BUFFALO, N.Y. — Although the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is not a history museum, it still understands the importance of history.
“We want everyone to be able to connect with the history and the past and present importance of this kind of niche blend of horticulture and history and Black history particularly,” said Shaunna Mooney, director of marketing and events for the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. For their first-ever signage exhibit, they are showcasing the literal plant roots of Black history.
“We are really excited and really proud to bring this type of exhibit to the botanical gardens,” said Eleanor Nunn, educator and volunteer coordinator for the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. “There’s a lot of voices that we haven’t really heard about and stories we haven’t learned about.”
It’s highlighting many people from the past.
“Edmond Albius, who was a man in the 1830s to 50s,” said Nunn. “He was the first person to successfully pollinate the vanilla orchid. And the vanilla orchid is where we get vanilla beans and vanilla pods from.”
It’s also highlighting change makers in the present, such as Tanisha Marie Williams.
“She is kind of the founder of Black Botanist Week which is a really popular hashtag and kind of internet movement for uplifting those current voices,” Nunn said.
The museum is doing what it can to be a part of educating the community on its past and present.
“There are other agriculturalists and innovators like Dr. George Washington Carver and Dr. Booker T. Whatley,” Nunn said. “Not only did they have cutting-edge research on sustainable practices, we know Dr. George Washington Carver for the peanut, the soybean, the sweet potato, these giant crops nowadays.”
“It’s a small baby step, but we’re really excited to keep exploring what kinds of opportunities we can create,” said Mooney.
They’re hoping that through education, we can grow a stronger future.
“How we need to properly respect and remember history and the people throughout it that didn’t get their flowers,” said Nunn.