Soulful Christmas

Soulful Christmas is a cultural holiday experience that allows our attendees to explore Buffalo’s rich African American history, think critically about social justice issues, and hear untold stories about the Corridor. During Soulful Christmas, attendees can step back in time with engaging reenactments of holiday’s long past as they meet some of the founding members of the Michigan Street Corridor.

Emmaline Coy, one of the original members of the Michigan Street Baptist Church, will be sharing holiday traditions that date back to the 1840s. The Historic Colored Musician’s Club will be performing jazz as they did in the roaring 20s. Kente Claus, Santa Claus’s Caribbean Cousin, will share culturally inclusive Christmas stories and lead children on a horse drawn carriage ride through the Michigan Street Corridor. Kente Claus will paint a picture of Michigan Street in the early 1900s, when it was a thriving community filled with businesses and homes. Children will also be able to listen to Tradition Keepers: Black Storytellers of Western New York as they share holiday stories told in the traditional African storytelling method.