Black history is all around us in Cleveland, but sometimes it’s obscured. Leah Hudnall is on a mission to help change that.
She launched Legacy Live, a storytelling series. The goal is to bring diverse groups of people together for real-life stories steeped in happiness, history and resilience.
“I wanted more activities for my students, families and friends,” said Hudnall, who is an educator and consultant. “I have an intergenerational family, ranging in age from 3 to 84. There are very few things we can do as a family that are free and/or affordable [and] that are Black-centered and tell Black stories.”
She partnered with the nonprofit Cleveland VOTES for a free, narrated bus tour – known as The Black Storytelling Bus Tour & Democracy Chat.
Education, joy and civic participation
Erika Anthony, Cleveland VOTES executive director, said she sees the tour as a way to encourage “civic participation throughout the year.” The tour, she said, blends “education and joy into an immersive experience.”
On the most recent tour, on Oct. 11, a group of about 20 people learned about Black history at five places around the city. The first stop was on the West Side in Ohio City. The remaining four stops were on the East and Southeast Sides of town. As the bus traveled from stop to stop, there were pop quizzes about Black history and Cleveland politics. People won $20 gift cards for correct answers.
Suggested Reading
This was the second, and final, tour of 2025. There were also two tours last year, all made possible by funding from the Gund Foundation.
Keshia Chambers had a good time. As the tour neared its end, she said, “It’s great to see how Black history in Cleveland spans from West Side to East Side.”
“We, as a community, are not just contained to a certain part or certain stories in Cleveland, but our stories span throughout the community,” Chambers added. “We have shaped the community.”
Where did the bus tour go?
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Credit: Nate Paige
Located at West 26th Street and Church Avenue in Ohio City and built in 1836, St. John’s played a pivotal role in the Underground Railroad, referred to as Station Hope. In recent years, Cleveland Public Theatre has organized annual Station Hope festivals at the church.
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Memorial Wall at Wade Oval in University Circle
The wall pays tribute to Tubbs Jones, the first Black woman to represent Ohio in Congress, who served from 1999 until her death in 2008.
Arthur R. Johnston’s home
Johnston was the first Black mayor of Miles Heights Village, which is now a part of Cleveland on the Southeast Side near Lee road and Miles avenue. Appointed in 1029, Johnston became the first Black mayor in Ohio. In 1932, the village was annexed into the City of Cleveland.
Sidaway Bridge
This footbridge once connected Kinsman to Slavic Village. During racial tensions in the 1960s, someone removed planks from the bridge – and attempted to burn it down. Soon after, city officials decided not to repair the bridge and closed it down.
Relay Cleveland
The Relay Cleveland exhibit is at the Cleveland Public Library, Main branch. The exhibit chronicles the Cleveland schools’ “relay” policy, a school district strategy designed to keep students racially segregated. The exhibit, also organized by Hudnall, is on display through February, 28, 2026.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct the last day of the Relay Cleveland exhibit.