Margaret B. Cunningham

Forty years ago Margaret Cunningham had a vision. From that vision came the Hamilton Hill Arts Center. Mrs. Cunningham's story is evidence of how one person can truly make a difference, literally affecting generations.

Mrs. Margaret Cunningham was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 15, 1919 to Kenneth E. and Eloise May Barns. She attended Brooklyn PS 35, Brooklyn Girls High school, and the YMCA trade school. A teacher by the name of Anne Arnold Hedgman encouraged Mrs. Cunningham to contact her once she graduated so that she could hire her for a position at the “Y”. Once there, Mrs. Cunningham would soon receive a scholarship from the organization to attend Hampton Institute for Art (one of the Historic Black Colleges). Her time at the institute would be cut short, however, by the tragic circumstances surrounding Pearl Harbor.

Disappointed, Mrs. Cunningham would soon find that she would be called for a Civil service job in Washington D.C. Once there, she would not only work, but also return to her studies at Howard University. On the first day of employment at the War Department service pool, she met her future husband Dr. James Cunningham.

In her new role as wife, Mrs. Cunningham would find that her capacity to teach would constantly be developed. She moved from being a pottery teacher working in conjunction with an occupational therapist at one of the local hospitals to teaching a series of pottery lessons in Alaska to the “crack pot” group. She helped to create a Musical Society and eventually moved back to New York with her family to work with the Girl Scouts, the Arbor Hill Community Center and sang with the C.O.R.E. singers.

Mrs. Cunningham had a life-long interest in the arts--especially painting and pottery. She continued to paint throughout her life and exhibited in numerous group and individual exhibitions. Mrs. Cunningham was also one of the founders of the Black Dimensions in Art (BDA), an organization which sought exhibition opportunities for African-American artists.

In the late 60's, Mrs. Cunningham came in contact with a Mrs. Crandall. Mrs. Crandall ran a head start program for young children, but discovered that their older siblings were always coming with them. And, she didn’t have the facilities to run programs for these “older siblings” so she took the suggestion of one of her associates to contact Mrs. Cunningham to see if she would be interested in taking up the charge to provide a program for these older children. Mrs. Cunningham agreed, and began operating the first Hamilton Hill Arts Center out of a two room store front with a staff of only two members.

As we head into our 40th year, we reflect on the Hamilton Hill Arts Center’s unique contribution as the Capital Region’s only art center focusing on African-American contributions to American culture and the many lives we have touched. We are grateful to be able to carry on where Mrs. Cunningham has left off. All of us at the Hamilton Hill Arts Center truly look at our work here as a labor of love.

Mrs. Cunningham is now retired, and residing in Schenectady with her husband, Dr. James Cunningham, of 60 years.

Hamilton Hill Arts Center

409 Schenectady Street

Schenectady, NY 12307

Tel: (518) 346-1262 / Fax: (518) 346-2625

E-Mail: info@hamiltonhillartscenter.org

© 2009 Hamilton Hill Arts Center.  All Rights Reserved.