Uncrowned Queens Institute Receives Grant to Support the “Say Their Names” Project

The Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research and Education on Women, Inc. has announced the receipt of a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo that is aligned with the narrative change strategy of the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable.

Earlier this year, the Uncrowned Queens Institute launched a community oral history project. Focused on collecting the stories of our community’s elders, “Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies” gathered a dozen 70, 80, and 90-year-old community builders for portraits and videos that will preserve their first-person narratives. One of the participants turned 100 in February 2023.

Thanks to the expertise and talent of photographer/ videographer Yves-Richard Blanc, “Say Their Names: Honor Their Legacies” has a digital archive of photographs and interviews with these community elders that are available on the ncrowned Queens YouTube Channel, https:// www .youtube.com/ @uncrownedqueensinstitute 716. Full biographies of the participants are also available on the Uncrowned Community Builders webpage. An exhibit, which showcased this project resulted from a partnership with the Buffalo History Museum.

The grant will enable the Institute to continue this oral history/preservation project and enhance our outreach to educators and students. Partnering with Blanc Photographie, we will once again be able to record and share the stories of ten additional elder community builders.

A partnership with the Buffalo Schools’ Social Studies Department will offer training and resources to Social Studies teachers in the district. The stories of African-American community builders will be used to expand the understanding and dispel misconceptions that young people may have of the vibrant local history that evolves from the individual and collective activities of community members. Educational tools to help educators utilize our oral and biographical histories to address stereotypical and negative perceptions of African Americans will also be shared.

Another exhibit is planned for February 2024 with another partner, The Buffalo History Museum. The Museum hosts numerous field trips for school students from throughout the County and the exhibit will be included in these tours.

This project received great support from the community, and the Institute extends their thanks to all who attended the grand opening in February 2023. They look forward to seeing many community members at the Exhibit opening in February 2024 and will update this project from time to time.

Please visit the Institute’s YouTube channel, https://www .youtube.com/ @uncrownedqueensinstitute716, and become a subscriber.