Baba Surya Passes

It is with pain in my heart that I announce the passing of Baba Surya. He passed away peacefully in his sleep yesterday at the age of 91 years. He was a fixture at the WESPAC office for many years when we were located at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. location in downtown White Plains. Below you will find some information about his life. Additional information will be shared on our website and socials.

Nada Khader
WESPAC Foundation Director
http://www.wespac.org

Al Surya Peterson was born in White Plains and raised at his grandparents’ house on Saxon Woods Road in Scarsdale, New York, in what used to be a Black Community that was formed in the 1800s.

His grandfather took care of the horses at the Rockefeller estate in Pocantico Hills.
You can learn more about his family history by listening to this oral history interview with Surya by the White Plains Library: https://whiteplainslibrary.org/2015/07/people-stories-oral-history-project-al-surya-peterson/

Surya dedicated decades of his life educating the public through exhibits, lectures and conferences about the fine arts and crafts of African Americans.

In 1970, as a board trustee, he was the Arts & Culture Curator for the African American Cultural Foundation based in White Plains and was responsible for assisting the organization with event planning and implementation. In 1971, Mr. Peterson co-founded Sunday Gallery located at the Africo-ileto Boutique on 205 Martine Avenue in White Plains. It was the first African American Boutique in Westchester County. They exhibited arts and crafts throughout Westchester and Rockland Counties.

In 1972, Sunday Gallery was invited to exhibit at the National Urban League located at E. 52nd Street Lobby Gallery which prompted the Westchester Art Society to present an exhibit at their 88 E. Post Road Space. Assisted by the NY State Council on the Arts, Sunday Gallery traveled with the exhibit to Columbia, Maryland, Atlanta, Georgia, and Tuskegee, Alabama, as a member of the National Conference of Artists which seeks to promote the Visual Arts of African Americans.

He assisted the planning of the annual conferences. He traveled with the organization throughout the US, Canada, Africa & South Africa. He served as the Vice President of the New York State chapter.

Mr. Peterson traveled to Jamaica and Cuba to participate in Art conferences. He was a board member of the Association of Community Based Artists of Westchester, Center for the Arts, Avitar Foundation of Westchester & NY & The Center for World Religions.

Sunday Gallery was a member of the Harlem Arts Alliance and received its 501(c)3 with assistance from Columbia University law students. Surya was a certified Art Handler, volunteered as a docent, created a Social Justice Mural Project at the WESPAC (Westchester People’s Action Coalition) and assisted the Art Westchester Folk arts programs.

His dream was to create an African American Museum in Westchester. He remained committed to Black artists who were isolated and whom he knew would very much benefit from networking and exhibiting opportunities. “They just need to know that there are great resources and a supportive community available to them,” he says.
He was a vegetarian and the co-founder of the African Holistic Network which brings Holistic Health lectures and printed information to the Public.

Baba Surya: I hope that you knew and felt how very precious you were to me. Rest in power, my dearest elder. I learned so much about Black history and the Black Community from you.
Facebook: Explore WESPAC, Twitter: @WESPAC_NY

(Note to Readers: The Our Time Press June Men’s Month issues are dedicated to Baba Al “Surya” Peterson.)