BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — History is something that is important for everyone to know. Whether you learn about history through documentaries, textbooks, or libraries, it’s important for not only learning the past, but using it as blueprints to better the future.
The Buffalo History Museum is helping to make sure those blueprints surrounding the Tops Shooting are never forgotten.
In November, the History Museum collected all of the mementos in front of that grocery store:
- Signs
- Candles
- Letters
- Flowers
- Painted rocks
“Not only do we document the past.. But also we have a responsibility of contemporary collecting,” Buffalo History Museum Executive Director, Melissa Brown said.
This was new territory for the museum. They’ve been collecting artifacts since 1862, but this isn’t anything that they’ve ever seen before. It’s an uncomfortable, emotional collection, but one that’s necessary to have for important dialogue.
“I’ve worked at this museum for a long time, and it’s something I never considered. It’s hard to bear witness to other people’s pain,” Brown said.
They’ve been working with family members of the victims during this collection, and Brown said it’s been hard for some of them to see this material for the first time. For some of them, it’s been months. For others, they haven’t been able to go back to Jefferson Avenue.
“Every circumstance you’re engaging with to try and support them is reintroducing a trauma. It’s a really powerful experience, and it’s humbling to see people in this most vulnerable time trying to figure out a path forward,” Brown said.
This was a moment in time that defined Buffalo because of the way people responded to it and continuously came together, even in the darkest of times. It’s times like this where history is so important.
Collecting these artifacts and giving context to May 14. These are steps that will allow people to always remember what happened on that day, so that change can be made in the future.
“We’re learning, this has been a very reflexive process. We’re working with our partners to figure out how to do this. We’re seeking a lot of counsel from the community as we’re working out how to do this,” Brown said.
