BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Black history month is a time for reflection, as well as a time to celebrate those who paved the way, and using their experiences to continue making progress.
"By studying the past, it helps to inform the present. It's not about us now. It's about sharing the legacy of our ancestors," Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Chair, Lillie Wiley-Upshaw said.
Every week in the month of February, the corridor will host two series' - A 'Black History Through Art' series, and a "Black History Month Talks' series. This will cover a wide variety of topics, such as a lynching memorial photo exhibit, to having discussions around the legacy of African American music.
"We know that we have issues of racial violence, segregation, discrimination to deal with, but the month of February is about sharing and celebrating black people in this country. That's part of what this series does," Wiley Upshaw said.
Of course, Wiley-Upshaw added that the conversation will always come back to discrimination, segregation, and racial violence in Buffalo. Those are conversations that she said are necessary.
"These stories are too important for us not to know them, especially when we are still facing those issues," Wiley-Upshaw said.
Especially since this is the first Black History Month since the Tops shooting on May 14, 2022.
"One thing that, as a nation, I think we're really good at is pretending that nothing happened. Honestly, that's not the case. These events are happening over and over again. We need to find a way to heal," Wiley-Upshaw said.
These conversations will happen every Tuesday during Black History Month at the Frank E. Merriweather Jr. Library from 6-7 pm.
- February 14: 'Andrew Jackson Smitherman: A Pen Warrior — In Defense of his People'
- February 21: 'Radio Sounds of the Civil Rights Movement'
- February 28: 'Preserving, Presenting, and Promoting the legacy of African American Music in Buffalo since 1917'
To find out more about these events, click here.
