The African American Heritage Corridor

The Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission endeavors 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. They celebrate several different periods of history including the Abolitionist movement, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights movement, and several cultural and artistic renaissance periods.

In early 2007, the historic preservation area legislation was introduced to recognize the area as a heritage corridor. CHAPTER 595 (Laws of New York 2007) was signed into law on August 15, 2007 and amended the parks, recreation, and historic preservation law, to designate the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor in Buffalo as a state heritage area and established the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor Commission. The Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor is one of twenty-one Heritage Areas designated by the New York State Legislature. This legislation outlined the heritage corridor of the east side of Buffalo, located between Broadway, Eagle, Elm, and Nash to William Street, William Street (east) to Pine Street, and Pine Street (south) to Eagle. Click here for more information.