DELAWARE PARK MEMORIAL
As a tribute to Alison’s life and work, the Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Committee planted three redbud trees and dedicated a memorial bench on October 27, 2012 in Buffalo, New York, next to the path in Delaware Park where Alison regularly walked. The bench and trees are located on the Nottingham Terrace side of Delaware Park along the Ring Road cinder path between the zoo and food kiosk. The Committee invites anyone who wants to remember Alison to take a moment to visit the site and reflect on her legacy.
An influential historian of Africa and a leading human rights activist, Alison was also a forceful advocate for public education in Buffalo.
In Loving Memory
Dr. Alison L. Des Forges (1942-2009)
Historian of Central Africa, Advocate of Public Education, Defender of Human Rights, Devoted Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Friend. Your warm and joyful spirit will stride on.
Helene Kramer Remembers
“One of my fondest memories during my twenty years of walking around Delaware Park with Alison was of young men and women approaching Alison to thank her for teaching them to read when they were children at the Bennett Park Montessori School,” said Helene Kramer, a close friend and founding chair of the Committee. “During those moments, I saw the human connection – a glow of pride in her eyes, and theirs. There is a no more fitting place to remember Alison than in Delaware Park.”
At the Memorial Dedication
of the trees and bench, several friends, family members, and colleagues spoke.
Remarks
Helene Kramer welcomed everyone and spoke about her 20-year friendship with Alison.
Eileen Buermann, Paula Schenk, and Jan Dombkowski talked of their experiences with Alison at the Bennett Park Montessori School, a Buffalo Public School where she volunteered for many years.
Irving Massey
“These small trees, planted in memory of Alison Des Forges and her work in human rights, are known as ‘redbud’ trees. They are also known as ‘Judas’ trees. Originally probably called ‘Arbres de Judée’ because they were thought to have flourished in Judaea, they were converted, by folk etymology, into ‘Judas’ trees (as ‘beau fleuve’ may have been converted into ‘Buffalo’), the species from which Judas presumably hanged himself, in remorse for his betrayal of Christ.” Read the whole tribute here.
Roger Des Forges
“As some of you may know, Alison was a very fast walker. In fact, when we were in college, one of her other suitors remarked that she would probably marry me because I was the only one who could walk as fast as she did! Helene spent many hours walking with Alison in this park so we can infer that she must be a fast walker too! I want to begin, then, by thanking Helene for her friendship and for organizing this event, one of many she has spearheaded over the last three years as Chair of the Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Committee.” Read the whole tribute here.