#OnThisDay In 1939, The Buffalo Economic Society opens a co-operative grocery store. The mission of the grocery store was to provide quality food and groceries to the disenfranchised groups of Buffalo, significantly the Black community of Buffalo. The Society was founded by Dr. Ezekiel E. Nelson, a Black physician, back in 1928, aiming to provide the underpriveledged in Buffalo with reliable groceries, educational campaigns and safe banking through a credit union.
Although the organization carried on for just another 30 years, it laid the important groundwork for more altruisitic, humanitarian oragnizations such as the ECCO (East Side Community Co-Operative) Food Service on William St. in the late 60s and Our Market at E Ferry and Fillmore. City Hall had helped fund “Our Market”
It must be noted that a grocery store hadn’t opened in East Buffalo until Top’s opened on Jefferson Avenue. The Top’s on Jefferson was the sole grocery store in East Buffalo for awhile. We must continue as a community to make sure that all areas and members of Buffalo have access to natural human rights, such as food and shelter.
Does anyone have memories of Our Market, ECCO or even the Buffalo Economic Society?
Thank you to Cooperation Buffalo for the great information on your website!
#Buffalo#BuffaloRights#HumanRights#BuffaloHistory#BuffaloEconomicSociety