Uncrowned Queens Launches the Uncrowned Kings Initiative and Website

On Saturday, April 28th, the Institute launched its much heralded Uncrowned Kings Initiative and website. Over one hundred individuals, including Uncrowned Kings and their families, attended the program that recognized the first group of men whose histories are recorded on the website. Drs. Barbara Nevergold and Peggy Brooks-Bertram introduced the initiative, recounted the history of the Michigan Avenue YMCA, recognized the Uncrowned Kings and presented the 2007 Culture Keeper Awards to two architects, whose buildings were/are historic sites connected with the growth and development Buffalo’s Black community. The program was held at the Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Library.

As with the Uncrowned Queens, the Kings are individuals who, personally and collectively, have played a pivotal role in the history of this community.  Most are men whose contributions are undocumented and/or forgotten. The UQI Uncrowned Kings website features the biographies and photos of these community builders. Future publications, oral histories and other educational activities are planned for the Uncrowned Kings, African American Community Builders. 

The Culture Keeper Award, established in 2002, recognizes individuals and/or organizations that have been instrumental in preserving the cultural and historical assets of the African American community. The recipients of the 2007 Culture Keeper Awards are:  Architect Robert Traynham Coles and Architect John E. Brent, posthumously. Mr. Coles delighted the audience with an impromptu discussion of his early years in the architectural field and his experiences as the first African American to own his own firm in Buffalo.  Other recipients of Uncrowned Kings’ certificates also were very gracious in their remarks regarding their involvement in this expansion of the Uncrowned Queens model of historical preservation.

Once again, we thank the community for embracing this program, and in fact requesting it!  We have only begun to document the histories of these Uncrowned Kings and encourage Western New Yorkers and Oklahomans to submit the biographies and photos of the men in their community for this cultural and historical preservation initiative.  Submission forms can be found on the website.