Our history.
Our culture.Our education. Our healing.

Our Goal, Vision & Commitment

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Built for community

A two story, 1232 sqaure foot frame house built in 1885, The Ann Oliver house is cultural artifact of Black history in New Paltz and the only house from the historic free Black neighborhood that will be preserved and owned by the Black community.

A home for history

The mission of the Margaret Wade-Lewis center is to house history, artifacts, books, and research by and about the Black community in Hudson Valley, as well as hosting cultural, educational, mental, physical, and emotional wellness empowerment programming

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A "" story

Built in 1885, in part by one of New Paltz’s first black landowners, the Ann Oliver house is one of several remaining homes in the historic free Black neighborhood of New Paltz.

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Upcoming Events

Tue 28 Mar
Film screening of Where Slavery Died Hard: The Forgotten History of Ulster County and the Shawangunk Mountain Region.
New Paltz
Register Now
Mar 28, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EDT
New Paltz, 93 Main St, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA
The Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis Center (MWLC) and Phillies Bridge Farm Project present the award-winning film Where Slavery Died Hard: The Forgotten History of Ulster County and the Shawangunk Mountain Region (Cragsmoor Historical Society.) Join us for the screening and discussion with guest speakers.

“I'm filled mostly with a sense of pride & peace because of the rich Black History that has occupied this landscape called New Paltz for more than a century. I'm looking forward to seeing the Historic Oliver House becoming the home to the Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis Black Cultural Center...”

Diana Francis, Resident