Uncrowned Community Builders Affiliate Program Seeks New Affiliates

In April, 2008, the Institute initiated the Uncrowned Community Builders Affiliate Program.  An Uncrowned Community Builder (UCB) Affiliate is any organization, e.g. an educational institution, museum, community-based organization or municipality that supports the mission and vision of the Uncrowned Queens Institute and agrees to replicate the Uncrowned Community Builders Model, in part or in its entirety.

The Erie County Historical Society in Erie, Pennsylvania and the Southern Heights Heritage Center and Museum in Enid, Oklahoma have agreed to become our first affiliates.  Currently, we are working to establish an affiliate partnership with a Buffalo organization.  In the coming months the Uncrowned Community Builders webpage will feature a new map and webpage for Pennsylvania Uncrowned Queens and Kings and an expanded webpage for Oklahoma. 

To learn more about the Uncrowned Community Builders Affiliate program, go to the link on this site on our Uncrowned Community Builder’s web page.  You can also contact the UCB co-founders at uqi@buffalo.edu or 716-829-6047.

Current Status of the Institute:

The Institute continues to provide its signature programs, which will be described in detail under the section on programs and services. However, there are several significant developments related to the Institute's programs that are highlighted by the following:

In 2007, the Institute embarked on two exciting initiatives that will support and strengthen our nationalization goals.  First, we have begun to develop a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC).  We have proposed the establishment of an Uncrowned Community Builder’s Kiosk housed in the NMAAHC that will make the Institute’s programs available to a national audience.  In addition, we will partner with the NMAAHC, as an Affiliate, in bringing their “Saving African American Treasures” Program to Western New York in 2009, in the StoryCorps Griot Program and as a “portal” to other Uncrowned Community Builders projects throughout the country.

This brings us to the second major initiative that the Institute has undertaken recently; the development of an Uncrowned Community Builders® Affiliate Program.  The Uncrowned Community Builders® (UCB) Affiliate Program is open to any organization, e.g. educational institution, museum, community-based organization, municipality, that supports the mission and vision of the Uncrowned Queens Institute and agrees to replicate the Institute’s model, in part or in its entirety. (Go to the link on this site for more information on the UCB Affiliate)  The first two organizations to become UCB Affiliates are:  The Erie County Historical Society in Erie, Pennsylvania and the Southern Heights Heritage Center & Museum in Enid, Oklahoma.

Since 2006, the Institute has received enormous support from the President's Office at the University of Buffalo to fund the development of an Uncrowned Queens Center for Excellence at the University. The University provides resources to the UQ Institute and its founders to work full-time on the continued development and implementation of UQ programs.  In return, the Institute offers the University a recognized and successful vehicle for community engagement.

The Institute launched its first national replication project in the State of Oklahoma for the state’s Centennial in 2007. The Institute was recognized by that state as one of its official centennial projects and was placed on Oklahoma's Master Plan. The Institute was awarded $10,000 in connection with this project. The Institute successfully networked with several local groups, organizations and state offices, including Langston University, the Oklahoma Bureau of Tourism and Recreation and Black, Inc., to promote its centennial project and to secure additional funding. The 4th volume of "Uncrowned Queens: African American Community Builders of Oklahoma" published in Spring 2007, in conjunction with the commemoration of the State's Centennial Celebration, was positively received.  The biographies and photos of the Uncrowned Queens of Oklahoma are available on the UQ signature website on its own page.

Finally, the Institute partnered with WNED Public Broadcasting Corporation in Buffalo, New York, on a grant proposal to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to produce a radio program, "Uncrowned Queens: Voices of African American Women".  The grant was successful and production is underway on the series, which will air in the Fall of 2008.

Programs and Services:

The individual projects that have contributed to the comprehensive programming/services of the Institute include the following:

• Uncrowned Queens Website -- The signature "techno-pedia" is updated weekly. This award-winning website is a digital repository for the historical assets of the African American communities of Western New York and Oklahoma. The website also includes the histories of a number of women's organizations; and extensive history on African Americans of Western New York at the time of the Pan American Exposition and the Niagara Movement. The website has also been utilized for research, training and teaching in elementary, secondary and post-secondary educational institutions, as well as community-based computer literacy training programs.
• Uncrowned Kings – After seven years of inquires and requests from the community, the Institute developed an Uncrowned King companion project.   The Uncrowned Kings initiative identifies African American men who were crucial to the development of their communities. While the Uncrowned Kings Initiative will also have a national focus, we began this initiative with African American men in Buffalo and Western New York. The Uncrowned Kings webpage was launched in April 2007.
• Uncrowned Queens and Kings in the Wings – This initiative recognizes the young people, who have already begun community building activities.  The first group of young women recognized in this manner can be found on the website on the Uncrowned Queens page.
• Uncrowned Queens Archival Program - Through a collaboration with the University at Buffalo's Archives, the Institute established a program to find and secure the personal papers, photos, awards, and other memorabilia of local African American Uncrowned Queens. The first collection to be secured and donated to the Archives is that of Eva Noles, the first African American to graduate from a Buffalo School of Nursing. Mrs. Noles' papers have been cataloged and are available to student and community researchers and for teaching.
•  Educational curricula - the co-founders, both educators, have developed curriculum and workshop presentations related to their research on local African American history; African American women's history; Family History research; lessons learned from the development of the project itself, e.g. " How-to's of self-publishing
• Media presentations - the co-founders have participated as interviewees on numerous radio/television programs.  We have also taped many audio interviews with Uncrowned Queens and Kings that will be available on the website.
• Illuminations: Uncrowned Queens Community Builders - a one-half hour television program, produced by Uncrowned Queens co-founders that puts a spotlight on the activities of Uncrowned Queens and Kings.  The program airs weekly and is co-produced by Drs. Nevergold and Bertram, who are also the hosts.  Gregory Barber serves as the director and videographer.
• Publications -- under Uncrowned Queens Publishing, the Institute's special affiliate, three editions of "Uncrowned Queens: African American Community Builders of Western New York" and one volume of “Uncrowned Queens of Oklahoma” have been published; in addition the Institute produces a monthly on-line newsletter that has a national circulation and over 500 subscribers; the Institute has produced brochures, flyers, newspaper and magazine articles and the co-founders have written articles for refereed journals
• Educational conferences - the Institute has sponsored three national/international conferences (2001, 2002 and 2003) which addressed the issues of African American history and women's history; symposiums were held in conjunction with the State of Oklahoma's 2007 Centennial Celebration and the launch of the Uncrowned Kings project.  As part of the plans for the 10th year observance of the Institute’s founding, a series of symposia is being planned.
• Oral history project - the Institute received funding from the Educational Technology Center of the University at Buffalo to conduct a pilot oral history project; this project has established the foundation for a larger, more extended program, including providing instruction in oral history research
• Research on black women and men - primarily historical and focused on regional histories noting the individual and collective community stories
• Health Network - the Institute has developed a broad network of partnerships with women's organizations, in addition to individual women that provide a basis for research and education on health issues that are relevant for women of color. The UQ Health Network as a means of raising awareness levels, increasing interest in participating in health care clinical trials; and conducting participatory research on health issues disproportionately affecting women of color, e.g., lupus, colon cancer, breast cancer and others.  
• Bridging the Digital Divide - A primary service of the Institute has been to teach technology literacy, appreciation and understanding of technology in historical and community preservation; persuade the community to move toward technology for research and preservation of community history; maintain ongoing communication with the community using electronic email and website updates; encouraged comfort and reliance on technology and encouraged individual use of technology
•  Culture Keeper Award - as an outgrowth of its own mission, through this award the Institute recognizes, supports and promotes the work of individuals and other organizations in the preservation of African American history
• Community Collaboration - The Institute has a long history of building collaborations with diverse community, civic, professional, business and government organizations to accomplish its mission; promote and support its programs; develop and enhance its services