The Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission (MSAAHCC) invites the community to attend two festive holiday events that fall on two consecutive weekends – A Soulful Christmas In the Corridor and the inaugural Soulball.
These two corridor boosting events are in place to bring the community together in support of a historic district that will on day be a totally unique, dynamic destination in Buffalo. Both occasions will be held in new venues, since the historic Michigan Avenue buildings – Michigan Street Baptist Church, The Colored Musicians Club, and The Nash House – are undergoing spectacular renovations. These renovations will be completed in time for the 2023 holiday season. In the meantime, supporting venues have stepped up to accommodate the pending 2022 celebrations.
The action-packed doubleheader event series kicks off with the a Soulful Christmas In the Corridor on Saturday, December 3 – a free community holiday celebration at Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church (665 Michigan Avenue) from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Enjoy family-friendly activities that included toy giveaways, art activities, storytelling hours, a Christmas Market, horse drawn wagon rides, a Black owned business Holiday Market, Christmas Tree lighting, and visits from Kente Claus. More information can be found at www.michiganstreetbuffalo.org/holiday-market.
The following weekend, the Soulball will be held on Friday, December 9, from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM, at the Buffalo Transportation Pierce Arrow Museum at 263 Michigan Avenue. Tickets are $100.00 per person, and support the MSAAHCC’s mission to “bring the corridor back” stronger than ever, while preserving and promoting its historic legacy. The event is being touted as An elegant evening filled with car, jazz, and holiday cheer.
A holiday party where attendees can enjoy music, food, wine & beer, a basket raffle, photo ops, historic stories from the Corridor and holiday cheer.
A holiday party where attendees can enjoy music, hors d’oeuvres, wine & beer, a basket raffle, photo ops, historic stories from the Corridor and holiday cheer. All proceeds from the Soulful Christmas Weekends directly supports programs that serve the mission to integrate the African American cultural significance and impact on Buffalo’s history through public engagement, community education that will invigorate, inspire, and enliven cultural appreciation, preservation and community development. Tickets for the Soulball can be purchased at www.michiganstreetbuffalo.org/soulball.
The Soulball will recognize the following honorees* of the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor’s first Legacy Awards:
Assemblywoman Crystal People-Stokes – In 2007, the Commission was founded with the sponsorship of Assemblywoman Crystal People-Stokes. She led the effort to create NYS Legislation that created a historic preservation area in the Michigan Street Corridor to fight against urban blight, extreme redlining, and represent the underserved neighborhoods surrounding the Corridor.
George K. Arthur – The late George K. Arthur was a founding member of the Michigan Street Preservation Corporation, the nonprofit that owns and operates the Nash House Museum. Under his leadership, the Corporation was able to preserve and open the historic house as a museum.
Bishop William Henderson – The late Bishop William Henderson was the longtime caretaker of the Michigan Street Baptist Church. Having purchased the church in the 1970s, Bishop Henderson led early restoration efforts and ensured the history of the Church was preserved for generations to come. He also founded the Buffalo Niagara Freedom Station Coalition, the nonprofit that currently owns and operates the Church.
*The honorees of the Legacy Awards will have plaques installed in the Corridor’s new headquarters, which will be opening in 2023. The plaques will serve as a constant reminder of the legacy these individuals have had on the development of the Corridor.
