On April 2, 2021, Erie County celebrated its bicentennial anniversary, kicking off a year of celebration. This significant milestone is an opportunity for the community to reflect on the history, stories, and legacies of the many men and women who came before us.
A variety of speakers will provide guests with unique insights into Buffalo’s storied history as part of the Buffalo History Museum’s ongoing Wednesday Evening Lecture Series. Here is the schedule through early March 2022:
A Short History of the Roycroft Campus
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 6:00 p.m. – 8 p.m.
With Alan Nowicki, director of Programs at the Roycroft Campus. Working in the late nineteenth century, Elbert Hubbard, a soap salesman, would be a catalyst for the Arts & Crafts movement in America. After being inspired by a trip to William Morris’s Kelmscott Press in England, Hubbard would return to East Aurora and build his first Roycroft Shop in 1897. Combining his strong business sense and the Arts & Crafts ideals, he would create an industry of hand printing, illuminating and bound books. Within a few years, the Roycroft Shops would undergo multiple expansions and produce a variety of handcrafted art including furniture, copperwork, and stained glass. Although the Roycroft would close due to tragedy and the Great Depression, a renaissance has begun. Come hear the stories of the rise, fall and rebirth of this National Historic Landmark, right here in Western New York.
Untold: The Golden Age of Africa
Wednesday, Jan. 26, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
You have heard about the wars, poverty, and civil unrest currently plaguing the African continent, but was this always the case in Africa? Journey with African historian/author Emmanuel Kulu, Jr. into the untold Golden Age of African Antiquities.
Buffalo Black Achievers Museum Lecture with Herb Bellamy
Wednesday, Feb. 2, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Mr. Bellamy will lecture on what the Black Achievers Museum does and how it influences the local community. As the CEO of Buffalo’s Black Achievers, Inc., he recognizes the purpose of the awards event is to show the local community the variety and quality of achievements of black people in the community. Images are powerful in our society, and the Black Achievers Museum uses positive images of Black Americans to educate and inspire the community.
1901 Buffalo, Birthplace of a New Presidency
Wednesday, Feb. 9, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Why would Theodore Roosevelt become president in Buffalo? And why in September? This program describes the circumstances of William McKinley’s assassination and Theodore Roosevelt’s inauguration in Buffalo, in 1901, and explains the background of this unique event where local and national history intersect.
The Early Life of Millard Fillmore
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Using Millard Fillmore’s own words from his autobiography, Millard Fillmore Presidential Site Curators Kathy Frost and Rachelle Francis will show visuals and tell the stories Fillmore thought were important about his impoverished youth. Fillmore was the first 19th century born president, and probably the poorest man to ever become president.
Women and The Vote: Documentary Screening
Wednesday, March 2, 6:00 p.m – 8:00 p.m.
Filmed on Election Day 2020, in five cemeteries across New York State, Women and the Vote is a mosaic style documentary on the past 100 years of women’s political equality, the present moment, and the possibilities for the future. Interviews and verité footage of visitors in the Bronx, Sleepy Hollow, Auburn, Rochester, and Buffalo intertwine with rich historical elements to generate connections between New York’s rich suffragist legacy and contemporary voters.
“To Walk About in Freedom” Lecture with Dr. Carole Emberton
Wednesday, March 9, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Dr. Emberton from University at Buffalo will be giving a lecture on her new book, To Walk About in Freedom. Emberton turns to the historically overlooked first-person accounts of slavery detailed in the Depression-era Federal Writers Project, adding depth to our understanding of formerly enslaved people’s struggles for freedom. Grounded in Pricilla Joyner’s life story, To Walk About in Freedom reveals the deeply personal and highly emotional long process of emancipation. Joyner’s life provides a glimpse into the inner thoughts and feelings of enslaved people, while also showing how newly freed people experienced emancipation in varied and distinct ways.
Louise Blanchard Bethune, FAIA: Architect and Feminist
Wednesday, March 16, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Buffalo architect Louise Blanchard Bethune, FAIA, was the first professional woman architect in the United States – and despite popular opinion – also a feminist. Join Bethune biographer Kelly Hayes Mcalonie as she brings this Gilded Age icon to life.
History of Buffalo Music & Entertainment: Featuring Rock N Roll from the 1950s to 1980s
Wednesday, March 30, 6:00 p.m. – 8 p.m.
A look back at the rich history of Buffalo music and entertainment, dating back to the theaters of the 1800s and 1900s, nightclubs of the early 20th century, amusement parks, songwriters and the beginning of radio and television. The presentation will concentrate on the musicians, bands, clubs, concert halls, DJs and personalities that brought rock music to the Wester New York community.
Admission is pay what you wish. Per Erie County guidelines, all visitors are required to wear masks.
1 Museum Ct, Buffalo, NY 14216 | 716-873-9644
Hours: Sun-Tues: Closed, Wed: 10am-8pm, Thurs-Sat: 10am-5pm
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