Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Poland, Solidarity Movement, Buffalo Polish Americans, Martial Law in Poland, Polish Americans]]> Refugees]]> Refugees--Poland]]> Martial law--Poland]]> Solidarity (Polish labor organization)]]>
Western New York students studying in Poland managed to flee the country and make it safely back to Buffalo. They had many stories to tell about the abuses imposed on Polish citizens as well as an economic crisis that put Poland on the brink of bankruptcy.

Buffalo, with its large Polish population, became one of the lead protest cities in the United States. They demanded that the Soviet Union loosen its grasp on Poland and allow the Polish people to choose their own destiny. President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II are often credited with helping to bring down communism in Poland.

"Flight from Poland," a WIVB-TV news special hosted and co-produced by Rich Newberg, gave Buffalo viewers a comprehensive look inside Poland during this period of great turmoil. Newberg got first hand accounts from refugees and students in Buffalo who had witnessed the abuses in their homeland.

In 1985, Newberg would report from Gdansk, the birthplace of Solidarity, as club wielding Zomos (paramilitary units) again arrested Solidarity demonstrators. Newberg and photojournalist Don Yearke met with Solidarity leader Lech Walesa and then with Pope John Paul II in Rome. (See "Hearts and Minds Together" and "Inside a Private Audience with Pope John Paul II.")

In 1999, Newberg would again travel to Poland, this time with photojournalist Mike Mombrea, Jr., to cover Pope John Paul II's triumphant return to his homeland, now free from communist rule. The pope made a special effort to meet with a Buffalo delegation on a street in Torun, Poland. He blessed every member, showing his gratitude toward the city, whose Polish Americans never wavered in their support for a free Poland. Newberg also interviewed Lech Walesa after he had served as president of Poland. (See "The People's Pope.")]]> Newberg, Rich]]> eng]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> African American nurses--Interviews]]> Great Migration, ca. 1914-ca. 1970]]>
Florence's fascination with her second great-grandmother, Landonia Epps, led to her most unprecedented scholarly achievement, Daughter Be Somebody - a book that traces her family's history from 1740 through 1997. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the determination of two families to break the shackles of slavery and overcome its legacy through knowledge and education. It is a powerful and dramatic source of genealogical information that warms the heart, brings tears to ones eyes, but most of all it takes the reader on a magnificent journey into yesterday.

For Ms. Curtis, there is nothing about which she is more passionate than African American history. For this reason, she has written five other books. Three of these books are tools for the researcher to make their search a little easier and help knock down the brick wall that every historian confronts in his or her search. The other two, He Heard My Cry and Everlasting Memories are books of original inspirational poetry.

Ms. Curtis has searched her maternal lineage back to 1066 AD and her paternal ancestry back to 1634 AD. For her, the search never ends for there are always new roads to explore and new visions of old materials to document. In addition to Daughter Be Somebody, she has written He Heard My Cry; Landonia Epps, a Paper Trail of Her Times and Travels; Halifax Country, North Carolina Coroner's Inquests 1841-1891; Everlasting Memories; and In the Footsteps of Our Forefathers, the Churches Where They Worshipped, the Graves In Which They Slumber. Her books have found a home at the Schomburg Center for research in Black Culture; Duke University's John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American Documentation; Virginia State University; Saint Paul's College, Lawrenceville, Virginia; Halifax County, North Carolina Library; as well as other educational venues.

Ms. Curtis has spoken at numerous universities and for many genealogical societies on the importance and value of family research.

She notes, "I have searched the pages of the past for a glimpse into yesterday, to make sense of today, and to find meaning in tomorrow."]]> Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc.]]> Blanc Photographie (videographer)]]> Blanc, Yves-Richard]]> eng]]> African Americans--New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Great Migration, ca. 1914-ca. 1970]]> Education--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]>

Chair of the National Council of Urban Boards of Education, Florence D. Johnson was a member and former president of the City of Buffalo Board of Education. She served for 25 years. She chaired the strategic planning committee for that board and is its delegate to the Federal Network Advocacy Association. She served on the Board of Directors of the National School Boards Association and in 1999 served as vice chair of the National Council of Urban Boards of Education.


Listed in Who's Who in American Education, Ms. Johnson is the recipient of numerous awards for her work in education. She has been honored with the Jayne Kadey Award for Teaching Excellence; the Buffalo State College President's Award for Excellence; the New York State Governor's Award for African Americans of Distinction; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Edgar A. Love Scholarship Award; and the Education Award from the National Conference of Christian and Jews. She was selected to serve on the New York State Commissioner of Education's Advisory Board, and serves on the Council of Great City Schools representing the Buffalo Board of Education.


She was an enthusiastic board member of the Olmsted Park Conservancy, and First Vice Chair of the Hamlin Park Taxpayers & Community Association.
Among her many honors for her career include Buffalo Spree Magazine's 2006 listing as one of the Ten Most Powerful Western New York Women.


Ms. Johnson has been an active member of the Calvary Baptist Church for 45 years. During this period she served as Director of Christian Education, teacher of the Sunday School Department, and worked in the Outreach Mission for the EPIC Board to disseminate information to teenage parents on effective parenting. She serves as a member of the Calvary Adult Choir and received the Network of Religious Communities Award - Inter Religious Ecumenical Award.

Ms. Johnson is married to Mr. George Johnson and has two sons, George, Jr. and Isaac.]]> Uncrowned Queens Institute for Research & Education on Women, Inc.]]> Blanc Photographie (videographer)]]> Blanc, Yves-Richard]]> eng]]> E. K.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Enrich, M.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Sheridan, J. E.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Moore, Bruce]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Riesenberg, Sidney H.]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Treidler, Adolph]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Thomas, Bert]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Orr, Alfred Everitt]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Walker, C. Howard]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> J. Scott Williams]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Brown, Arthur William]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]> Postcards--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> Photographic postcards.]]> Forest Lawn (Cemetery : Buffalo, N.Y.)]]> Cemeteries--New York (State)--Buffalo.]]> H.L. Woehler, Buffalo, N.Y.]]> ENG]]> Rare Book Room of the B&ECPL (repository)]]> eng]]> Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)]]>