We at The Buffalo History Museum are dedicated to discovering and safekeeping the stories of our community. Held within our collections and entrusted to our care are stories of hardship, loss, challenge, and perseverance. As we navigate through these difficult times, we will continue to collect and ensure that the experiences of our community are preserved for later generations.

All lives have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. By recording how the virus has changed our daily life, we can safekeep the stories to provide valuable insight for future generations. Your contributions ensure evidence of this time for future research, reference, projects, exhibits, and programs. Are you keeping a COVID-19 journal? Have you taken a porch portrait of your family? We encourage you to share and donate items to document these experiences.

You can document and share your experiences in many ways, including but not limited to:

• Postcards from the Pandemic: Postcards or notecards that provide your insights, feelings, and thoughts during the pandemic. Original artwork can also be accepted at a preferred size of card stock no larger than 4×6. There are various options to send postcards, should you have none on hand that include MyPostcard, Touchnote, Postsnap, and Postcardly.
• Digital Survey: Participate in an online survey available.
• Photo Submissions: Send your photos dated and appropriately identified (location and the names of those in the photo). Photos can be mailed or submitted digitally to covid19@buffalohistory.org
• Journals: Record your perspectives on daily life during the pandemic in a journal or notebook.

All postcards, photos, journals, and paper objects chronicling your COVID-19 experiences can be mailed directly to the Museum at the following address:
The Buffalo History Museum
c/o “Collecting COVID-19 Stories”
1 Museum Court
Buffalo, NY, 14216

This quilt was started a month or two into the first COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.

I believe our Guild sent out an email challenging members to create a quilt to remember this time period. I don’t generally make large bed type quilts and love to create things that are unique and non-traditional. While searching for ideas in my collection of quilting books, I ran across a couple of children’s coloring books I keep around for ideas. There I found a picture of a girl sewing a quilt – and I knew it was meant for me. I have changed various parts of that original coloring book picture and made sure that she had a facemask while sewing…

This quilt was donated to the Museum’s collection by our and longtime friend member Joyce.

By submitting any COVID-19 materials including but not limited to the forms listed above, you are agreeing to the terms based on our Deed of Gift and contained within this disclaimer document.

Thank you for your consideration and for contributing to our community. We look forward to hearing from you.

Should you have any questions, concerns, or thoughts about the initiative, please send an email to covid19@buffalohistory.org.