Uncrowned Community Builders

Barbara Glover has owned and operated her own dance studio in Buffalo for thirty-five years and is certified to teach by Dance Masters of America, Inc. She is founder and president of the Miss Young, Gifted, and Black Pageant that is devoted to promoting the wholesome growth and character development of young African American women.

Ms. Glover was born in Buffalo and educated in Buffalo Public Schools, Niagara County Community College, Bryant and Stratton Business Institute, and Medaille College. She is a 1979 graduate of John Robert Powers Career School.

She has studied dance locally with Fred Jones and Beverly Fletcher; and nationally with Henry LeTang, Jo Jo Smith, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Luigi, and Phil Black. She spent one month in Dakar, Senegal, and The Gambia studying the art of African dance. Her long and varied performing career started at an early age and included several regional theater productions. She has taught, staged, choreographed, directed and/or produced shows for numerous civic, church, and community organizations. She has been guest artist and consultant for the Buffalo Public School System and has choreographed and/or directed musicals at Kensington High School, McKinley High School, and Nardin Academy. She was the teacher and coach of 1972s Miss Black Teenage New York State and Miss Black Teenage America pageants. She has judged numerous competitions including preliminaries for the Miss America Pageant.

She is the recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Cultural-Enrichment Award (1976); Harriet B. Tubman Cultural Award (1980); Langston Hughes Institute African American Distinguished Arts Award (1982); Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Excellence in the Arts Award (1988); Buffalo Public Schools Quality Integrated Education Award for outstanding contribution to the promotion of intercultural relations through excellence in the field of dance (1989); Black Achievers in Industry Award (1990); African American Police Association Community Service Award (1990); Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Community Artist Award (1996); Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Distinguished Mother Award (1996); and numerous other awards, citations, felicitations, and proclamations. She was nominated by her peers for the Dance Teacher of the Year and the 2000 Dance Hall of Fame Awards.

Barbara has held membership in the NAACP; National Society of Literature and the Arts; Dance Masters of America, Inc.; National Association of Dance and Affiliated Artists, Inc.; Dance Educators of America, Inc.; National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc.; Erie County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated; and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

She is the mother of Jayme and Janine, and grandmother of Heavyn Nyri.