The downtown Buffalo of the mid-20th century was a surprisingly sapphic space. Portions of the neighborhood that are today occupied by supermarkets, condos, parking structures–even Sahlen’s Field and the 33 Expressway–were once places where lesbians of all races gathered to drink, dance, find love, and fight for a space in the public sphere.

In 2018, the History Project hosted a series of events that explored the role of lesbians in mid-20th century Buffalo. Based on the groundbreaking book Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy and Madeline Davis, and created to honor the 25th century of the book’s publication, the History Project hosted three events. The first, a dramatic reading of portions of Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold, was hosted by the Colored Musicians Club, and featured dramatic readings by Madeline Davis herself. The second was a three-hour, three-mile, self-directed walking tour of lesbian bar sites. Finally, the series closed with a lecture by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy at Grindhaus Coffee Bar, reflecting on the research and impact of Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold.

Though the dramatic reading and the lecture were one-time events, the walking tour has gone through many new iterations since its premiere in September 2018. It was performed for the Jane’s Walk international walking tour series by Vision Niagara on May 8, 2021, and again for the 2022 Buffalo Infringement Festival. If you are interested in taking the She Walked Here walking tour, you have three choices: 1) stay tuned to this website and our social media, and sign up for a tour when we offer it; 2) take a self-directed tour on your own time, and at your own pace; 3) contact us to arrange a private tour for yourself or your organization.

She Walked Here was made possible in part by a grant from New York Public Humanities, and the Buffalo-Niagara LGBTQ History Project acknowledges Preservation Buffalo Niagara as a partner and sponsor in the creation of this street tour.