in Western New York and to promote research and scholarship that has to do with the life and history of Afro-Americans in New York State.
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Afro-Americans in New York Life and History, Niagara Falls, NY, 1977-2015 Afro-Americans in New York Life and History is an interdisciplinary journal that is published two times per year (January and July) by the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier, Inc. The journal began publication in 1977. Through the journal, the Association endeavors to encourage and publish research and scholarship pertaining to Afro-Americans in New York State. The journal publishes analytical, historical, and descriptive articles dealing with the life and history of Afro-Americans in New York State.
Acker, Daniel Daniel Acker was president of the Buffalo, New York branch of the NAACP from 1972 until his death in 1997. Dan was active in many of the Buffalo organizations that fought for civil rights in the 1960s - the 1990s. He was a co-founder of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (H.O.M.E.) in the 1960s to work for equal access to descent housing for all Americans. He was a major player in the federal lawsuit that led to the Court ordered desegregation of the Buffalo Public Schools. Mr. Acker was also an appointed member of numerous state and local governmental oversight boards.
Alpha Kappa Boule [1954-2003] The Alpha Kappa Boule (Buffalo, NY) was chartered in 1954. It is a local chapter of Sigma Pi Phi, the oldest Greek Letter Society among black Americans. The national society was founded in 1904. Over the years, members of the Buffalo group have included some of the most prominent and active members of Buffalo’s African American community. Their individual contributions to the city’s history have been immense. Their stories are intertwined in the papers of many of the groups whose papers are preserved as part the Buffalo Afro-American Collection and the Buffalo State College Regional History Collection. The Alpha Kappa Boule Papers preservation project was initiated by officers of that organization. The papers were prepared for microfilming by Monroe and Freddie Mae Fordham. The filming was done by Charita Jackson and LaShawanda Ingram, Buffalo State College students, working under the supervision of the Fordham Regional History Center at Buffalo State College.
George K. Arthur Political Papers [1961-1910] Buffalo native George K. Arthur has been active on the local political scene for nearly half a century. Notably, he served on the Erie County Board of Supervisors from 1964-1967, as Ellicott District Councilman from 1970-1978, and then as Councilman-at-Large in 1978, eventually serving as Common Council President from 1984 until his retirement in 1996. Along the way, he ran for mayor in 1985 as the unendorsed Democratic candidate, narrowly losing to incumbent Jimmy Griffin. In 2010, he served as Secretary of the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority. –Art Voice 04/22/2010
Attica NOW! [1971-1975] The materials in this collection were secured for microfilming from “Attica NOW!” a prison reform collective that was headquartered (at the time) at 1528 Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo, NY. In 1975 they were closing down their headquarters and gave several boxes containing these papers to Monroe Fordham who promised to preserve them on microfilm.
Batchelor, Lillion | Buffalo Quarters Historical Society Papers Lillion Batchelor founded Buffalo Quarters Historical Society in 1995. Her purpose was to increase national and international awareness of the significant role Buffalo played in the Underground Railroad movement. The Society presents annual recreations of historical events through drama and music culminating in the Niagara River Crossing into Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada.
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Bellamy, Herbert | 1490 Enterprises, Inc. Mr. Bellamy received over 150 awards and honors including the first Roberto Clemente Humanitarian Award, Man of the Year, Canisius College President’s Award, the Buffalo Urban League Family Award and an honorary degree from Canisius College. He was the first African American civil service commissioner, first director and vice president the Downtown Nursing Home. He served as Councilman-at-Large for the City of Buffalo for nine years. Mr. Bellamy also served on many boards; Canisius Board of Regents, Western New York Liquor Retailers, Bethel Head Start Program and others. He was a lifetime member of the NAACP. In 1990, Bellamy was appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo as a member of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct. He also served as a Director of Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority in 1994. In 2001, a section of Jefferson Avenue between East Delavan Avenue and East Ferry Street was designated as “Herbert L. Bellamy Way.” Mr. Bellamy died on March 8, 2006.
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Bethel A.M.E. [1926-1989] Historic Bethel A.M.E. Church is the oldest Black institution in the City of Buffalo. Organized in 1831, the Church has a proud history beginning with its original site being a station on the Underground Railroad to producing numerous leaders in all aspects of life in the City of Buffalo. Bethel is a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest and largest of African American Methodist denominations, and is a connectional Church.
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Black News, 1969-1975
Black Revolutionary Action Movement [1960-1970] The materials in this collection--which center mainly, but not solely, on the political activities and literature of the Revolutionary Action Movement from the early 1960's through the early 1970's--were compiled from the personal archives of Akbar Muhammed Ahmed (Max Stanford), John H. Bracey, Jr., and Ernest Allen, Jr. Founded in 1962, RAM was a "low-profile" organization which sought to transcend what it perceived as the "narrow orientations" of existing Civil Rights organizations (which tended to concentrate on "middle-class" cultural assimilation and patchwork social reform) as well as bourgeois-nationalist organizations (which tended to stress capita] accumulation and withdrawal from mass struggle). In contrast, RAM sought to popularize a program of self-determination for Afro-Americans by means of armed struggle, with the ultimate form of American society conceived in terms of social cooperation rather than capitalist individualism. Included here are internal RAM documents, publicly disseminated RAM literature, as well as media accounts of the organization and its members. An incomplete file of Robert F. Williams' Crusader newsletter, published in exile from Cuba and China, is also Included, as is a full catalog of Soulbook magazine, a west coast-based journal of revolutionary nationalist persuasion.
Black Workers in the Era of the Great Migration [1916-1925] With the booming economy in northern cities during World War I, approximately one-half million blacks left the South and headed north in pursuit of work. This collection consists of federal documents that pertain to the changing patterns of both labor and migration during the decade after the war. Specifically, these documents refer to agricultural and industrial labor, unionism, housing, race relations, veteran employment, and the processes of migration.
Buffalo Affirmative Action Program, Committee Proceedings & Correspondence [1970-1978] Records of the Buffalo Affirmative Action Program Committee include notices, agendas, meeting minutes, reports, draft narratives, letters, memos and budgets between 1970 and 1978 compiled by the committee and microfilmed by the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center.
Buffalo Challenger, Buffalo, NY, 1963-2006 In the sixties, Black America was at a civil/human rights crossroads. The sit-ins, demonstrations, pickets and marches against racism and segregation in the south and second class citizenship for Blacks across the country, were met with violence and hatred; with guns and fire hoses, and even death. It was against this backdrop that The Challenger was born in. Just a little over a decade after the Supreme Court Decision outlawing racial segregation in public schools, the very first edition of The Challenger hit the streets of Buffalo’s Black community on April 11, 1963. It was also the year that civil rights leader Medgar Evers was murdered; that the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed by White supremacists, killing four innocent children; and the year that Dr. Martin Luther King made his famous “I Have A Dream Speech” at the historic March on Washington.
Buffalo Cooperative Economic Society [1928-1961] During the several decades following the "great migration" of Afro-Americans to the northern cities, the economic and social problems confronting northern black communities became more intense. In their quest to find solutions to those problems, and improve the quality of life in their communities, many northern black spokesmen concluded that racial solidarity and self-help offered the best hope. The belief in self-help and solidarity among northern blacks during that period drew inspiration from the legacy of Booker T. Washington and the preaching of Marcus Garvey. Those ideas, coupled with the socialist influences of the depression years, contributed to a renewed interest in the formation of economic cooperatives in northern black communities.
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Buffalo Criterion, Buffalo, NY, 1940-2006 The Buffalo Criterion is the oldest continuously published African American newspaper in Western New York. Founded in 1925 by Frank E. Merriweather, Sr. and his wife, Camilla Merriweather, the newspaper has been a major voice in recording the history of African Americans with a focus on Buffalo and the Western New York area.
Buffalo Kwanzaa Committee Papers Sharon and Kenneth Holley began participating and celebrating the Kwanzaa holiday in the early 1970s. The Buffalo community celebrated the Kwanzaa holiday at the Watu center on Jefferson Avenue, the Center for Positive Thought on East Utica Street and the African American Cultural Center on Masten Avenue; these were often one-day events. Sharon and Kenneth attended and even participated in these early celebrations that brought the African American community of Buffalo together through dance, music, poetry and dialog. It was these first celebrations that the Kwanzaa Committee of Buffalo came into being. The committee was coordinated by Sharon and Kenneth, from the store Harambee Books and Crafts, which called together the various leaders from the community centers and suggested coordinating the Kwanzaa programs so that there would be no competition for the same day and there would be numerous venues for the public to attend. Sharon and Kenneth Holley have facilitated and became the co-coordinators for the city-wide Kwanzaa program for over 21 years. As a result of the Kwanzaa Committee there are now six nights of celebration in several community centers, churches and other institutions throughout the city of Buffalo. The committee has also produced the journal, fundraising, coordinated the community feast, planned vendor space, did publicity, set-up opening ceremonies and cared for the Kwanzaa symbols and decorations used each year.
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Buffalo Model Cities Expo Papers & Photographs [1966-1978] This collection of nine boxes of papers was preserved and organized by Ms. Theresa J. White. Ms. White was involved with the Buffalo Model Cities Program during the early phase of its existence. Even after she left the program she continued to collect and preserve materials that would help to document an important period in the city of Buffalo. For more than a quarter of a century after the program ended, Ms. White continued to collect papers from that historic undertaking. With meticulous care, and over many nears, she organized the papers into the categories in which they are filmed. The papers were indexed and prepared for microfilming by Monroe and Freddie Mae Fordham. The collection was filmed by Charita Jackson and LaShawanda Ingram, students at Buffalo State College. The students were working under the supervision of the Fordham Regional History Center, at Buffalo State College. The Students were paid from a grant from New York State.
Buffalo Quarters Historical Society Papers | Batchelor, Lillion Lillion Batchelor founded Buffalo Quarters Historical Society in 1995. Her purpose was to increase national and international awareness of the significant role Buffalo played in the Underground Railroad movement. The Society presents annual recreations of historical events through drama and music culminating in the Niagara River Crossing into Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. Ms. Batchelor has worked to bring about a sense of hope, pride, and recognition to Western New York by presenting historical truths, honoring unsung heroes, expanding historical research to include the significance of Buffalo in the Underground Railroad. She has brought this about through the sharing of this rich history in drama, music, and literature.
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Buffalo Youth & Young Adult Choral Society [1970-2000] The Supervisors Guild of Buffalo Youth and Young Adult Choral Society was organized in 1958-1959 with approximately seven members in the home of the late Rosalie Henry. The purpose of the Guild was to supervise, guide and assist the youth. Also, to travel with the children both locally and out of town when presenting programs and attending the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, Inc., under the leadership of Professor Thomas A. Dorsey. Presidents: Mother Sarah Parham (deceased), Mrs. Mary Jackson and Mr. George "Buddy" Davis, II, Mrs. Gertrude Johnson, presiding.
Buffalo's Afro-Americans: Photos of Historic Events Photos in the collection include: Colored Musicians Union of Buffalo; Historical Photos; Black & Puerto Rican Caucus (Northern Region) Convention, Syracuse, NY, 1976; B.U.I.L.D. of Buffalo Juneteenth Celebration, 1976; B.U.I.L.D. of Buffalo Convention, 1976.
B.U.I.L.D. - Papers & Challenge to the License Renewal of WNIA & WSAY [1967-1975] The B.U.I.L.D. files were in file cabinets in three separate offices: (1) The elected President had his office files in his office; (2) The Executive Director (Mr. Gaitor who ran the organization on a day to day basis) had his own set of files in his office; and (3) the Education Affairs Office (Mrs. Miriam Beale was responsible for all education matters) had its own set of files in that office. Please see associated inventory for listing of files included in the collection.
Burrell Papers In 1945, Dr. Burrell enrolled in the doctoral program in psychology and human relations at New York University. Dr. Burrell came to Buffalo to teach at Buffalo State College in 1948. She was the first African American faculty member to be hired by the College. Her husband, Robert was an attorney in the Buffalo District Attorney's office. He later became a City Court Judge. Dr. Burrell's interest in child development, human relations and international education led to her involvement in education in the country of India. In 1959, she received a Fulbright Fellowship at Jabalpu University in India. This was followed by an appointment to the post of Director of the India Project at Buffalo State that resulted in several trips with students, in 1968-69 and 1970-71, to study the educational system and culture of that country. She was also the College's Director of Human Relations Workshops. Dr. Burrell retired from Buffalo State in 1972.
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Chappelle, Mary Crosby Mary Lee Crosby Chappelle is a retired public school teacher of Special Education. She retired from teaching in 1975 after 32 years in the classroom. In her illustrious career she was Dean Emeritus, Mary Chappelle Foundation; minister; volunteer; public speaker; journalist, poet, dramatist, singer, and community builder with membership in numerous community, civic, religious and social organizations.
Chisholm, Shirley | Black Women in America Lectures given by Shirley Chisholm on the topics of women and slavery, education, the economy, civil rights, race pride, suffrage movement, literature and the fine arts, show business, constitutional principles and government service and politics at Buffalo State College in 1986. Congresswoman Chisholm was the first black woman elected to the United States Congress, the first black candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, as well as the first woman to appear in a United States presidential debate.
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Coles, Robert Traynham Robert Coles was a Buffalo resident and acclaimed architect who courageously championed the use of public spaces as a means to achieving racial equity.
Collins, Dr. Catherine Regent Catherine Fisher Collins’ educational background includes undergraduate degrees from Trocaire College in nursing and a Bachelor of Science Degree from State University College in Vocational Technical Education. She also has an earned doctoral degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in Education Administration. From the same institution she also received her Master’s Degree in Allied Health Education and Curriculum Development, graduated from the School of Nursing in the Nurse Practitioner’s Program. Regent Collins’ holds certifications in Health Occupations and Jr. College Teaching.
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Collins, David David Collins was elected to the position of Masten District Buffalo Common Council in 1977 and served for 18 years until 1995 when he was replaced by Byron Brown. The papers in this collection were organized and placed in categories and folders by David A. Collins and his staff. They were indexed and prepared for microfilming by Monroe and Freddie Mae. Fordham. The microfilming was done by James Prokos, a student at Buffalo State College. A collection of photo images from David A. Collin’s photo albums were preserved on a CD-R entitled, “Collins, (David A.) Photo Albums”. Both projects were carried out under the supervision of Buffalo State College’s Monroe Fordham Center for Regional History.
Colored American, New York, NY, 1837-1841 The Colored American was an African-American newspaper published in New York City from 1837 to 1842. Publishers included: Robert Sears, Samuel Cornish, Phillip Alexander Bell, Charles Bennett Ray, and James McCune Smith. Initially published under the name The Weekly Advocate, New York's Colored American was a weekly newspaper of four to six pages. It circulated in free black communities in the Northeastern United States.
Colored Musicians Association of Buffalo - Musicians Local 533 The records and documents preserved in this microfilm reel are part of our on-going effort to collect and preserve sources (oral and written) relating to the history of the black community of Buffalo, New York and vicinity. The documents herein were gathered together and loaned to us by Mr. Raymond E. Jackson. Mr. Jackson is the oldest living charter member of Musicians Local 533 (Colored Musicians Union of Buffalo). In addition to his active involvement in local 533, Mr. Jackson was the first black to be appointed a field representative for the American Federation of Musicians. He was appointed to that position in 1936. While serving as field representative of the American Federation of Musicians, Mr. Jackson worked with black musicians and their local unions throughout the United States. (We are presently taping conversations and interviews with Mr. Jackson covering topics relating to his extensive involvement in the making of 20th century black American history). We also plan to interview other members of local 533 and record the substance of such discussions on tape or written notes.
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Community Food Center of Western New York [1980-1987] In 1980 a group of community volunteers recognized the need for a food bank in Western New York and pioneered the effort to establish one. The Community Food Action Organization, located at 70 Harvard Place, provided use of its facilities and staff to the “Food Bank Group” to organize around the problem of food distribution to the needy. The Buffalo Area Metropolitan Ministries Organization, Catholic Charities, Council of Churches, Boy Scouts of America, United Methodist Women and other community agencies have contributed limited start-up seed money.
Courier-Express Newspaper Collections [1926-1982] The Courier-Express newspaper was born in 1926, with the merger of the Buffalo Courier and the Buffalo Express to form the Buffalo Courier-Express. William J. Conners, owner of the Buffalo Courier, was the person instrumental in bringing the two papers together. During the 19th century numerous newspapers existed. The Buffalo Courier-Express merger can trace its roots back to 1828. From 1828 to 1926, twelve separate newspapers merged during those years, ending with the formation of the Buffalo Courier-Express; quite a chronology for the history of this newspaper. The Courier and then the Courier-Express took a liberal position on all issues. In the late 1970s, the Courier-Express was sold to Cowles-Media, an out of state publisher. Cowles Media decided to close the paper in 1982. The September 19, 1982 issue was the last one for this very popular Buffalo newspaper. Cowles Media donated the library to the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society and Buffalo State College.
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Delaware Avenue Baptist Church [1882-2008] The Delaware Avenue Baptist Church began as Olivet Chapel, a Sunday School organized in 1874 to serve residents in the North Street area. During this time, the congregation had acquired a small brick carpenter’s shop on Delaware Avenue near North Street to use as a school. Rev. Hotchkiss, pastor of the Washington Street Baptist Church, preached the first sermon in the chapel on September 13, 1874. After two years of regular services, the church decided to expand the chapel. With plans for construction in June of 1882, members decided it was time to establish an official congregation. On December 1, 1882, the Olivet Baptist Church was formed with seventy-six members. On February 15, 1883, the chapel’s construction was completed. The chapel had seating for 400 on the main floor and 100 in the rear gallery. On March 4, 1883, the congregation held its first formal communion services and became known as the Delaware Avenue Baptist Church.
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Dett, Nathaniel The name of Dr. Robert Nathaniel Dett, noted composer, conductor, pianist, poet, and educator, who died in Battle Creek, Michigan on October 2, 1943, only nine days before his 61st birthday, will always have a special significance for the music world. At the time of his death he had become a figure of international prominence through his compositions and the singing groups which he directed. He had also been an inspiration to countless students of music, the most prominent of whom is Miss Dorothy Major, celebrated soprano, who studied with Dr. Dett when she was a student at Hampton Institute. Dr. Dett, youngest of the three sons of Robert Tue and Charlotte Johnson Dett, was born in Drummondsville, Ontario, Canada, on October 11, 1882. He was a Presbyterian and a Republican. On December 27, 1916, he married Miss Helen Elise Smith, pianist of New York, who later was a music instructor at Hampton Institute and at Bennett College. They had two children, Mrs. Henry Noyes (Helen Dett), a graduate of Bennett College, and Miss Josephine Elizabeth Dett, who attended Bennett College and Hampton Institute, and one granddaughter.
Dr. Fraser Drew - Langston Hughes Correspondence [1950-1967] Langston Hughes was born on 1 February 1902 in Joplin, Missouri, and died on 22 May 1967. His maternal grandmother raised him in Lawrence, Kansas. According to Hughes, his grandmother inspired him to write, as she was a natural orator of black traditions. After his grandmother’s death, Hughes returned to his mother in Cleveland, Ohio, until he graduated from high school in 1920. In 1921, Hughes enrolled in an engineering program at Columbia University, but left after one year. For a few years, Hughes worked various blue- and white-collar jobs while he spent most of his time writing, as that was his passion. Langston Hughes began to publish numerous poems, and by 1926, he published his first book of poems, The Weary Blues. In 1929, he graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Conscious of the importance of race relations and politics, Hughes published The Way of White Folks in 1934. The spectrum of Hughes’ writing grew as the years went by. He began to write many politically inspired poems, plays (such as Mulatto and Don’t You Want to Be Free?), and autobiographies. Hughes also wrote books that supported his consciousness of race relations like Jim Crow’s Last Stand and Montage of a Dream Deferred. Writing was Hughes’ main contribution to black history, though he also served as a social activist. He traveled the world, expanding his horizons on black issues and became well-known as a radical democrat. Langston Hughes faced many obstacles during the prime years of his publications as his critics viewed him as being too extreme. He was able to hurdle these obstacles as he persevered. Today, Hughes is remembered as an essential figure in black history. He had the ability of writing the relevant problems within that community at a time when the American public consciously ignored such issues. Langston Hughes devoted his time to writing poems, novels, dramas, and numerous articles. Fraser Drew had the opportunity to keep in contact with Hughes during the peak of his career. Dr. Drew was a professor of English at SUNY Buffalo State for decades; he retired in 1983. He received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University at Buffalo in 1952. His interest in African American literature motivated him to follow Langston Hughes’ career closely, and this led him to reach out to Hughes directly. Hughes responded by keeping open communication with Drew for a number of years. The SUNY Buffalo State Archives and Special Collections contains the correspondence between Drew and Hughes.
Dubard, Raphael This collection contains various papers, correspondence, and other records accumulated by Mr. Raphael Dubard during his many years of involvement with the New York State and Buffalo Branches of the N.A.A.C.P. In 1978, Mr. DuBard turned the papers over to Dr. Monroe Fordham, Buffalo State College, History Department to be microfilmed as part of the Afro-American Historical Association’s microfilmed collection.
Dunson, Jessie The collection of papers are from the early 1900 (about 1923 thru 1964) there are two scrap books filled with history of Black Theatre in Philadelphia, Penn. Jesse managed the Gibson New Dunbar Theatre. They contain many articles and programs on black performers (ex: Paul Robeson, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, etc.) of that era.
Easley, Robert [1950-1985] Robert W. Easley was the father of Mrs. Madeline O. Scott. For most of his adult life he was a community activist, businessman, labor advocate, and civic leader in the city of Olean, NY. His papers were organized and prepared for microfilming by his daughter, Mrs. Madeline Scott.
Echols Family Beginning in 1918, for more than six decades the Echols family was central to the history and development of the First Shiloh Baptist Church of Buffalo, New York. Rev. E.J. Echols, Sr. served as Pastor of First Shiloh for 43 years (1918-1961); and his son Rev. E.J. Echols, Jr. succeeded him and was pastor for 22 years (1962-1984). The Echols Family name is well known and respected in the African American community of Buffalo. Like the Nash family name, the Echols family name is an icon in the 20th century history of the Buffalo African American community.
Edison Street Baptist Church [1905-1987] Founded by Immigrants from the village of Pescasseroli, in Abruzzi, Italy, the Edison Street Baptist Church’s first Chapel was dedicated on 9/13/1896. Similar to other American Protestant churches, the house of worship was ‘plain & simple.’ Escaping religious persecution and social conditions in post-feudalism Italy, these first immigrants founded the country’s first Italian Baptist Church, which subsequently played a unique role within the growing Buffalo community. Ariel Bellondi was named the church’s first pastor, followed by Angelo Peruzzi (who is considered the church’s patriarch.) During the years 1912-1923, Pastor Giovannni Castellini oversaw many changes within/out the church. These changes included: digging a basement that served Sunday school classes, the addition of a new bell, the formation of the Women’s Union, and an increase in membership. In 1927, an Athletic Association was formed that included basketball, boxing, and wrestling. Initially, morning services were given in Italian, followed by an English version. On 4/18/1934, the First Italian Baptist Church formally changed its name to the Edison Street Baptist Church. That same year it became necessary for the First Italian Baptist Church to incorporate under New York State.
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Ellicott District Coalition [1968-1982] The Ellicott District Coalition was formed in 1968 to bring all agencies together for sharing, innovation, and implementation of beneficial concepts related – the Ellicott District. Some of their accomplishments include: the 1973 Community Service Awards; sharing of services and communications from member organizations; Christmas basket distributions; providing speakers for up-to-date information about the Ellicott District; and annual meeting presentations. Their objective was to “create a community action power base for a united front to attack social injustice.”
Erie County Charter Revision Commission: Dr. E.O. Smith, Jr. Files The Erie County Charter had not been reviewed since its adoption in 1959. The Charter Revision Commission was established in 1973 in order to review the Charter and recommend improvements and revisions to the Erie County Legislature. The Commission was to keep in mind the purposes of the Charter which include the accomplishing of greater efficiency, economy, and responsibility in County government, the securing of all possible County home rule, and the separation of the legislative and executive functions.
Arthur O. Eve Collection
First Baptist Church of Niagara Falls First Baptist Church is one of the oldest and most active churches in Niagara Falls. They can trace their beginnings to 1843 to a lot on First Street proposed by Augustus Porter, for the express purpose of a church. First Baptist continued to see growth in the late 1800's, even despite a "dormant" period between 1874-1885 in which many members left for other congregations. After this time, a new spark of activity began in at the church. The church continued to grow and with the bigger presence of nearby railroads, it was determined to seek a new location for First Baptist. The old church was used until 1901, at that time they moved to their current location at the corner of Main and Fourth in downtown Niagara Falls. Soon, additions were made to the church, including Sunday school rooms and a gymnasium. Though the area of downtown Niagara Falls has drastically changed many times over the years, First Baptist continues to be an anchor for the community.
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First Shiloh Baptist Church [1914-1985] First Shiloh Baptist Church was established in the Ellicott district, known as the Fifth Ward, Ellicott District on October 1, 1916.
Fordham, Monroe [1957-2003] Monroe Fordham was born on October 11, 1939 in Parrott, Georgia. His mother’s name was Arie Deloris Oxford, and his grandparents were Mance and Sarah Ann Oxford. Fordham earned an MS degree from Emporia State University, and in the fall of 1970 he entered a doctoral program in history at the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he earned a PhD in 1973. He was a faculty member of the History Department at Buffalo State College from 1970-1998. He served as department chair for 12 years. During his tenure as a faculty member at Buffalo State College, Fordham pioneered a number of initiatives aimed at preserving state and regional African American historical sources. He also worked with numerous community groups in developing records management and records preservation programs.
Freedom's Journal, New York, NY, 1827-1829 Freedom’s Journal was the first African American owned and operated newspaper in the United States. A weekly four column publication printed every Friday, Freedom’s Journal was founded by free born African Americans John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish on March 16, 1827 in New York City, New York. The newspaper contained both foreign and domestic news, editorials, biographies, births and deaths in the local African American community, and advertisements. Editorials deriding slavery, racial discrimination, and other injustices against African Americans were aimed at providing a counterweight to many of the white newspapers of the time period which openly supported slavery and racial bias.
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church [1922-2018] The Church was originally organized as an unincorporated Baptist religious organization sometime during the year of 1913. The church held services in the homes of its members. Little was preserved of the history of the church during this period of its initial organization until its reorganization in 1915. As of 2020, Friendship is under the leadership of Pastor Edward Jackson, Jr.. Friendship celebrated 100 years of service August 23, 2015.
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Lester Glassner African American Experience Collection: Artifacts, Sheet Music, and Ephemera [c. 1850-2005] Born February 23, 1939, Lester Glassner’s childhood was spent among a variety of towns and cities in upstate New York, including Buffalo, Geneva, Auburn, and Lockport, as he moved frequently with his parents who, by necessity, followed employment opportunities occasioned by the war. Life in the years during and immediately following World War II offered little in terms of nurturing a bright and cheerful childhood. Lester, as a young boy, must have sensed this and either by chance or sheer determination, frequently accompanied by his mother Beatrice, was able to find his way out of this lack-luster reality through two unusual venues: the 5-and-10-cent stores and the movie theatres. Lester had a certain amount of after-school freedom. He went to the movies and as he recalls in his book, the B-rated Hollywood movies, trashy, low-budget and dumbed-down as they were, had a healthy contempt for reality. The stars who populated these films became the basis of a vast collection of signed "8 by 10 glossies" that he amassed over a period of years, as well as the impetus for an active interest in early theatre architecture and interior decorator of movie houses. The other venue was the "5-and 10s" as they were called, such as Kresge's, Neisner's, Grants, and Woolworth's. Every time the Glassner family moved, there was a new one to be explored. Wandering the aisles of these magical stores offered a virtually endless variety of wonders for an imaginative child. He loved all the plastic tawdriness of this merchandise, and as he recalls, the fantasy-filled contents of the dime stores were his "tickets to a land that lay somewhere over the rainbow - object lessons in how to survive the dreariness of war and post-war reality." At the time of publication of Dime Store Days, Quentin Crisp noted in the foreword that Lester's memory "dwell[ed] not on the sparseness of these years but on the brittle ornaments with which he desperately tried to decorate them." In the years following the publication of the book, Lester Glassner lived with his various collections in a small private museum, actually a 4-story town house on E. 7th Street which was also his almost comfortless home until his death.
Grace Manor Nursing Home Founding Committee Papers [1989-1993] Grace Manor Nursing Home was located at 10 Symphony Circle. The facility was approximately 81,200 sq.ft. on 2.14 acres and had a 167 patient capacity. In 1999, the building underwent a seven million dollar renovation. Grace Manor Health Care Facility, Inc. was placed in receivership by the state Department of Health in 2008. In March 2009, the nursing home officially closed its doors. It was sold at public auction in 2009.
Highland Avenue Neighborhood Preservation Corporation of Niagara Falls [1980-1984] The Highland Avenue Neighborhood Preservation Corporation was formed as a non-profit in 1978. All organizational activities were suspended in 1984. The records and papers of the Highland Avenue Neighborhood Preservation Corporation were assembled by Mr. Sandy L. Perry and turned over to the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier for microfilming in 1988. The papers were organized, indexed, and microfilmed by Michael Wilson (student at Buffalo State College) working under the supervision of Monroe Fordham (Member of the History Department at Buffalo State College). The papers cover the period 1980-1984.
Hodges Family Papers In church circles “Clem” Hodges was known as “Mr. Layman.” His many years of dedication and hard work earned him a statewide and national reputation as a special Baptist layman. In addition to his church work, Mr. Hodges was a leader and activist in many community organizations, as well as local and statewide boards in his profession--Social work. In 1991, he retired from his position as Director of Social Work Services for the Veterans Hospitals in Batavia and Rochester. Mr. Hodges life was a model of total dedication to helping people and public service. For more than 50 years he was an active and prominent member of First Shiloh Baptist Church, Buffalo. He was a past Chairman of that church’s Christian Education Department; a member of the First Shiloh Board of Trustees; vice president of American Baptist Churches of the Niagara Frontier; past president of the Laymen’s Departments of the Empire Baptist Convention and the National Baptist Convention. He was known as a leader and an innovator in the Baptist Laymen’s movement.
Hopewell Baptist Church [1979-2017] The Hopewell Baptist Church was organized in the home of the late Rev. John F. D. Lyles in January 1956 at 474 Genesee Street, Buffalo, New York. Attending ministers were the late Rev. J. B. Williamson, the late Rev. John Washington, the late Rev. James Lee, and the late Rev. Crockett. The church was organized with eight members and the last of the eight, Mother Gladys Bonner was called this year from labor to rest on September 18, 2012. Due to constant growth the church moved from Genesee Street to Riley and Masten Ave., to Jefferson and Woodlawn Ave., to Verplank and East Utica Ave., to 1098 Michigan Ave. In 1972 the Hopewell Baptist Church purchased and moved to 1307 Fillmore Ave. The organizer and founder, Rev. John F. D. Lyles served faithful as pastor until his death on December 8, 1987. In June 1988, the Rev. Dennis Lee, Jr. became pastor and continues to serve.
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Housing Opportunities Made Equal [1963-1995] The organization now known as H.O.M.E. was started by a small group of concerned citizens, both white and black. The first meeting was held in the Council of Churches building located at 1272 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, New York. The first and original name given to the organization was, “Niagara Frontier Council for Freedom of Choice in Housing.” This first meeting of the organization was held in the year 1963. The name of the organization was later changed to H.O.M.E. The need for the organization was very great because on the Niagara Frontier many ethnic groups were involuntarily restricted to certain neighborhoods. Members of these groups, particularly non-whites, found it impossible to move to other areas despite economic qualifications. For example in 1963, out of 177 census tracts in Erie County, 86% of the Black population resided in 11 contiguous tracts in Buffalo.
Hunter, Juanita, RN | NYSNA Papers [1973-1990] Mrs. Hunter was a registered nurse who was very active in Buffalo’s Afro-American community. She was also active in nursing and health professional organizations. She served as President of the New York State Nurses Association. The papers in this collection pertain to Mrs. Hunter’s involvement in the Nurses Association.
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Institute for People Enterprises [1978-1983] The Institute for People Enterprises was founded in 1978 by William Gaiter and became a registered non-profit in 1979. William Gaiter served as the president of the institute, as well as being affiliated with the Buffalo Affirmative Action Program (BAAP), organizing and chairing the Western New York Council for African Relations, and the president of B.U.I.L.D. The Institute for People Enterprises helped to connect workers to more than 120 service groups around the country and provided consulting, training, and operations assistance to various community, business, and political groups.
Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church [1967-2017]
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LINKS of Buffalo [1954-1985] The Links Incorporated is an organization of women with 270 chapters located in 40 states, The District of Columbia, Nassau, Bahamas and Frankfurt, Germany with a total membership of over 10,000 women. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 by the late Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott. The Links, Inc. is a voluntary service organization of concerned, committed and talented women who, linked in friendship, enhance the quality of life in communities throughout the world. The mission and vision is to contribute to the formulation of a positive, productive and culturally diverse society. A strong focus is given to education, cultural enrichment, health, wellness and civic involvement. The Links, Inc. is an entity which through its chapters and The Links Foundation, Inc. has granted more than ten million dollars to charitable organizations.
LINKS of Erie County [1987-2006] The Links Incorporated is an organization of women with 270 chapters located in 40 states, The District of Columbia, Nassau, Bahamas and Frankfurt, Germany with a total membership of over 10,000 women. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 by the late Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott. The Links, Inc. is a voluntary service organization of concerned, committed and talented women who, linked in friendship, enhance the quality of life in communities throughout the world. The mission and vision is to contribute to the formulation of a positive, productive and culturally diverse society. A strong focus is given to education, cultural enrichment, health, wellness and civic involvement. The Links, Inc. is an entity which through its chapters and The Links Foundation, Inc. has granted more than ten million dollars to charitable organizations.
LINKS of Niagara Falls [1950-2000] The Links Incorporated is an organization of women with 270 chapters located in 40 states, The District of Columbia, Nassau, Bahamas and Frankfurt, Germany with a total membership of over 10,000 women. The organization was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1946 by the late Margaret Roselle Hawkins and Sarah Strickland Scott. The Links, Inc. is a voluntary service organization of concerned, committed and talented women who, linked in friendship, enhance the quality of life in communities throughout the world. The mission and vision is to contribute to the formulation of a positive, productive and culturally diverse society. A strong focus is given to education, cultural enrichment, health, wellness and civic involvement. The Links, Inc. is an entity which through its chapters and The Links Foundation, Inc. has granted more than ten million dollars to charitable organizations.
Lit-Mus Study Club (of Buffalo) Papers [1930s-1990s] The Lit-Mus - short for "Literary" and "Music" -- Study Club is an on-going African American women's study group that originated in Buffalo in 1922. It was founded by Florence Jackson Lee, Amelia Anderson and Ora Lewis Anderson in the hopes of fulfilling its mission to study topics in the arts, humanities and social sciences that would enable the club's women to improve their community. It became part of the Empire State Federation of Women's Clubs as well as an affiliate of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs. In 1928, the Study Club introduced Negro History Week to Buffalo. The Club maintains a scholarship fund that has assisted many local students with their education and supports many local charities. It has also enabled the community to have greater access to African American literature and has donated books to libraries and schools. In order to preserve the records of the Club, it was deemed advisable to house them in the Special Collections area of the Buffalo State College's E.H. Butler Library.
Michigan Avenue Y.M.C.A. [1926-1967] The organization of a YMCA branch specifically for Buffalo’s black men and boys started in 1924. By 1927, $225,000 had been raised and plans were drawn up for the building by John Edmonston Brent. He was one of the founding members of the branch, as well as Buffalo’s first black architect. Brent would go on to work for the City of Buffalo, where his design work remains on display, most notably along the gates and fences of the Buffalo Zoo.
Michigan Street Baptist Church [1850-1960]
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Buffalo Branch NAACP The purpose of the Buffalo Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People shall be to improve the political, educational, social and economic status of minority groups; to eliminate racial prejudice; to keep the public aware of the adverse effects of racial discrimination; and to take lawful action to secure its elimination, consistent with the efforts of the national organization and in conformity with the articles of Incorporation of the Association, its Constitution and By-Laws, and as directed by the National Board of Directors.
Nash, Francis The papers in this collection were found in the Nash home on Nash Street in Buffalo, New York in 1998. The upstairs of the home had not been occupied since the death of Rev. J. Edward Nash in the 1950s. A delegation from the Michigan Street Preservation Corp. surveyed the upstairs and found a treasure trove of papers, books, furniture, and other artifacts that had been undisturbed for decades. The papers were boxed up in preparation for the house being renovated and turned into a museum. Retired Buffalo Councilman George K. Arthur placed the papers from the Frances J. Nash Files on loan to the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier. The papers were organized, indexed, and microfilmed by Dr. Felix Armfield, member of the History faculty at Buffalo State College. The papers were filmed by the History Department and will become part of the Buffalo Afro-American Microfilmed Collection.
Nash, Rev. Dr. J. Edward Rev. Nash was involved in the efforts to bring branches of the Urban League and the NAACP to Buffalo. He was a long-time leader and treasurer of the Western New York Baptist Association. For 32 years he was secretary of the Ministers Alliance of Buffalo. That inter-racial body was one of the most influential religious groups in Buffalo.
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New York African-American Institute, Founding Committee Papers The New York African American Institute was initiated under SUNY Chancellor Clifton R. Wharton, Jr. The Chancellor appointed a planning committee made up of Drs. Monroe Fordham (Chair), Ena Farley, Ralph Watkins, Ken Hall, and Mr. Rudy Johnson to design and write a rational for the Institute to be presented to the New York State Legislature for funding. The committee worked during the first four months of 1986, meeting in Albany for two days each week to prepare their recommendations. The papers in this collection are the records of that planning committee.
Noles, Eva Mrs. Eva Noles was a Buffalo African American nurse with the distinction of being numerous “firsts” of her race. Autobiographical material and resumes are included in container #1. The papers were indexed and microfilmed by Buffalo State College students, Kerry Palmer, Stacy Ocko, and Ronna Runion in 1982. The students worked under the supervision of Monroe Fordham. Mrs. Eva M. Noles is a Registered Nurse, a Nursing Educator, and a former Director of Nursing at Buffalo's world-renowned Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and the first black nurse to train in Buffalo. Mrs. Noles worked hard to end prejudice and train nurses in her thirty year tenure at Roswell Park.
The North Star, Frederick Douglass' Paper & Douglass Monthly, Rochester, NY, 1847-1855 Douglass published his slave experiences in 1845 entitled Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave: Written by Himself. Having publicly declared himself a fugitive slave, Douglass fled to the British Isles to continue his outspoken campaign against American slavery. After two years of lecturing in England, Scotland, and Ireland, Douglass’s freedom was purchased by abolitionist friends and he returned to the United States a free man. Upon his return to Rochester, NY in 1847, Douglass began his first newspaper, The North Star which later became Frederick Douglass’ Paper.
Panhellenic Association - Buffalo Alumnae Records [1946-1988]
Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church [1965-2015] On a Thursday evening, in the Spring of 1934, a small group of men and women left the fellowship of the Friendship Baptist Church which was pastored by the late Rev. Twilus Davis. The following Wednesday, Willie Gibson called a meeting at the home of Bm. Cleveland Allen at 222 Jefferson Avenue. A group of approximately thirty men and women met to discuss the idea of forming a Mission Group. The blessing of the Lord seemed to rest on the hearts of these troubled souls. The group continued to meet during the summer months of 1934 for the purpose of raising funds, solidarity and spiritual development. In August of that same year, the name Pilgrim Baptist Church, as submitted by Rosa Poole, would become the name of their future church. An organizing committee was formed shortly thereafter. Rev. B. C. McCarly, the pastor of St. John's Baptist Church, was sought by the early members to provide guidance in establishing the church. The missionary group selected various members to join and obtain letters for the purpose of organizing the church. At the Western New Your Baptist District Association meeting Rev. B. C. McCarly submitted the recommendation for organization of the Pilgrim Baptist Church. The recommendation was then perfected by Rev. Phillips and carried. On September 19, 1934, at Jefferson Avenue, a "reality" was realized when the church elected its first officers: the late Rev. R. D. Harris was acting pastor, Mr. O. C. Madkins: Chairman of the Deacon Board, Mr. Willie Gibson: Chairman of the Trustee Board, Mr. Zenobia Alexander: Church Clerk, Mrs. Frances Moore: Financial Secretary, and Mr. James Ingram: Poor Saint Treasurer. -taken from the 1994 Church History publication created as part of the 60th anniversary celebration.
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Royal Serenaders Male Chorus [1946-2009] By 1947, the African American group expanded to six members and later to nearly 20. In its heyday in the 1960s, the group was in constant demand, had its own radio show, and frequently performed multiple concerts on weekends.
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Scott, Madeline O. Madeline Scott is a native of Olean, New York, who moved to Buffalo in 1958. She is the daughter of Mrs. Lois Easley. Mrs. Scott is a graduate of Empire State College and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community and Human Services. In 1990, she retired from Roswell Park Cancer Institute after a career that spanned thirty-two years. She has been an active member of the Buffalo Community since her move here over forty years ago. She is a Golden Heritage Member of the NAACP and is active in the Buffalo Chapter as the Secretary and Membership Chair.
St. John Baptist Church The St. John Baptist Church is located at 184 Goodell Street at the corner of Michigan Avenue in downtown Buffalo, New York. The Church and its developments sit in the pinnacle of the Buffalo Medical Corridor which houses Western New York's major medical facilities. Our 45 acre campus which houses our 1200-seat sanctuary and administrative offices, corporations, housing units, and parking facilities, is a unique addition to the City of Buffalo's industrial landscape.
St. Luke A.M.E. Zion [c. 1940-2006] Saint Luke A.M.E. Zion Church, currently known as Durham Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, is a non-profit organization and place of worship in metro Buffalo, New York. It was constructed in 1920 and is the oldest surviving church associated with the Buffalo A.M.E. congregations. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion church was founded in New York City in 1800. In 1820, six of the early AMEZ churches elected James Varick as an ordained elder and in 1822 he became the first bishop of the AMEZ church which was also a triumph against racism within the Body of Christ.
St. Philips Episcopal Church [bulk 1940-1978] St. Philip's is a predominantly African-American congregation and is the only parish in the Diocese of Western New York that can be so described. The congregation is a working class to middle class/professional and draws members from all over Buffalo and the immediate suburbs. During the 1920’s to 1940’s, people who had emigrated from the West Indies dominated the congregation, but today the congregation is predominantly native born African-American. There is still a West Indian flavor present, which makes St. Philip's a unique and interesting congregation.
William Tallmadge Music Collection [c. 1925-1975] Dr. William H. Tallmadge (1916-2004), Professor of Music and charter member of the Sonneck Society (now the Society for American Music). Dr. Tallmadge taught music at Buffalo State College from 1949-1976, specializing in jazz and American folk music. Indeed, he developed the first course for credit in the United States on the history of jazz. Dr. Tallmadge's work is especially notable for the attention he paid to recording and studying African American church music of the early 20th century, though it is believed that none of these recordings are maintained within this collection. Dr. Tallmadge continued to teach at Berea College after his retirement from Buffalo State College.
Thomas, Carolyn Bernice McClester | Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier Mrs. Carolyn B. Thomas was a career social worker, a church worker, a founder of the community Food Center of Western New York (the papers of the Food Center are in a separate collection), and an active member of Afro-American Women’s clubs.
Thompson, Albert Albert “Al” Thompson was the first African American to be appointed Superintendent of the Buffalo, New York Public Schools. This file contains personal papers that were kept by Mr. Thompson and his wife Mrs. Freddie Mae Thompson. Mrs. Thompson kept a clipping file that spans the period that her husband served as School Superintendent. Mrs. Sharon Holley arranged for Mrs. Thompson to place the records and 20 photographs on loan to be microfilmed and scanned.
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Uncrowned Queens Archive Founded in 1999 by Dr. Barbara A. Seals Nevergold and Dr. Peggy Brooks-Bertram, the Institute aims to collect, disseminate, and archive the histories of previously unheralded African Americans, as well as vulnerable documentation of African American local communities.
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United Citizens Organization Papers [1976-1996] Materials were organized and preserved by Rev. Eugene Radon. They were indexed and microfilmed by Joanne Cofield, Daneen Kee, and Nichole Outhouse. The microfilming project was supervised by Monroe Fordham, Professor of History, Buffalo State College.
Urban League of Buffalo Corporate Minutes & Reports [1927-1984] The Buffalo Urban League helps to empower minorities and disadvantaged individuals to secure economic self-reliance, power and civil rights.
WIVB-TV Black History Specials, 1987-2006 Prepare for a journey that will take you back to the days of the Underground Railroad, the great Pan American Exposition, the powerful Niagara Movement which led to the creation of the NAACP, and the golden era of jazz when Buffalo’s Colored Musicians Club featured some of the nation’s greatest musical artists. This history has been documented by WIVB-TV in Buffalo through Emmy Award winning television specials produced at the dawn of the new millennium. I was privileged to have co-hosted these long form journalistic endeavors with WIVB-TV reporter Mylous Hairston. A team of highly gifted and dedicated videographers, editors, and graphic artists helped put a human face on struggles that continue to this day.
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Wright, Dr. Lydia Dr. Lydia T. Wright was the first African American to serve on the Buffalo (New York) Board of Education. She served from 1962-1967. She practiced pediatrics in Buffalo for 36 years. The main collection of her papers are in the University of Buffalo Archives. This microfilmed collection contains “personal” papers. Dr. Wright spent a number of years researching and writing about the history of her family. Her “personal” papers contain the notes and drafts of “chapters” of her genealogy work. Dr. Wright’s husband, Dr. Frank Evans, practiced internal medicine in Buffalo for 35 years. A few of her personal files contain documents that pertain to Dr. Evans.

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Daniel DiLandro, MLS, CA
College Archivist & Special Collections Librarian
Email: dilanddm@buffalostate.edu
Phone: 716-878-6308

Hope Dunbar, MLIS, JD
Special Collections Archivist
Email: dunbarhm@buffalostate.edu
Phone: 716-878-4790