Uncrowned Queens Institute debuts new exhibit at Buffalo History Museum

Submitted by the Buffalo History Museum

The Uncrowned Queens Institute has debuted a new exhibit at The Buffalo History Museum, "Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies," which shares the stories, wisdom and insights of Buffalo’s community elders. The exhibit features portraits, biographies and oral history interviews that capture the stories of a group of Buffalo’s senior community builders. Buffalo's Uncrowned Queens Institute works to preserve the histories of African American women and men across the country. The exhibit will be displayed within the Museum’s Penfold Portico on its lower level through April 14.

“Say Their Names, Honor Their Legacies” follows the success of last year’s exhibit of the same name at The Buffalo History Museum, which is now on display at the Central Library downtown. The new exhibit will share the stories of 12 different community builders who were not featured last year. The Uncrowned Queens Institute will hold a public reception for the exhibit and its portrait subjects from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25. Admission will be free that day.

The new exhibit was made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo’s Racial Equity Roundtable, which is also funding the development of a new curriculum in the Buffalo Public School system. A partnership between the Uncrowned Queens Institute, The Buffalo History Museum and the Buffalo Schools’ social studies department will offer training and resources to district teachers. An additional grant from Roswell Park Cancer Institute also helped fund this year’s exhibit.

The stories of African-American community builders will be used to expand students’ understanding of the vibrant local history that evolves from the individual and collective activities of community members. The collaboration will provide educational tools to help educators utilize oral and biographical histories.

“Their biographies bear witness to concerted activism challenging the inequity and injustices experienced by people of color as well as their contributions and achievements,” said Dr. Barbara Seals Nevergold, co-founder of the Uncrowned Queens Institute. “Furthermore, they represent a group that offers significant, instructive and inspiring stories that are in jeopardy of being lost.”

Thanks to the expertise and talent of photographer/videographer Yves-Richard Blanc, “Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies” features a digital archive of photographs and interviews with these community elders that are available on the Uncrowned Queens YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/@uncrownedqueensinstitute716. Full biographies of the participants are also available on the Uncrowned Community Builders webpage, at www.uncrownedcommunitybuilders.com.