A Quilt of American Experience

• Underground Railroad

A new attraction – the Michigan Avenue Heritage Corridor – that links three historic sites is being created to commemorate the African American experience in Buffalo and the role the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights Movement and Jazz each played in shaping that experience.

Michigan Street Baptist Church

The Michigan Street Baptist Church has been a central part of the history and culture of the African American community in Buffalo for more than 150 years. It is one of the oldest properties in Buffalo continuously operated by African Americans. The building was erected in 1845 and became a legendary Underground Railroad station, providing sanctuary for hundreds of freedom seekers before they crossed the border to freedom in Canada. It was a central meeting place for abolitionists and anti-lynching activists. Over the years, Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington each graced its sanctuary.

The Nash House

The Reverend Jesse Edward Nash provided spiritual leadership and civil rights leadership in Buffalo for more than half a century. The son of freed slaves; he arrived in the city from Virginia in 1892 at age 24, to take the pulpit of the prominent Michigan Street Baptist Church. The house where he lived at 36 Nash Street has been restored and now includes a public museum on the upper floor, and research and office space on the lower level. The historic Nash Papers will also be available for viewing by historians, researchers and visitors.

The Colored Musicians Club

During the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s, any serious jazz musician who came through Buffalo had to stop by the Colored Musicians Club. Jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald were among the many stars to make music from its stage.

The Colored Musicians Club stands today in its original location at 145 Broadway. Its members are still among the most talented and versatile musicians anywhere. They give free jazz lessons to community youth and hold weekly Sunday night jam sessions. Ring the bell and get buzzed up to the second floor for a truly original Buffalo nightlife experience.

The Michigan Avenue Heritage Corridor is located near the intersection of Broadway and Michigan Avenue in downtown Buffalo.

To experience Buffalo’s African American heritage, contact Mo’ Better Buffalo or Motherland Connextions:

MO' BETTER BUFFALO CULTURAL ARTS COLLECTIVE

Offer heritage tour packages for groups. A variety of tours are offered, ranging from 3 hours to 3 ½ hours.
To plan an MBB Experience, contact:
outside the box at (716) 884-3520
outtheboks@aol.com

MOTHERLAND CONNEXTIONS

Offering Underground Railroad tours, slideshows and mobile classrooms that make heritage tourism exciting. Understand the Underground Railroad by following the footsteps of those brave and hearty souls who took the secret passageways north to Canada.
HOURS
Mon - Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat 9am-2pm year round except Sundays and holidays.
ADDRESS
P.O. Box 176
Bridge Station
Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Toll Free: (866) 726-0864
Fax: (716) 304-6813
Contact us: tours@motherlandconnextions.com
www.motherlandconnextions.com

Freedom Crossing: The Underground Railroad in Buffalo Niagara

The Niagara River was often the last crossing for people escaping slavery in the United States. From the early 1800s until the end of the Civil War in 1865, thousands of people passed through western New York as they traveled to freedom in Canada. The Underground Railroad, a secret network of people who assisted those escaping slavery by providing money, food, clothing and temporary shelter, made the journey possible.

The dramatic and heart-rending stories of the people who risked their lives for freedom, as well as the lasting heritage of their ancestors, can now be experienced at Freedom Crossing, the new Regional Underground Railroad Interpretive Center, on the campus of Niagara University in nearby Lewiston. Freedom Crossing tells the story of the Underground Railroad in Buffalo Niagara through historic photographs, artifacts, stories, audio stations, and art. Brochures and maps are available to Underground Railroad sites throughout the area such as the Michigan Street Baptist Church and Murphy Orchards.

Freedom Crossing, located inside the Castellani Art Museum, is part of the New York State Heritage Trails initiative. The interpretive center is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, visit their website or call 716-286-8293.