[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 18 (Thursday, February 2, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BUFFALO'S HISTORIC COLORED MUSICIANS CLUB

  (Mr. HIGGINS of New York asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Mr. Speaker, as the Nation recognizes Black 
History Month, I rise to pay tribute to a special history in my western 
New York community.
  This Friday marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of Buffalo's 
historic Colored Musicians Club. The club's origin stretches back to 
1917 when a group of African American musicians sought to create its 
own safe haven in a then-segregated community. They banded together, 
organized, and started Local 533 of the American Federation of 
Musicians.
  Some of the world's most prolific jazz musicians have performed at 
the club. The likes of Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Ella 
Fitzgerald all impressed crowds in the building near the corner of 
Broadway and Michigan. Through the years, the Colored Musicians Club 
has become an important community and cultural center, featuring a 
museum to educate new generations of the club's key role in Buffalo and 
our country's history.
  As this landmark celebrates a century of work, we support its 
continued success and celebrate the example it sets in advancing the 
coming together of community and culture.

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