BUFFALO, N.Y. — A new mural was unveiled Monday on Buffalo's East Side. The newest piece of public art has been dedicated to the "King of Wings," John Young.
Before Anchor Bar first served up wings for a late-night snack in 1964, John Young was frying up wings on Buffalo’s East Side. However, he really became the Wing King with his restaurant Wings N’ Things off of Jefferson Avenue that served up full wings in mumbo sauce.
Inspired by mumbo wings he saw in Washington D.C. and flavors in Jamaica, Young created his own version of the wing. These wings were whole, breaded and fried, then dipped in a fruiter version of mumbo sauce.
"Most people you know do kinda connect the Buffalo wing to the drumette and the wingette, and blue cheese and all that, but to be able to help people appreciate before the wing was cut, they were being sold as whole wings in 1962-1963 down here on Jefferson," said Lina Brown-Young, John Young's daughter.
While Buffalo is now known for a different type of wing, Young’s daughter Lina Brown-Young is working to keep the memory of his wings alive.
"So I remember, you know, often him talking to various people, whether it was the New Yorker or the New Yorker magazine, or whoever, and just how adamant and passionate he was about keeping his title as the original king of Buffalo wings. And so, if I'm able to continue doing that, or remind people of that, then it's very important to me," Brown-Young said.
Young is also known for being a large part of establishing Jefferson Avenue as the main Black economic corridor. His restaurant was a cornerstone in the community for years.
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