Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The Broadway Market's Black History Month celebration is underway, as the City of Buffalo's flagship market spotlights Black-owned businesses throughout the month of February.
"Black History Month at the market has grown in its popularity over the past couple of years," says Kathy Peterson, Food Enterprise and Market Manager for the City of Buffalo. "We started off just one Saturday a month. This is our third year that we've had an event every Saturday."
Visitors to the Market can also purchase unique goods from vendors and will receive a $25 gift certificate for spending $10 or more. Those certificates can be used at any of the Black-owned businesses in the market throughout February.
"Vendors range from jewelry, to African clothing, to make-up, to baked goods, to prepared food. So it's really a lot of fun," says Peterson.
Peterson says every Saturday there will be 40 additional Black-owned businesses present at the market, including Market constant and Buffalo icon Mumbo Wings N' Things.
Mumbo Wings were created by John Young, who you could say is Buffalo royalty. He's credited with creating the chicken wing in 1961, and his daughter Lina carries on her father's legacy at the Market to this day.
"I appreciate being part of Black History Month," says Lina Brown-Young. "Him being a person of color, obviously Black History Month is a nice time for people to think about that like all the other events that are going on, and so I've really been appreciative to be a part of that."
Lina Brown-Young says the turnout over the years during February has been good, and she's noticing people talk about the Broadway Market's Black History Month celebration around town.
"Just buzz in the streets, people talking. I try to encourage people to come to the Broadway Market around that time but I've even heard more people talking about it, so that's a good thing."
Every Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST, the market will feature live music from various acts including Foxy Brown and the Blues Boys on the 10th, The Carol McLaughlin Quartet on the 17th and Larry Salter's Soul Orchestra on the 24th.
This is Part 2 in a continuing series of features by WBEN centering on Buffalo's rich African-American heritage.
Throughout the month of February WBEN will continue to bring you stories on Black History in Buffalo, including the city's ties to the Underground Railroad and the Civil Rights Movement.
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