Though it was an ordinary bi-weekly meeting for the Urban Renewal Club, extraordinary people and parts of Buffalo history were the topic of the day as the group introduced community members to Buffalo's own Underground Railroad: Vive la Casa.
A local non-profit organization devoted to helping refugees en route to Canada, Vive is more pit stop than destination. According to club Publicity Coordinator Binjamine Maurice, the Underground Railroad is an important part of Buffalo's past and was comprised of "ordinary people who did heroic things."
Buffalo's role as a gateway to Canada for those looking to escape oppression and persecution has not been left in the past, according to Farah Brunache, club president.
Located in downtown Buffalo, Vive la Casa provides refugees with shelter, food, legal advice, and many other services.
Most of the clients arrive after escaping a nation in political unrest and are in the process of being admitted into a different, stable country. Like the Underground Railroad, it is the last stop for refugees on their journey to Canada, according to Brunache.
Charles Burton, a sophomore economics major and club member, thought the connection between Vive and the Railroad was clear.
"They both aid people who are persecuted...and help them achieve their own dreams," he said.
In the presentation, Brunache also highlighted historical landmarks of the Underground Railroad in Buffalo including the Michigan Street Baptist Church, the Nash House, and Murphy Orchards. Preserving the history of these landmarks is also a part of the modern Underground Railroad's presence in Buffalo, according to Maurice.
The church was built in 1845 and is known as the oldest structure in Western New York that was built for the African-American community, Brunache said.
Today, tourists can explore the church, which was a major station on the Railroad.
The Nash House was occupied by the Reverend J. Edward Nash, who preached at the Michigan Street church and was a major national figure during the abolition period. He was also influential in the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
According to Maurice, Murphy Orchards is another important part of Buffalo history. The farm served as a safe house in the Underground Railroad and remains virtually the same as it was 150 years ago.
"When you go to these locations like Murphy's Orchard or the Michigan Street Baptist Church, you have a feel of the history. You're actually in a place where slaves were hiding from the bounty hunters...you can't go to any museum and substitute that feeling," Maurice said. "I was in a place where history happened."
According to Maurice, the community is looking to rebuild the farm and still retain its rich history. The rest of the club also expressed concerns that when the government rehabilitates these landmarks, they will be commercialized or cheapened.
"There's a fine line between making it cheap and doing it...to make it known or keep it in the public's mind," said Ryan Rogers, a senior biomedical sciences major, during the discussion part of the meeting. "(Commercialization) might to some degree be necessary, but there's a fine line between that and cheapening it."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
