
3 minute read
Reflections on the Upcoming 20th Anniversary of Tops on Jefferson Avenue, The Jefferson 10 And the State of the Buffalo’s Black Community
Part 1
And Still We Rise!
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Red for the blood
Shed in shackles
Dripping, from strange fruit
On May 14th reminded
The tree, has very long roots
Black for the people
Surviving Maafa, our ongoing Holocaust Green for the land
And a hundred Black Wall Streets lost
Up you mighty race
With tears, clinched fists and Determination in your eyes
Always, always
Under attack, left for dead And Still We Rise!
-By Brother Ron Draffin
At your homes raise your Red Black and Green Liberation Flags this and every June to remember Juneteenth and honor the ancestors who made it to make you. Honor and say the names of those lost every day in custody, in grocery stores, shot in the back or can't breathe. Never forget... and still we rise!
We have Liberation Flags for sale at Juneteenth HQ weekdays from 10am-2pm if you need one. Raise your flag at home and share your pictures and videos to www. buffalojuneteenth.com, Juneteenth Buffalo Festival on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok. Ase`
-Tragedy at Tops-
The murder of 10 Black people, and the physical and emotional wounds of many others impacted by the tragedy at Tops Market on May 14, 2022 when a White male racist entered the supermarket with the intentions to kill as many Black people as possible, will linger for many years to come.
In the wake of so much pain, the tragedy also brought to light some of the severe disparities that continue to persist on the East Side, where most Black people live in the City of Buffalo.
Several weeks from now, July 23, 2023 will mark the 20th Anniversary of the opening of Tops on Jefferson. The original opening was met with much optimism and hope for an area of Buffalo that had been underserved for far too long. The massacre at Tops Market has brought to the surface lingering frustrations from decades of disinvestment in Black neighborhoods for many Black Americans in Buffalo and across the country.
In 2003, Tops Market was the first major brand supermarket to open on Jefferson in decades! Other projects were also happening, such as the renovation of the Apollo, the Frank E. Merriweather Library and the development of a shopping plaza by Bethel CDC. Black contractors and suppliers benefited from all the development by obtaining contracts on these projects The City of Buffalo was providing grants and support to many small businesses on Jefferson Avenue and things were getting done. The Masten District and parts of the East Side were on the Move!
-Broken Promises and Shattered Dreams-
Unfortunately, a nearly 10–15-year lull of little to no development followed. In fact, it took almost 10 years to renovate and open the Beverly Gray Center, which I sponsored the legislation for and dedicated the building in her honor during my time as Council Member for the Masten District. A common practice in Black neighborhoods in Buffalo involves scatteredsite development, infill housing, and singular or scattered development projects that do not create a critical mass to make a difference on the overall direction of a majority Black community. Sadly, no new major anchor stores, restaurants, or shops were established to bolster Jefferson Avenue for many years. While a new bank branch and a few apartment buildings have been developed near Tops, much of the strip and the surrounding neighborhoods had fallen out of the spotlight, leaving behind countless vacant homes and lots. The number of homes in need of repair, along with closed storefronts and neglected buildings highlighted the need for continued investment in the area. The hope of Jefferson Avenue had all faded to the back. -National Spotlight on the Conditions on Buffalo’s Black Community-
I remember the moment I got the call that there was a shooting at Tops on Jefferson. Initially I was sad, then mad, then angry. It was heartbreaking to watch the national media coverage and the language that was used to describe my hometown and the neighborhoods around the supermarket. The references to the uncut and poorly maintained cityowned vacant lots, the numerous homes in need of repair, the high rates of crime, low rates of homeownership, and the fact there was no other supermarket nearby catapulted the East side center stage as a food desert! The media and the nation as whole shed a spotlight on the following disparities: Black/White homeownership; the Black/White income; the Black/White infant mortality rate; the black/white life expectancy and so much more.
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