Gallery
“Girl with a Snail Earring,” mural artist, Justin Suarez, aaduna 2023/2024 Volume 11: Issue 1 Cover Art, bill berry, jr., photographer
The NF Murals project is part of Niagara Falls Heritage Arts, the public art initiative of the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area, made possible by a grant from the New York State Health Foundation.
Publisher Statement
William E. Berry, Jr., CEO/Publisher, aaduna Inc.
In March 2022, The Honorable Kathy Hochul, governor of New York State, appointed me as one of fifteen state-wide public members of the NYS Commission on African American History (New York State Commission on African American History (ny.gov).
As a commissioner, I agreed to chair the Commission’s Sites, Localities and Placemaking sub-committee, a small group charged with investigating an African American presence and achievements in rural, agricultural, small regions and communities of NYS that were all too often overlooked in identifying a Black presence. As chair, I had the opportunity to develop new colleagues and visit regions in an in-depth manner that was more than being a casual visitor. While I had been to Niagara Falls several times, those visits were grounded in being a tourist road tripping towards Toronto, and not necessarily a focused historical investigator.
These gallery photos document an aspect of my visit to the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center and its community-driven mural display sited across the street from the center. (I thank Ally Sponger DeGon, interim director, for her guidance and support, as well as Saladin Allah, director of community engagement for his generosity of spirit, and for their graciousness, welcoming and community tour! They and their staff exposed me to levels of the Black presence in Niagara Falls that enriched my sub-committee work. I also acknowledge Jeff Morrow, current owner of The Book Corner, established in 1927, as well as Pastor Paul Vogel, minister of The Potter’s Field, Children’s Ministry for their time and help. Photographs of what they shared may become a photographic sequel.)