1 00:00:02,533 --> 00:00:03,900 - Good evening. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:07,066 I wanna thank you all for coming to this month's series 3 00:00:07,166 --> 00:00:10,400 on Blacks in America. 4 00:00:10,500 --> 00:00:12,933 This is in collaboration with the Beloit Public Library. 5 00:00:13,033 --> 00:00:14,633 My name is Terese Craig, 6 00:00:14,733 --> 00:00:18,000 and I'm excited to present Linda Fair this evening 7 00:00:18,100 --> 00:00:19,700 as your facilitator. 8 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:23,300 We will be exploring Beloit's black history 9 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:28,100 and some of the first, many of the firsts here in Beloit. 10 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,433 And for those of you, if this is your first time joining us, 11 00:00:31,533 --> 00:00:35,566 we began a monthly series back in April, 12 00:00:35,666 --> 00:00:39,366 and we're just doing different topics of exploration 13 00:00:39,466 --> 00:00:43,566 regarding the contributions of black Americans 14 00:00:43,666 --> 00:00:46,566 from a narrative that is not about enslavement, 15 00:00:46,666 --> 00:00:49,666 so about the contributions to our country. 16 00:00:49,766 --> 00:00:51,366 So I'm really excited that we get 17 00:00:51,466 --> 00:00:54,166 to explore our hometown of Beloit. 18 00:00:54,266 --> 00:00:57,033 And at this point, with no further ado, 19 00:00:57,133 --> 00:00:59,233 I will turn it over to Linda Fair. 20 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,800 [audience applauding] 21 00:01:05,333 --> 00:01:06,333 - Thank you, Terese. 22 00:01:07,866 --> 00:01:10,133 Thank you all for being here tonight. 23 00:01:11,533 --> 00:01:15,566 "History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, 24 00:01:15,666 --> 00:01:17,300 "but if faced with courage, 25 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,166 "need not be lived again," Maya Angelou. 26 00:01:21,266 --> 00:01:22,966 Today, I will be talking to you 27 00:01:23,066 --> 00:01:24,833 about Beloit's black history, 28 00:01:24,933 --> 00:01:28,333 some of the best-kept secrets in this state. 29 00:01:28,433 --> 00:01:31,366 Today's presentation will feature subtopics 30 00:01:31,466 --> 00:01:35,133 on the beginning, the Great Migration, 31 00:01:35,233 --> 00:01:38,966 education, faith in the black church, 32 00:01:39,066 --> 00:01:42,333 employment opportunities, healthcare, 33 00:01:42,433 --> 00:01:44,766 and Beloit black history firsts. 34 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:48,366 The beginning. 35 00:01:50,100 --> 00:01:54,500 In the beginning, there was Mr. And Mrs. Emmanuel Craig. 36 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:59,400 They were the earliest blacks to settle in Beloit in 1839. 37 00:01:59,500 --> 00:02:04,566 He was a coachman who lived to be 115 years old. 38 00:02:05,566 --> 00:02:10,033 In 1855, there were 2,753 people in Beloit 39 00:02:11,233 --> 00:02:13,633 and only 18 blacks. 40 00:02:13,733 --> 00:02:18,733 In 1860, there were 4,098 people with only 27 blacks. 41 00:02:20,300 --> 00:02:24,733 1910, the number increased to 15,000 people, 42 00:02:24,833 --> 00:02:27,100 and only 60 blacks. 43 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:32,866 Then we get to 1920, where the population became 21,284 44 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,566 with 834 blacks. 45 00:02:36,666 --> 00:02:38,700 Now fast forward to 2019, 46 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,366 the city is populated with 15% African Americans. 47 00:02:43,366 --> 00:02:44,900 Besides the Craigs, 48 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,033 there were other people, too, Joseph Bowling. 49 00:02:48,133 --> 00:02:52,266 He came in 1846 from Raleigh, North Carolina. 50 00:02:52,366 --> 00:02:54,266 And he was the first boot maker. 51 00:02:54,366 --> 00:02:57,000 And also, the Gilliam Perry family. 52 00:02:57,100 --> 00:03:00,166 The Craigs were among those who witnessed the formation 53 00:03:00,266 --> 00:03:03,733 of the township government in 1842, 54 00:03:03,833 --> 00:03:07,900 and the founding of Beloit College in 1846, 55 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,333 two years even before Wisconsin statehood. 56 00:03:11,433 --> 00:03:13,100 Then there was the Waffle family, 57 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,200 William and his mother and brother. 58 00:03:15,300 --> 00:03:17,833 They settled in Beloit in the 1850s 59 00:03:17,933 --> 00:03:20,633 and was one of the town's first blacksmiths. 60 00:03:20,733 --> 00:03:22,733 Then came the Strothers family 61 00:03:22,833 --> 00:03:25,266 and along with the Bond family. 62 00:03:26,700 --> 00:03:29,600 Each of these people came seeking greater change, 63 00:03:29,700 --> 00:03:31,666 greater prosper for their family. 64 00:03:33,633 --> 00:03:35,633 Then we get to the good part, 65 00:03:36,833 --> 00:03:39,066 one of the better parts I like to say. 66 00:03:39,166 --> 00:03:44,066 "Beloit, Beloit, Beloit," 67 00:03:45,066 --> 00:03:47,433 said the train conductor as he carried loads of people 68 00:03:47,533 --> 00:03:51,466 from the South to the North to work at Fairbanks Morse. 69 00:03:51,566 --> 00:03:56,000 He called out again, "Beloit, Beloit, Beloit." 70 00:03:56,100 --> 00:03:57,533 No one moved. 71 00:03:57,633 --> 00:03:59,733 Then he said, "Fairbanks," 72 00:03:59,833 --> 00:04:01,433 and the whole train emptied. 73 00:04:01,533 --> 00:04:02,666 [audience laughing] They didn't know 74 00:04:02,766 --> 00:04:05,200 where they were going except to Fairbanks. 75 00:04:05,300 --> 00:04:06,700 They knew they were coming north. 76 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,166 They knew they were coming to Fairbanks. 77 00:04:08,266 --> 00:04:11,433 They had no idea what the name of the city was, 78 00:04:11,533 --> 00:04:14,866 but they knew that they were going to Fairbanks. 79 00:04:14,966 --> 00:04:17,900 So they unloaded the train, 80 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,433 and that's when the Great Migration began. 81 00:04:20,533 --> 00:04:23,333 There was a labor shortage Fairbanks was facing, 82 00:04:23,433 --> 00:04:26,333 but the work was still there and great in need. 83 00:04:26,433 --> 00:04:28,166 World War I had just started, 84 00:04:28,266 --> 00:04:31,333 and most of the white laborers had joined the army 85 00:04:32,700 --> 00:04:34,933 to go fight in the World War I. 86 00:04:35,933 --> 00:04:38,200 So that became a labor shortage. 87 00:04:38,300 --> 00:04:40,800 Then when John McCord, one of the janitors 88 00:04:40,900 --> 00:04:44,866 that worked at Fairbanks cleaning the main office 89 00:04:44,966 --> 00:04:47,533 and some of the bigger offices, told them, 90 00:04:47,633 --> 00:04:49,133 "I know how to get some good men. 91 00:04:49,233 --> 00:04:50,800 "I can get you a few good men." 92 00:04:50,900 --> 00:04:52,466 And they said, "Well, what do you mean? 93 00:04:52,566 --> 00:04:53,466 "What are you talking about?" 94 00:04:53,566 --> 00:04:55,633 He said, "I came from the South." 95 00:04:55,733 --> 00:04:57,933 1918, John McCord, 96 00:04:58,033 --> 00:05:00,733 I mean 1914, I'm sorry, he came to Beloit, 97 00:05:00,833 --> 00:05:02,700 and this is now 1918. 98 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,000 And he said, "I know where to find a few good men. 99 00:05:06,100 --> 00:05:07,966 "I know where to get a few good men." 100 00:05:08,066 --> 00:05:11,066 They said, "We're gonna send you down south 101 00:05:11,166 --> 00:05:14,766 "to bring us back 18 men." 102 00:05:14,866 --> 00:05:19,733 "Bring us 18 men who are church men, hardworking, 103 00:05:19,833 --> 00:05:21,766 "and looking for change." 104 00:05:21,866 --> 00:05:23,666 He said, "No problem, I can do that." 105 00:05:23,766 --> 00:05:26,833 So he went down in search of a few good men. 106 00:05:26,933 --> 00:05:29,300 He made four recruiting trips. 107 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:31,866 After the first trip, another gentleman 108 00:05:31,966 --> 00:05:35,566 by the name of Walter Ingram, who played semi-pro baseball 109 00:05:35,666 --> 00:05:37,800 and knew the ins and outs of the South, 110 00:05:37,900 --> 00:05:40,033 he said, "I'll go with you." 111 00:05:40,133 --> 00:05:41,833 It was a treacherous trip sometimes 112 00:05:41,933 --> 00:05:45,400 because they were faced with those labor laws, 113 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:46,666 where a lot of the whites 114 00:05:46,766 --> 00:05:48,666 in the South didn't want you recruiting 115 00:05:48,766 --> 00:05:50,800 and bringing people from the South up here 116 00:05:50,900 --> 00:05:53,366 for a chance of hope and prosperity. 117 00:05:53,466 --> 00:05:55,833 So after about four trips, they stopped. 118 00:05:55,933 --> 00:05:58,633 But by this time, they had well-enough laborers, 119 00:05:58,733 --> 00:06:00,933 and people were bringing back their families. 120 00:06:01,033 --> 00:06:04,000 He was a well-liked janitor, and from that moment on, 121 00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:06,900 Fairbanks really entrusted their faith in him. 122 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,000 By this time, Beloit had over 2,000 blacks. 123 00:06:11,100 --> 00:06:12,833 It was a dangerous venture. 124 00:06:12,933 --> 00:06:15,533 One day on a trip coming back, 125 00:06:15,633 --> 00:06:18,200 they stopped in Memphis, Tennessee, 126 00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:20,066 and they witnessed a lynching. 127 00:06:20,166 --> 00:06:21,866 And that was the end of those trips. 128 00:06:21,966 --> 00:06:24,433 They were too frazzled to want to go back 129 00:06:24,533 --> 00:06:26,433 and pursue just for their safety. 130 00:06:26,533 --> 00:06:28,500 And by this time, their families were saying, 131 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,800 "It's not worth it for you to bring others. 132 00:06:30,900 --> 00:06:33,466 "We need you here as well." 133 00:06:33,566 --> 00:06:35,533 After they got all the people up here, 134 00:06:35,633 --> 00:06:37,366 they're like, "What are we gonna do with them? 135 00:06:37,466 --> 00:06:38,533 "Where are they gonna stay? 136 00:06:38,633 --> 00:06:39,966 "We promised them this. 137 00:06:40,066 --> 00:06:43,900 "We promised them housing, we promised them employment." 138 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,200 And that's when they created 139 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:47,400 what's called the Fairbanks Flats. 140 00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:50,166 Fairbanks Flats is still in existence even. 141 00:06:50,266 --> 00:06:52,200 It was built to house the workers 142 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:55,500 over on the west side of town just off Shore Drive. 143 00:06:56,500 --> 00:06:58,033 They have all these people here. 144 00:06:58,133 --> 00:07:00,366 And they're like, "Who's gonna manage them? 145 00:07:01,366 --> 00:07:02,933 "What are we gonna do?" 146 00:07:03,033 --> 00:07:07,900 So they felt, we have a group of African Americans here. 147 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:09,833 They're in a strange land. 148 00:07:09,933 --> 00:07:11,233 We don't want them to turn 149 00:07:11,333 --> 00:07:13,733 to other things that might distract them. 150 00:07:13,833 --> 00:07:17,566 They brought in another black man from South Carolina, 151 00:07:17,666 --> 00:07:21,666 J.D. Stevenson, and he was like their superintendent 152 00:07:21,766 --> 00:07:25,133 of the Edgewater Flats and the Edgewater YMCA. 153 00:07:25,233 --> 00:07:29,100 His job was to find recreational activities for them, 154 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:30,566 and kinda like a chaperone. 155 00:07:30,666 --> 00:07:34,166 Keep his eye on 'em, provide opportunities for them, 156 00:07:34,266 --> 00:07:35,833 and just as they say, manage them. 157 00:07:35,933 --> 00:07:37,800 Can you manage this population? 158 00:07:37,900 --> 00:07:39,166 They're doing work for us. 159 00:07:39,266 --> 00:07:40,366 We're appreciating it, 160 00:07:40,466 --> 00:07:42,333 but we wanna make sure they're managed. 161 00:07:42,433 --> 00:07:46,066 So in comes J.D. Stevenson from South Carolina. 162 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:51,466 The Great Migration hit a lot of the cities in the North, 163 00:07:51,566 --> 00:07:54,466 from Chicago to Milwaukee. 164 00:07:54,566 --> 00:07:58,200 Lot of families stopped just short of Wisconsin in Chicago. 165 00:07:58,300 --> 00:08:00,600 Some went over to Milwaukee area. 166 00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:04,266 But Beloit was situated in an ideal location 167 00:08:04,366 --> 00:08:07,066 on a border of Illinois and Wisconsin, 168 00:08:07,166 --> 00:08:09,700 so they could still get reach of their family members 169 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:11,733 that might be in Chicago. 170 00:08:11,833 --> 00:08:14,666 The Great Migration in Beloit has been mentioned 171 00:08:14,766 --> 00:08:19,066 plenty of times on national websites, TV shows, 172 00:08:19,166 --> 00:08:21,433 and even in the greatest, latest publication, 173 00:08:21,533 --> 00:08:24,900 The Warmth of Other Su ns by Isabel Wilkerson, 174 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,266 an author who I'm pleased to say I've met personally. 175 00:08:28,366 --> 00:08:30,966 And in her book, there's a story 176 00:08:31,066 --> 00:08:34,000 about my maternal grandmother, Callie Williams, 177 00:08:34,100 --> 00:08:35,600 so that touches my heart, too. 178 00:08:35,700 --> 00:08:39,000 So as you can see, this really plays an important role 179 00:08:39,100 --> 00:08:42,100 in my life, and why I'm here, and how I got here, 180 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,966 besides the fact that my grandfather came north 181 00:08:45,066 --> 00:08:50,066 from Mississippi as well, to work at the Iron Works foundry. 182 00:08:51,066 --> 00:08:53,500 Once we start populating this area and community, 183 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,066 we're working hard, we're helping people out, 184 00:08:56,166 --> 00:09:00,033 there became a shortage of housing, housing inequalities. 185 00:09:00,133 --> 00:09:02,433 Blacks were not allowed to purchase homes 186 00:09:02,533 --> 00:09:04,433 in certain areas of the city. 187 00:09:04,533 --> 00:09:06,266 Again, they were trying to corral us 188 00:09:06,366 --> 00:09:09,566 in just one area of the city. 189 00:09:09,666 --> 00:09:13,933 There was the tracks down by what's called Turtle Creek, 190 00:09:14,033 --> 00:09:16,000 Short Street, Keep Street. 191 00:09:16,100 --> 00:09:19,166 And then there were the flats over on the west side of town 192 00:09:19,266 --> 00:09:22,033 with Shore Drive, that neighborhood. 193 00:09:22,133 --> 00:09:24,066 Realtors and financial institutions 194 00:09:24,166 --> 00:09:26,066 would not rent, sell, 195 00:09:26,166 --> 00:09:28,233 or finance property to blacks 196 00:09:28,333 --> 00:09:32,333 unless there were already blacks living in that area. 197 00:09:32,433 --> 00:09:37,433 There was even ads that promoted Caucasian only. 198 00:09:38,433 --> 00:09:41,266 I remember seeing an ad as I was researching, 199 00:09:41,366 --> 00:09:45,366 talking about house for sale in the Todd School District, 200 00:09:45,466 --> 00:09:47,900 and it said, "Caucasian only." 201 00:09:49,333 --> 00:09:52,600 Two places would give loans to African Americans in Beloit, 202 00:09:52,700 --> 00:09:54,433 the Beloit State Bank 203 00:09:54,533 --> 00:09:57,700 and the Beloit Building & Loan Association. 204 00:09:57,800 --> 00:09:59,833 And do you know that black females, 205 00:09:59,933 --> 00:10:03,300 whether married or not, income was not included 206 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,666 in their husband's housing application. 207 00:10:05,766 --> 00:10:07,566 Even if she was the breadwinner, 208 00:10:07,666 --> 00:10:09,433 making more than her husband, 209 00:10:09,533 --> 00:10:12,200 they didn't count her income at all. 210 00:10:12,300 --> 00:10:16,800 But yet, a white female, they would count 50% of her income 211 00:10:16,900 --> 00:10:20,266 towards their income to help purchase a home. 212 00:10:20,366 --> 00:10:23,866 So in some of the clauses, you would see on the deeds, 213 00:10:23,966 --> 00:10:25,633 Caucasians or whites only, 214 00:10:25,733 --> 00:10:29,433 or only two black families per six-block radius, 215 00:10:29,533 --> 00:10:30,833 things of that nature. 216 00:10:30,933 --> 00:10:32,766 And this is all real talk, people. 217 00:10:36,466 --> 00:10:38,666 Some things that are definitely for certain 218 00:10:38,766 --> 00:10:43,533 with African Americans and has been in our pipeline, 219 00:10:43,633 --> 00:10:45,966 couple things you could bet on for sure, 220 00:10:46,066 --> 00:10:49,900 education, the black church, and a strong faith. 221 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:55,000 And education, we feel was the root to success. 222 00:10:56,100 --> 00:10:58,733 Even if our foreparents, our grandparents, 223 00:10:58,833 --> 00:11:00,900 if they didn't even have education, 224 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,033 they knew to let us know and tell people to know 225 00:11:04,133 --> 00:11:07,466 that you need an education, some form of fashion. 226 00:11:07,566 --> 00:11:10,500 Please make sure you get your education. 227 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,133 More than 130 years ago, 228 00:11:13,233 --> 00:11:17,066 siblings Grace and Laurence Ousley grew up 229 00:11:17,166 --> 00:11:19,633 at 731 Church Street. 230 00:11:19,733 --> 00:11:22,166 30 years even before the migration, 231 00:11:22,266 --> 00:11:26,066 the only black household located near Beloit College. 232 00:11:26,166 --> 00:11:28,600 Grace Ousley was the first black 233 00:11:28,700 --> 00:11:30,966 to graduate from Beloit High School. 234 00:11:31,066 --> 00:11:32,433 Notice, this was before it even 235 00:11:32,533 --> 00:11:34,666 became Beloit Memorial High School. 236 00:11:34,766 --> 00:11:36,866 It was called Beloit High School. 237 00:11:36,966 --> 00:11:39,333 She was also the first black female 238 00:11:39,433 --> 00:11:43,100 to graduate from Beloit College in 1904. 239 00:11:44,266 --> 00:11:46,700 Along with Grace was her brother Laurence, 240 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,000 who attended Beloit College as well for three years. 241 00:11:50,100 --> 00:11:52,900 He was in a program called the Beloit Academy. 242 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,500 The Beloit Academy was part of Beloit College, 243 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,300 and what it consisted of 244 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,700 was almost like a pre-college program. 245 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,733 This is where they kinda watched you, monitored you, 246 00:12:04,833 --> 00:12:06,700 to kinda help you become successful 247 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:08,166 and complete your schooling. 248 00:12:08,266 --> 00:12:11,666 He went three years, and was just one year shy of graduating 249 00:12:11,766 --> 00:12:13,833 when duty called for him to work. 250 00:12:13,933 --> 00:12:16,266 Because at that time, he had to help his mom, 251 00:12:16,366 --> 00:12:17,866 had to help his siblings. 252 00:12:17,966 --> 00:12:20,300 But he encouraged Grace to go forward 253 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,366 and complete her education and supported her. 254 00:12:23,466 --> 00:12:24,866 But that's what we did. 255 00:12:24,966 --> 00:12:27,933 And if anything can be brought out of these Ousley family, 256 00:12:28,033 --> 00:12:30,466 one thing he did for sure upon dying, 257 00:12:30,566 --> 00:12:34,466 he donated $10,000 to be given to someone 258 00:12:34,566 --> 00:12:37,466 to help people of color attend Beloit College. 259 00:12:37,566 --> 00:12:39,833 He believed in reaching back, giving back, 260 00:12:39,933 --> 00:12:41,600 and that's exactly what we're trying to do 261 00:12:41,700 --> 00:12:43,700 and mention to our younger people today. 262 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:45,366 It's all about giving back. 263 00:12:45,466 --> 00:12:49,533 If he was even on his lowest times, willing to put up 264 00:12:49,633 --> 00:12:52,766 and work hard to make sure they have money to give back, 265 00:12:52,866 --> 00:12:56,066 that's what we need to continue 266 00:12:56,166 --> 00:12:59,166 to instill in our young people today. 267 00:12:59,266 --> 00:13:01,466 He set aside that for people of color 268 00:13:01,566 --> 00:13:03,533 that would need help with school. 269 00:13:03,633 --> 00:13:07,866 What he did was work as a janitor at guess where? 270 00:13:07,966 --> 00:13:09,433 The Beloit Public Library. 271 00:13:09,533 --> 00:13:10,933 It was the Beloit Library. 272 00:13:11,033 --> 00:13:14,566 So coincidence that all of this is coming full circle. 273 00:13:14,666 --> 00:13:16,600 Here, we're speaking about this tonight. 274 00:13:16,700 --> 00:13:17,766 Here's where he lasted. 275 00:13:17,866 --> 00:13:19,900 He worked there 30-plus years 276 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,900 at the Beloit Library as a janitor. 277 00:13:24,566 --> 00:13:28,000 This story of perseverance lives through academic programs 278 00:13:28,100 --> 00:13:30,933 and physical spaces at Beloit College. 279 00:13:31,033 --> 00:13:35,866 There's residence scholars programs. 280 00:13:35,966 --> 00:13:37,666 They're even considering naming some rooms 281 00:13:37,766 --> 00:13:39,200 in the new Powerhouse. 282 00:13:39,300 --> 00:13:42,800 There's a conference room named after Grace Ousley 283 00:13:42,900 --> 00:13:45,933 in South College, Beloit College campus. 284 00:13:46,033 --> 00:13:49,533 Their story is definitely a story of perseverance. 285 00:13:49,633 --> 00:13:52,966 Then again, I talked about neighborhoods, 286 00:13:53,066 --> 00:13:55,633 and the restructuring, and how they tried to corral people 287 00:13:55,733 --> 00:13:59,766 to be just almost segregated to one portion of the city. 288 00:13:59,866 --> 00:14:01,733 There was only one school 289 00:14:01,833 --> 00:14:04,400 that it was 95% African American, 290 00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:06,800 and that school was Strong School. 291 00:14:06,900 --> 00:14:10,166 Strong School was located where Rock County Christian 292 00:14:10,266 --> 00:14:13,233 is located now, right across from Horace White Park. 293 00:14:13,333 --> 00:14:16,233 So again, remember I was talking about Turtle Creek, 294 00:14:16,333 --> 00:14:18,133 if any of you are familiar with that. 295 00:14:18,233 --> 00:14:20,666 That area, Keep Street, all in that area 296 00:14:20,766 --> 00:14:23,733 is where majority of African-American families lived. 297 00:14:23,833 --> 00:14:27,233 So the school that they could only go to was Strong School. 298 00:14:27,333 --> 00:14:32,200 But they weren't sought after like at other schools. 299 00:14:32,300 --> 00:14:35,500 They were put in a portable, 300 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:40,066 like a portable trailer type of deal, outside of the school, 301 00:14:41,233 --> 00:14:42,900 which was seen as a premeditated tool 302 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,466 to segregate black students from the white students. 303 00:14:45,566 --> 00:14:47,966 All of the educators were white, 304 00:14:48,066 --> 00:14:49,866 which led to students of color 305 00:14:49,966 --> 00:14:52,300 often being overlooked and ignored. 306 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:56,333 The school closed in 1964, it's no longer there. 307 00:14:57,566 --> 00:14:59,933 Another facet of education, 308 00:15:01,733 --> 00:15:03,966 you might see a familiar face in the room. 309 00:15:04,066 --> 00:15:05,500 [audience laughing] 310 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:06,900 Barbara Hickman, 311 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,366 she was the first African-American principal 312 00:15:09,466 --> 00:15:12,833 for the School District of Beloit in 1975. 313 00:15:12,933 --> 00:15:15,800 Prior to that, she was the first African-American female 314 00:15:15,900 --> 00:15:18,666 to graduate from UW-Stevens Point. 315 00:15:18,766 --> 00:15:23,666 Now fast forward, I mean rewind from 1975 to 1971, 316 00:15:23,766 --> 00:15:26,266 a star was born, her daughter, Linda Fair. 317 00:15:26,366 --> 00:15:27,533 [audience laughing] 318 00:15:27,633 --> 00:15:31,400 So again, gotta put my mom in it, sorry, guys. 319 00:15:31,500 --> 00:15:33,066 She's been with the district still. 320 00:15:33,166 --> 00:15:35,133 Her only employer ever in her life 321 00:15:35,233 --> 00:15:37,366 is the School District of Beloit. 322 00:15:37,466 --> 00:15:39,233 I've been through 1,000 jobs. 323 00:15:39,333 --> 00:15:42,400 [audience laughing] But that's her only employer. 324 00:15:42,500 --> 00:15:43,633 She still works for them. 325 00:15:43,733 --> 00:15:45,066 She's retired three times, 326 00:15:45,166 --> 00:15:46,966 and she's approaching 60 years 327 00:15:47,066 --> 00:15:48,866 with the School District of Beloit. 328 00:15:48,966 --> 00:15:52,366 She has served in every building in the school district 329 00:15:52,466 --> 00:15:55,266 in some capacity, from Title I director 330 00:15:55,366 --> 00:15:58,733 to principal, administrator, mentor. 331 00:15:58,833 --> 00:16:01,266 She's had her foot in every building. 332 00:16:01,366 --> 00:16:03,666 There's one school in Beloit that's paid homage 333 00:16:03,766 --> 00:16:06,766 to a lot of African Americans here in our community, 334 00:16:06,866 --> 00:16:08,766 and that's the newest intermediate school, 335 00:16:08,866 --> 00:16:12,266 Fruzen Intermediate School, located on Milwaukee Road. 336 00:16:12,366 --> 00:16:17,266 In that building, there is the Grace Ousley Library, 337 00:16:17,366 --> 00:16:20,400 there's the Jim Caldwell Gymnasium, 338 00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:22,866 and the Barbara Hickman Fine Arts Center. 339 00:16:27,433 --> 00:16:30,900 As stated earlier, the foundation for African Americans 340 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:32,833 has always been the church. 341 00:16:32,933 --> 00:16:35,966 When we didn't know anything else or what else to do, 342 00:16:36,066 --> 00:16:37,566 we knew to fall down on our knees, 343 00:16:37,666 --> 00:16:39,566 and pray, and get to church. 344 00:16:39,666 --> 00:16:41,700 That was our saving grace. 345 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:44,600 That's what led us through all these years. 346 00:16:44,700 --> 00:16:46,700 That's what has helped us persevere. 347 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:48,800 And that's what continues to be 348 00:16:48,900 --> 00:16:52,366 one of the greatest things about us, is the black church. 349 00:16:53,733 --> 00:16:56,133 Church has served as a religious and social center. 350 00:16:56,233 --> 00:16:59,300 Especially, think about all the people that transported north 351 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:04,366 from Houston, Pontotoc, some of those cities, 352 00:17:04,466 --> 00:17:06,833 they didn't really know much about the area, 353 00:17:06,933 --> 00:17:09,400 so their hangout was the church. 354 00:17:09,500 --> 00:17:10,766 They had Bible meetings. 355 00:17:10,866 --> 00:17:12,600 You had choir rehearsals. 356 00:17:12,700 --> 00:17:14,900 It was just their social gathering place. 357 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,466 They rely heavily on their religious beliefs. 358 00:17:17,566 --> 00:17:20,700 It stood as a refuge, as a safe haven. 359 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,866 They were firm believers in the power of prayer and God, 360 00:17:23,966 --> 00:17:26,066 which has gotten us through a lot. 361 00:17:26,166 --> 00:17:28,000 Throughout time, the black church stood 362 00:17:28,100 --> 00:17:30,366 as a stronghold of the black community, 363 00:17:30,466 --> 00:17:34,100 fighting for equality and economic self-sufficiency. 364 00:17:35,266 --> 00:17:38,600 Now as you know, back in the days, 365 00:17:38,700 --> 00:17:41,566 they tried to strip that even away from us. 366 00:17:41,666 --> 00:17:45,633 They didn't want us to sing the Negro spirituals. 367 00:17:45,733 --> 00:17:48,100 They didn't want us to do any of those things. 368 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,500 And as slaves, that's when they began 369 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:54,066 to come up with beats, and drums, and different things 370 00:17:54,166 --> 00:17:56,033 to still get their message across 371 00:17:56,133 --> 00:17:58,400 so that no one would understand what they were saying, 372 00:17:58,500 --> 00:18:02,066 but they knew, even if it was just humming, humming, 373 00:18:02,166 --> 00:18:03,333 and that's how you know, 374 00:18:03,433 --> 00:18:05,266 "I Know the Lord, He Heard My Cry," 375 00:18:05,366 --> 00:18:07,666 if you're familiar with that Negro spiritual. 376 00:18:07,766 --> 00:18:10,833 That's one of the things that, that's what they were saying, 377 00:18:10,933 --> 00:18:13,033 "I know the Lord, he heard my cry. 378 00:18:13,133 --> 00:18:16,100 "If nothing else, he's gonna make a way for us. 379 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:17,600 "He's gonna bring us out of here. 380 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:19,800 "I know the Lord, he heard my cry." 381 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,300 Faith has kept us going. 382 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:24,933 Faith will continue to keep us going. 383 00:18:25,033 --> 00:18:29,633 The oldest black church in Beloit is Bethel AME. 384 00:18:29,733 --> 00:18:33,966 Bethel AME is over 135 years old. 385 00:18:34,066 --> 00:18:37,633 The founder of the Methodist church was Richard Allen. 386 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,166 Following the Methodist church was the Baptist faith. 387 00:18:42,266 --> 00:18:45,800 The Baptist faith formed Emmanuel Baptist Church 388 00:18:45,900 --> 00:18:50,766 April 17th, 1917, to meet the spiritual needs 389 00:18:50,866 --> 00:18:52,266 of the Great Migration. 390 00:18:52,366 --> 00:18:54,100 'Cause now you have all these people here. 391 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,466 We can't all be in one denomination. 392 00:18:56,566 --> 00:18:58,300 We can't all be in one church. 393 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,233 So they began to spread off, and break off, 394 00:19:01,333 --> 00:19:04,766 and venture off, and create their own type of church. 395 00:19:04,866 --> 00:19:07,766 So later, a few months after Emmanuel, 396 00:19:07,866 --> 00:19:09,600 came New Zion Baptist Church. 397 00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:12,200 And both of these churches just celebrated 398 00:19:12,300 --> 00:19:15,633 their 100th-year anniversary about a year ago. 399 00:19:15,733 --> 00:19:18,133 They are still pillars in our community. 400 00:19:18,233 --> 00:19:21,400 Their pastors, the Dr. Reverend Floyd Prude, Jr., 401 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:22,500 may he rest in peace. 402 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:24,700 They led their congregation to continue 403 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:26,466 to have a stronghold on their faith. 404 00:19:26,566 --> 00:19:29,733 Reverend U.S. Pride from New Zion Baptist Church, 405 00:19:29,833 --> 00:19:33,400 there's U.S. Pride Park on Shore Drive named after him. 406 00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:37,233 Reverend D.W. Johnson, who was instrumental as well 407 00:19:37,333 --> 00:19:42,233 with the Edgewater YMCA and the Fairbanks Flats, 408 00:19:42,333 --> 00:19:46,100 and he was helping J.D. Stevenson keep control 409 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:50,333 of the migrants that came up from the South. 410 00:19:50,433 --> 00:19:53,833 So it's really been that teamwork approach 411 00:19:53,933 --> 00:19:56,033 with the black church and the community. 412 00:19:56,133 --> 00:19:59,866 Even now when all else fails, you turn to the black church 413 00:19:59,966 --> 00:20:01,133 when things aren't going right. 414 00:20:01,233 --> 00:20:03,233 Your spirituality is what's leading 415 00:20:03,333 --> 00:20:05,166 and helping you along the way. 416 00:20:05,266 --> 00:20:07,333 I can just keep remembering as I'm speaking 417 00:20:07,433 --> 00:20:11,100 is another Negro spiritual that says, 418 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,766 "If it hadn't been for the Lord on my side, 419 00:20:13,866 --> 00:20:15,200 "where would I be?" 420 00:20:15,300 --> 00:20:17,700 This is what kept our people going. 421 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,733 This is why I'm here to talk to you tonight, 422 00:20:19,833 --> 00:20:22,233 because I know someone believed and prayed for me 423 00:20:22,333 --> 00:20:23,633 and had that faith. 424 00:20:27,500 --> 00:20:29,566 Employment opportunities. 425 00:20:29,666 --> 00:20:33,333 Of course, the big houses were Fairbanks Morse, 426 00:20:33,433 --> 00:20:36,033 Beloit Iron Works, the foundry. 427 00:20:36,133 --> 00:20:37,733 The people that came up from the South, 428 00:20:37,833 --> 00:20:39,233 they thought they were in heaven, 429 00:20:39,333 --> 00:20:42,000 but they were still faced with some of the segregation. 430 00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:43,833 They still were getting overlooked 431 00:20:43,933 --> 00:20:46,366 for positions within the company. 432 00:20:46,466 --> 00:20:47,800 They still were getting overlooked 433 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:50,966 to become superintendents, foremans, and all those things. 434 00:20:51,066 --> 00:20:52,600 All they wanted was their labor, 435 00:20:52,700 --> 00:20:54,866 but at the time, that's what they needed, 436 00:20:54,966 --> 00:20:56,733 and they would bring back... 437 00:20:56,833 --> 00:20:57,933 Thank you. 438 00:20:58,033 --> 00:21:01,933 They would bring back their families. 439 00:21:02,033 --> 00:21:03,633 If they weren't bringing their families back, 440 00:21:03,733 --> 00:21:05,533 they were sending money home. 441 00:21:05,633 --> 00:21:08,066 Sending money south, preparing. 442 00:21:08,166 --> 00:21:09,500 Here, when they were here, 443 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,866 you had tons of family members staying under one roof. 444 00:21:12,966 --> 00:21:16,566 Just till we make it, till we get on our own feet, 445 00:21:16,666 --> 00:21:18,400 they stayed under one roof. 446 00:21:18,500 --> 00:21:22,733 You had grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, everyone, 447 00:21:22,833 --> 00:21:24,266 'cause that's all about family. 448 00:21:24,366 --> 00:21:27,066 They were reaching back and taking care of each other. 449 00:21:27,166 --> 00:21:30,300 Some employment opportunities that we had, 450 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,800 most of the black males worked at Fairbanks 451 00:21:32,900 --> 00:21:34,733 or Beloit Iron Works. 452 00:21:34,833 --> 00:21:37,000 Beloit Iron Works changed from Beloit Iron Works 453 00:21:37,100 --> 00:21:40,200 to the corporation, Beloit Corporation. 454 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,666 Black females could work as maids or prostitutes. 455 00:21:45,766 --> 00:21:47,066 It's a reality. 456 00:21:48,133 --> 00:21:49,766 They were doing what they had to do, 457 00:21:49,866 --> 00:21:52,000 but that was something that they did. 458 00:21:52,100 --> 00:21:55,633 The City of Beloit didn't hire any blacks at all. 459 00:21:55,733 --> 00:21:59,333 And there were no retail or office jobs available. 460 00:21:59,433 --> 00:22:02,166 A lot of times, the dad or the husband 461 00:22:02,266 --> 00:22:06,233 will work the foundry 12, 14 hours a day, 462 00:22:06,333 --> 00:22:07,500 come home to a meal. 463 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,166 And all the mom did was take care of the house, 464 00:22:10,266 --> 00:22:12,466 get the food together, take care of the kids, 465 00:22:12,566 --> 00:22:13,666 make sure they get there. 466 00:22:13,766 --> 00:22:16,000 And that's why they kept instilling in them, 467 00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:20,766 education, education, education, get your education. 468 00:22:20,866 --> 00:22:22,700 And that was their ticket. 469 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,333 They figured if you get your education, 470 00:22:24,433 --> 00:22:26,466 this'll be your ticket out of here. 471 00:22:26,566 --> 00:22:31,100 You saw your dad coming in with the smut 472 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,766 and all of that from the foundry all over them. 473 00:22:33,866 --> 00:22:36,966 You saw later in life that some people got cancer, 474 00:22:37,066 --> 00:22:40,866 based off of inhaling all of those chemicals from that. 475 00:22:40,966 --> 00:22:43,866 But they did what they had to do. 476 00:22:43,966 --> 00:22:46,900 They did that to satisfy their family needs. 477 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,000 They had to do what they had to do. 478 00:22:49,100 --> 00:22:51,133 We have been a people of hard work 479 00:22:51,233 --> 00:22:54,100 and dedication for a lifetime. 480 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:55,566 That's what we do. 481 00:22:55,666 --> 00:22:58,066 You do what you gotta do to make it for your family. 482 00:22:59,066 --> 00:23:00,300 Healthcare. 483 00:23:01,933 --> 00:23:05,033 Until 1928, there were three Beloit hospitals. 484 00:23:05,133 --> 00:23:08,066 Now we only have the one, Beloit Memorial Hospital. 485 00:23:09,533 --> 00:23:14,433 Blacks were able to get wards or semiprivate rooms. 486 00:23:14,533 --> 00:23:17,100 1929, Beloit Municipal Hospital, 487 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:21,600 which was located over on Olympian Boulevard, 488 00:23:21,700 --> 00:23:24,733 known as Hospital Hill for the sledders in the place, 489 00:23:24,833 --> 00:23:29,100 they were one of the-- opened a segregated hospital, 490 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:33,500 and no blacks could have wards there at all. 491 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:35,866 There was a doctor by the name of Dr. Evans, 492 00:23:35,966 --> 00:23:38,833 and he would see patients only on Sundays. 493 00:23:38,933 --> 00:23:40,833 So if you were sick or needed to be seen, 494 00:23:40,933 --> 00:23:43,000 you had to wait till Sunday. 495 00:23:43,100 --> 00:23:47,800 Dr. William Marshall was the first black doctor in the city. 496 00:23:47,900 --> 00:23:50,866 And Alta Gordon was the first black nurse 497 00:23:50,966 --> 00:23:54,366 at Beloit Municipal Hospital, at the old hospital. 498 00:23:55,466 --> 00:23:57,466 Then you fast forward to the '90s, 499 00:23:57,566 --> 00:23:59,533 and we had Dr. Cheryl Peterson 500 00:23:59,633 --> 00:24:01,666 become the first female doctor. 501 00:24:01,766 --> 00:24:04,833 She worked for Beloit Health System in the early '90s. 502 00:24:04,933 --> 00:24:07,233 And she was also the first Beloit doctor 503 00:24:07,333 --> 00:24:09,933 to do the Norplant contraception implant. 504 00:24:11,300 --> 00:24:14,400 Along with some of the struggles with trying to satisfy 505 00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:17,733 and fill the need of recreation, 506 00:24:18,833 --> 00:24:21,966 families started turning to drugs, alcohol, 507 00:24:22,066 --> 00:24:24,833 anything to just kinda keep going. 508 00:24:24,933 --> 00:24:27,933 And it became an epidemic definitely in the '80s 509 00:24:28,033 --> 00:24:30,366 with crack taking over the scene. 510 00:24:30,466 --> 00:24:32,566 And Mrs. Mardella Shipp, 511 00:24:32,666 --> 00:24:37,566 she began what's called Beloit Inner City Council in 1984. 512 00:24:37,666 --> 00:24:39,633 It was a substance abuse center 513 00:24:39,733 --> 00:24:41,666 for those families who needed to come in 514 00:24:41,766 --> 00:24:45,866 and have counseling, receive some education about it, 515 00:24:45,966 --> 00:24:47,033 and just to help. 516 00:24:47,133 --> 00:24:48,533 It was called Beloit Inner City, 517 00:24:48,633 --> 00:24:50,633 and it helped reach out to others. 518 00:24:50,733 --> 00:24:54,100 And it was like a sliding paying scale, sliding fee scale, 519 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,166 no real money if you had insurance. 520 00:24:56,266 --> 00:24:59,566 But she was just there to work with our families, 521 00:24:59,666 --> 00:25:02,500 so they would know they had a place to go for refuge 522 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:04,266 or to get the help they needed. 523 00:25:11,766 --> 00:25:14,100 Beloit black history firsts. 524 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:19,033 We have tons of black history firsts that we could mention. 525 00:25:20,033 --> 00:25:21,800 One I'm gonna share, too, 526 00:25:21,900 --> 00:25:24,000 this wasn't planned, ladies and gentlemen, 527 00:25:24,100 --> 00:25:28,033 but Walter Knight who's in our room as well, 528 00:25:28,133 --> 00:25:31,933 he was the first city councilor in 1976, 529 00:25:32,033 --> 00:25:34,633 the first African-American city council member, 530 00:25:34,733 --> 00:25:37,266 elected in 1976. 531 00:25:37,366 --> 00:25:40,333 And besides that, he also ran the union 532 00:25:40,433 --> 00:25:43,300 at Fairbanks Morse for over 25 years. 533 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,300 Then he was the loan executive director 534 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:48,433 of what's called Rock County OIC, 535 00:25:48,533 --> 00:25:50,900 Opportunities Industrialization Center, 536 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,333 which was a on-the-job training center 537 00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:57,200 which helped with education, GED, 538 00:25:57,300 --> 00:26:00,733 a trade, construction, all of those things. 539 00:26:00,833 --> 00:26:04,900 Now fast forward to 2019, two or three days ago, 540 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:09,566 they just dedicated the Portland Avenue Bridge, Highway 213, 541 00:26:09,666 --> 00:26:10,933 in honor and remembrance-- 542 00:26:11,033 --> 00:26:13,200 in honor of Mr. Walter Knight. 543 00:26:13,300 --> 00:26:16,100 It's now called the Walter Knight Memorial Bridge. 544 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:17,866 So I believe in giving people credit 545 00:26:17,966 --> 00:26:19,666 [audience applauding] where credit is due. 546 00:26:22,366 --> 00:26:24,033 Stand up, Mr. Knight. 547 00:26:24,133 --> 00:26:26,600 [audience laughing] 548 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,400 [audience applauding] 549 00:26:31,633 --> 00:26:32,966 As some of the older people say, 550 00:26:33,066 --> 00:26:35,833 "Give me my flowers while I can yet smell them 551 00:26:35,933 --> 00:26:37,366 and see them," 552 00:26:37,466 --> 00:26:39,100 so we're giving you your kudos. 553 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,700 But again, he paved the way for so many of us 554 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:44,666 to be able to do what we're doing. 555 00:26:44,766 --> 00:26:46,566 And he was strictly a politician, 556 00:26:46,666 --> 00:26:49,200 kept a game face on all the time. 557 00:26:49,300 --> 00:26:51,366 As you noticed, he still has one on. 558 00:26:51,466 --> 00:26:54,533 And he's shy and very humble, so we appreciate you. 559 00:26:54,633 --> 00:26:59,633 Then there was Dr. Rosa Smith, superintendent of schools. 560 00:27:00,866 --> 00:27:02,766 She was the first African-American superintendent 561 00:27:02,866 --> 00:27:04,666 for the School District of Beloit. 562 00:27:04,766 --> 00:27:07,833 Clarence Bolton was our first mail carrier. 563 00:27:07,933 --> 00:27:11,500 And his wife, Carolyn Bolton, was the first councilor 564 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:13,500 for the School District of Beloit. 565 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:17,166 There's Diane Henry, she was the first city clerk 566 00:27:17,266 --> 00:27:20,400 back in the '70s when they finally started to hire blacks. 567 00:27:20,500 --> 00:27:22,600 She was hired as the city clerk. 568 00:27:22,700 --> 00:27:25,333 Otha Williams, school psychologist, 569 00:27:25,433 --> 00:27:27,300 still works for the School District of Beloit. 570 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:29,766 Some of you may just know him from Otha's Ribs. 571 00:27:29,866 --> 00:27:31,566 That's his part-time job. [laughing] 572 00:27:31,666 --> 00:27:34,533 His real profession is school psychologist. 573 00:27:34,633 --> 00:27:36,700 And Mr. Bob Gilliam, the fire chief. 574 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,033 He was the first African-American fire chief 575 00:27:39,133 --> 00:27:40,466 for the City of Beloit. 576 00:27:40,566 --> 00:27:43,700 And Edie Caldwell, the first female police officer, 577 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,100 she was hired in 1977. 578 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:48,066 And then there's Johnny Watts. 579 00:27:48,166 --> 00:27:49,766 He was a basketball player, 580 00:27:49,866 --> 00:27:52,833 and the first African American 581 00:27:52,933 --> 00:27:56,133 to play in the state tournament. 582 00:27:57,633 --> 00:28:00,233 Tons of other people have paved the way 583 00:28:00,333 --> 00:28:02,266 and done many things. 584 00:28:02,366 --> 00:28:05,666 And it's all, you know, very impressive. 585 00:28:05,766 --> 00:28:08,033 And at the time when they were doing these things, 586 00:28:08,133 --> 00:28:10,966 they weren't doing it so that I could stand here in 2019 587 00:28:11,066 --> 00:28:12,500 and shout their names out. 588 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:14,533 They did it because it was in their heart. 589 00:28:14,633 --> 00:28:15,766 It was in their mind. 590 00:28:15,866 --> 00:28:18,233 It was embedded into them to reach out, 591 00:28:18,333 --> 00:28:20,433 do what you gotta do, take care of your family, 592 00:28:20,533 --> 00:28:24,466 and help leave a legacy for some others to follow. 593 00:28:25,900 --> 00:28:30,833 Now we must never forget, "Sometimes it is impossible 594 00:28:31,833 --> 00:28:33,200 "to know where you are headed 595 00:28:33,300 --> 00:28:35,966 "without reflecting on where you came from. 596 00:28:36,066 --> 00:28:38,866 "Understanding your heritage, your roots, 597 00:28:38,966 --> 00:28:41,466 "and your ancestry is an important part 598 00:28:41,566 --> 00:28:44,133 "of carving out your future." 599 00:28:44,233 --> 00:28:47,100 And nevertheless, I couldn't say it louder, 600 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,300 I'm from Beloit and couldn't be prouder. 601 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:51,866 Thank you. [audience chuckling] 602 00:28:51,966 --> 00:28:54,966 [audience applauding] 603 00:29:01,433 --> 00:29:05,233 Now if we have any questions, comments, cares, concerns? 604 00:29:07,366 --> 00:29:08,800 Yes, Terese? 605 00:29:08,900 --> 00:29:12,466 - Terese: Can you just share your interest in this topic? 606 00:29:12,566 --> 00:29:16,433 Because I'm aware that you do this every year 607 00:29:16,533 --> 00:29:18,366 during Black History Month. 608 00:29:18,466 --> 00:29:20,733 But I've always been amazed at here 609 00:29:20,833 --> 00:29:22,700 and how you pull together this info. 610 00:29:23,933 --> 00:29:25,833 - Yeah, some people say, "Are you a history buff?" 611 00:29:25,933 --> 00:29:28,200 Most recently, I became into that. 612 00:29:28,300 --> 00:29:29,700 I think the older you get, 613 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:32,166 you find your interests lead you a different path. 614 00:29:32,266 --> 00:29:37,166 And when Black History Month came 2017, I think it was, 615 00:29:37,266 --> 00:29:41,233 or 2018, I'm getting older, I'm losing track on that, 616 00:29:41,333 --> 00:29:44,833 so I just thought, first of all, we don't teach 617 00:29:44,933 --> 00:29:47,766 this type of stuff in a school, in a classroom. 618 00:29:47,866 --> 00:29:50,366 You're not gonna find this in a book 619 00:29:50,466 --> 00:29:52,433 that you're gonna go home and do a report on. 620 00:29:52,533 --> 00:29:54,266 Different schools have different approaches 621 00:29:54,366 --> 00:29:55,500 for Black History Month. 622 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,200 And a lot of our young people have no idea. 623 00:29:58,300 --> 00:29:59,666 They think life is grand. 624 00:29:59,766 --> 00:30:03,233 I got a iPhone, I got a iPad, I got the PlayStation. 625 00:30:03,333 --> 00:30:04,433 This just all came. 626 00:30:04,533 --> 00:30:06,366 I didn't have to do anything for it. 627 00:30:06,466 --> 00:30:08,633 So I just think that they need to know 628 00:30:08,733 --> 00:30:10,666 and reflect on where we've been. 629 00:30:10,766 --> 00:30:12,200 And it generated a lot of interest. 630 00:30:12,300 --> 00:30:16,266 So I said, "Each day, I'm gonna share a fact." 631 00:30:16,366 --> 00:30:17,633 As I mentioned before, 632 00:30:17,733 --> 00:30:21,033 I was born and raised here my entire life, 633 00:30:21,133 --> 00:30:23,666 so I've seen the city transition 634 00:30:23,766 --> 00:30:26,066 from back in the '70s to now. 635 00:30:26,166 --> 00:30:27,600 I know what I went through. 636 00:30:27,700 --> 00:30:32,533 I sat around, listened to my mom talk, listened to others. 637 00:30:32,633 --> 00:30:35,000 I've been dragged to meetings my whole life 638 00:30:35,100 --> 00:30:36,266 [audience laughing] sitting in the back 639 00:30:36,366 --> 00:30:39,033 of a room listening, finding out about issues 640 00:30:39,133 --> 00:30:40,266 that they were trying to fought, 641 00:30:40,366 --> 00:30:43,066 from the Black Teacher Caucus to the NAACP, 642 00:30:43,166 --> 00:30:45,400 to the Greater Beloit Minority Coalition 643 00:30:45,500 --> 00:30:47,000 to the OIC Auxiliary. 644 00:30:47,100 --> 00:30:49,466 So I'm there just taking in everything. 645 00:30:49,566 --> 00:30:51,200 But who knew that I would retain it? 646 00:30:51,300 --> 00:30:53,266 I did retain it, [audience laughing] 647 00:30:53,366 --> 00:30:54,700 and it became an interest to me. 648 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,400 So I said couple years ago, "Each day, 649 00:30:58,433 --> 00:31:00,033 "I wanna share something about Beloit." 650 00:31:00,133 --> 00:31:03,233 Because you hear so often Harriet Tubman, 651 00:31:03,333 --> 00:31:04,966 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 652 00:31:05,066 --> 00:31:07,000 You might hear Frederick Douglass. 653 00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:09,933 You might hear Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks. 654 00:31:10,033 --> 00:31:14,633 You hear the same five over and over and over again, 655 00:31:14,733 --> 00:31:17,466 but there's things, gems in your own backyard 656 00:31:17,566 --> 00:31:19,033 that you can reflect on 657 00:31:19,133 --> 00:31:21,433 and know that they've done great things, 658 00:31:21,533 --> 00:31:24,333 and the ways they paved for you to be able 659 00:31:24,433 --> 00:31:25,966 to do some of the things you do. 660 00:31:26,066 --> 00:31:27,533 We have pre-collegiate programs 661 00:31:27,633 --> 00:31:29,500 at Beloit College now, Help Yourself. 662 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:31,533 We have students going there, the black student. 663 00:31:31,633 --> 00:31:33,133 Different things that are going on, 664 00:31:33,233 --> 00:31:35,400 but there were people who fought for those rights, 665 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:37,766 and I don't think our students knew that, 666 00:31:37,866 --> 00:31:39,100 or the young people knew that. 667 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,133 So I said, "I'm just gonna toss it out. 668 00:31:41,233 --> 00:31:43,266 "Each day, I'ma give a fact." 669 00:31:43,366 --> 00:31:45,833 So I started reading, researching, 670 00:31:45,933 --> 00:31:47,966 interviewing people, talking to people. 671 00:31:48,066 --> 00:31:51,366 And then it became just like, you don't even wanna sleep 672 00:31:51,466 --> 00:31:53,166 because you just start reading, 673 00:31:53,266 --> 00:31:56,266 and you just get thirsty for more knowledge and information, 674 00:31:56,366 --> 00:31:58,033 and you're like, "Ooh, ooh, ooh." 675 00:31:58,133 --> 00:32:00,466 So it just really became like a bubble. 676 00:32:00,566 --> 00:32:03,266 So I did it for the first year, and I was like, 677 00:32:03,366 --> 00:32:05,800 "Hmm, I don't know if I could find anything else." 678 00:32:05,900 --> 00:32:09,866 I did 28 whole days with a lot of information one year, 679 00:32:09,966 --> 00:32:13,233 and came back the next year with it. 680 00:32:13,333 --> 00:32:14,833 And then to hear the feedback 681 00:32:14,933 --> 00:32:17,166 and the positive feedback from our community members 682 00:32:17,266 --> 00:32:19,566 from all walks of life, from all colors, 683 00:32:19,666 --> 00:32:20,900 and they're sharing it. 684 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:22,600 And they're like, "Thank you for this information." 685 00:32:22,700 --> 00:32:23,800 Because they never knew. 686 00:32:23,900 --> 00:32:25,600 'Cause where would you find out about it? 687 00:32:25,700 --> 00:32:28,733 We don't have encyclopedias anymore, [laughing] you can't go 688 00:32:28,833 --> 00:32:30,666 unless you maybe google some stuff. 689 00:32:30,766 --> 00:32:35,600 So they didn't know where it was and what to do about it, 690 00:32:37,166 --> 00:32:39,266 so I just thought that each time, 691 00:32:39,366 --> 00:32:42,100 that'll be my giving back to the community. 692 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,633 I'm gonna share with you 693 00:32:44,733 --> 00:32:47,866 and hope that you pass the torch on, 694 00:32:47,966 --> 00:32:50,100 and maybe someone keeps this legacy going. 695 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:51,633 Been approached to write books, 696 00:32:51,733 --> 00:32:55,100 which has always been one of my bucket list items, 697 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,000 different things of that nature. 698 00:32:57,100 --> 00:33:00,833 So I'm hoping that I can just continue 699 00:33:00,933 --> 00:33:04,233 to reach this, inspire some, 700 00:33:04,333 --> 00:33:07,400 'cause if we don't teach each other, who else will? 701 00:33:07,500 --> 00:33:09,400 We have to share the information. 702 00:33:09,500 --> 00:33:13,533 So again, and it became just that passion, 703 00:33:13,633 --> 00:33:16,333 so it just kinda took off like that. 704 00:33:16,433 --> 00:33:17,600 And again, like I said, 705 00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:19,433 you just get thirsty for more knowledge, 706 00:33:19,533 --> 00:33:23,100 and then you just read and read, and then you cry some, 707 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:27,500 you laugh some, you smile some, but it's our history, 708 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:29,866 and we cannot sweep it under a rug. 709 00:33:29,966 --> 00:33:31,433 It needs to be told. 710 00:33:33,766 --> 00:33:34,833 Yes. 711 00:33:34,933 --> 00:33:36,666 - Woman: So first, thank you for your commitment 712 00:33:36,766 --> 00:33:38,333 to do all the research 'cause I know 713 00:33:38,433 --> 00:33:39,500 it's quite a commitment. 714 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:41,533 But for the community at large, what would you say 715 00:33:41,633 --> 00:33:43,333 or how you would ask the community at large 716 00:33:43,433 --> 00:33:44,833 to help spread this type of message 717 00:33:44,933 --> 00:33:48,033 and get this information out to the broader community? 718 00:33:48,133 --> 00:33:50,666 - And her question was, how can we get this information out 719 00:33:50,766 --> 00:33:52,566 to the broader community? 720 00:33:52,666 --> 00:33:57,166 I would say, as far as if you're a teacher, 721 00:33:57,266 --> 00:34:00,866 or if you're involved in different community groups, 722 00:34:00,966 --> 00:34:04,966 invite speakers, read, hold book club meetings, 723 00:34:05,066 --> 00:34:07,166 find a topic that you want to research 724 00:34:07,266 --> 00:34:09,133 and get more in depth on it. 725 00:34:09,233 --> 00:34:11,766 Bring in people, like I said, we have two living icons 726 00:34:11,866 --> 00:34:14,633 in our presence right now that will be more than glad 727 00:34:14,733 --> 00:34:16,833 to come talk someday, you know. 728 00:34:16,933 --> 00:34:19,266 So just kinda reach back and do that. 729 00:34:19,366 --> 00:34:21,666 And don't be afraid to ask. 730 00:34:21,766 --> 00:34:24,300 Again, 'cause it takes teamwork to make the dream work. 731 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,166 We all gotta put our heads together. 732 00:34:26,266 --> 00:34:27,900 My way may not be the right way. 733 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:30,066 Maybe someone else has another idea. 734 00:34:30,166 --> 00:34:31,800 But the more we get the information out, 735 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:34,766 maybe it starts with the Da ily News putting in something. 736 00:34:34,866 --> 00:34:36,166 Maybe again, like I said, 737 00:34:36,266 --> 00:34:38,600 it starts with the afterschool program type of deal, 738 00:34:38,700 --> 00:34:39,966 a club, whatever. 739 00:34:40,066 --> 00:34:41,866 We just gotta come together on it 740 00:34:41,966 --> 00:34:45,833 and see ways that we can utilize this information. 741 00:34:45,933 --> 00:34:47,266 - Woman: So you had 742 00:34:47,366 --> 00:34:50,866 the names of two of the towns in Georgia? 743 00:34:52,966 --> 00:34:53,900 - In Mississippi. 744 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:54,900 - Mississippi. - Mm-hmm. 745 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:56,133 - And I know you said, 746 00:34:56,233 --> 00:34:58,066 and I know this from other reading I've done, 747 00:34:58,166 --> 00:34:59,433 there were four towns. 748 00:35:00,766 --> 00:35:02,433 - Pontotoc, Mississippi. 749 00:35:02,533 --> 00:35:06,333 These all are cities in the northern part of Mississippi. 750 00:35:06,433 --> 00:35:09,333 And they used to call Beloit "Mississippi North," 751 00:35:09,433 --> 00:35:11,466 because the city was heavily populated. 752 00:35:11,566 --> 00:35:14,533 Even like right now, there's so much population 753 00:35:14,633 --> 00:35:17,633 that derived from the South. 754 00:35:17,733 --> 00:35:21,200 Houston, Mississippi, Pontotoc, Mississippi, 755 00:35:21,300 --> 00:35:24,366 New Albany, Mississippi, and West Point. 756 00:35:24,466 --> 00:35:26,233 - This is all-- - All in Mississippi. 757 00:35:26,333 --> 00:35:27,433 - In all northern part? 758 00:35:27,533 --> 00:35:29,333 - Northern part of Mississippi. 759 00:35:29,433 --> 00:35:31,566 And again, like I said, a lot of times, 760 00:35:31,666 --> 00:35:33,533 they did a lot of carpooling, 761 00:35:34,700 --> 00:35:36,500 wasn't even cars, but like walking in groups, 762 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:40,566 because they were afraid to be alone by themselves, 763 00:35:40,666 --> 00:35:43,166 because what they noticed is that although we're north, 764 00:35:43,266 --> 00:35:44,900 and although there's no slavery here, 765 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:48,266 there's still that racial tension in the area. 766 00:35:48,366 --> 00:35:51,966 So they always wanted to be safe and wanted to be secure. 767 00:35:52,066 --> 00:35:54,500 That's when they worked together. 768 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:56,766 If anything I could take, what I found out 769 00:35:56,866 --> 00:36:00,533 is it was more togetherness to me back then. 770 00:36:00,633 --> 00:36:02,133 It wasn't so divided. 771 00:36:02,233 --> 00:36:04,900 Even though we were already divided in the town. 772 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,433 You had your pockets here on the east side of town. 773 00:36:07,533 --> 00:36:09,600 You had your pockets on the west side of town. 774 00:36:09,700 --> 00:36:12,633 They had the two school districts, they were called. 775 00:36:14,066 --> 00:36:17,400 Beloit Public Schools 1, which was east side of the river, 776 00:36:17,500 --> 00:36:19,400 and Beloit Public Schools 2, 777 00:36:19,500 --> 00:36:21,266 which was west side of the river. 778 00:36:21,366 --> 00:36:23,100 And the superintendent of the school 779 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,766 was the president of the school board, 780 00:36:25,866 --> 00:36:28,033 and their wives were the assistant. 781 00:36:28,133 --> 00:36:30,733 [all laughing] 782 00:36:32,966 --> 00:36:34,900 But like I said, there's tons of stories. 783 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:38,500 There's a lot more that I coulda elaborated on. 784 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:43,000 We could talk about social and recreation clubs. 785 00:36:45,300 --> 00:36:48,433 Again, blacks weren't allowed in different areas 786 00:36:48,533 --> 00:36:51,233 like the Alumni House, which is downtown. 787 00:36:51,333 --> 00:36:53,666 It was called the Pop House back in the day. 788 00:36:53,766 --> 00:36:56,100 And blacks were not allowed to do that. 789 00:36:56,200 --> 00:36:58,900 So that's when they formed their own organizations, 790 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:02,300 their own social groups such as the Women's Culture Club, 791 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:04,033 the Quest Club. 792 00:37:04,133 --> 00:37:06,533 They formed their own communications 793 00:37:06,633 --> 00:37:08,033 and ways to dance, 794 00:37:08,133 --> 00:37:09,733 and hang out, and create their own. 795 00:37:09,833 --> 00:37:13,733 Bell's Bar off of Maple, the Socialite Club, 796 00:37:13,833 --> 00:37:16,133 Leon Davidson, Davidson Square. 797 00:37:16,233 --> 00:37:19,100 And then other pastimes such as bowling. 798 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:22,566 They helped implement the first black bowling league, 799 00:37:22,666 --> 00:37:25,533 which it was called the Saturday Night Major League, 800 00:37:25,633 --> 00:37:28,500 and they bowled in South Beloit, Illinois. 801 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:30,266 So they made their own way. 802 00:37:30,366 --> 00:37:32,400 Sometimes, I don't know if you guys watched 803 00:37:32,500 --> 00:37:34,966 the award show the other night, the BET Awards. 804 00:37:35,066 --> 00:37:39,333 Tyler Perry said something very, very dynamic and profound. 805 00:37:39,433 --> 00:37:42,500 He said, "I stopped wanting to sit at the table, 806 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:43,766 "and built my own." 807 00:37:43,866 --> 00:37:46,666 And that's exactly what African Americans did. 808 00:37:46,766 --> 00:37:50,200 I can't join you at your table, I'll build my own. 809 00:37:50,300 --> 00:37:52,866 And that's what he did with Tyler Perry Studios. 810 00:37:52,966 --> 00:37:56,800 And that was just very profound to me and inspiring. 811 00:37:56,900 --> 00:37:59,866 And somehow, I just think that our younger people need 812 00:37:59,966 --> 00:38:04,200 to have that same energy, so we just gotta kinda be in here. 813 00:38:04,300 --> 00:38:05,800 I found out if it's on a screen, 814 00:38:05,900 --> 00:38:07,566 they'll probably read it or watch it. 815 00:38:07,666 --> 00:38:10,900 Anything that's on with technology nowadays. 816 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:14,300 But that was just so profound to me that he said that. 817 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:17,400 - Woman: So I noticed in your research 818 00:38:17,500 --> 00:38:20,666 that some things kinda changed mid '60s. 819 00:38:20,766 --> 00:38:22,366 Would you say that has to do 820 00:38:22,466 --> 00:38:24,566 with the national civil rights movement? 821 00:38:24,666 --> 00:38:27,533 - Definitely, I would say definitely it did. 822 00:38:28,833 --> 00:38:31,633 Because at this time now, it's a national-- 823 00:38:32,633 --> 00:38:34,366 it's becoming national. 824 00:38:34,466 --> 00:38:37,766 The laws are changing all the way around. 825 00:38:37,866 --> 00:38:40,000 There were places still like Milwaukee, 826 00:38:40,100 --> 00:38:43,700 who tried to not abide by the national laws. 827 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:46,966 And then there was Vel Phillips from Milwaukee, 828 00:38:47,066 --> 00:38:50,666 who fought hard for rights for the community of Madison. 829 00:38:50,766 --> 00:38:54,433 Then there's people in Madison like Velma Bell Hamilton, 830 00:38:54,533 --> 00:38:55,666 different ones. 831 00:38:55,766 --> 00:38:59,133 Every city, I like to say, in this area 832 00:39:01,066 --> 00:39:04,233 had one or two activists, one or two leaders 833 00:39:04,333 --> 00:39:08,833 that really tried to press the issue 834 00:39:08,933 --> 00:39:10,800 of equal rights for all. 835 00:39:10,900 --> 00:39:13,766 And then there's over by Lake Geneva, 836 00:39:13,866 --> 00:39:16,000 the town of Ivanhoe, I think it is. 837 00:39:16,100 --> 00:39:17,333 It's a black community. 838 00:39:17,433 --> 00:39:19,600 Our kids don't know anything about that. 839 00:39:19,700 --> 00:39:23,300 It was founded by blacks, owned by blacks, and everything. 840 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:25,266 Just a few minutes away from here, 841 00:39:25,366 --> 00:39:26,966 over outside of Lake Geneva. 842 00:39:27,066 --> 00:39:29,033 But that's not in a book, 843 00:39:29,133 --> 00:39:31,700 so you almost gotta just preach that word. 844 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:33,766 That would be a great place for a field trip, 845 00:39:33,866 --> 00:39:34,933 you know what I mean? 846 00:39:35,033 --> 00:39:36,300 So this can really grow. 847 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:38,100 We can make it a club type of deal, 848 00:39:38,200 --> 00:39:40,700 those who are really interested, families, parents. 849 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:43,133 This could be something that we could really grow 850 00:39:43,233 --> 00:39:46,333 and prosper to getting to know your history 851 00:39:46,433 --> 00:39:47,866 and knowing what's going on. 852 00:39:49,300 --> 00:39:52,266 Reverend Pride, they marched with Dr. King 853 00:39:53,466 --> 00:39:57,233 back in the '60s, the march to Selma march. 854 00:39:57,333 --> 00:40:00,733 He was part of that, Reverend U.S. Pride was. 855 00:40:00,833 --> 00:40:02,833 Again, very instrumental. 856 00:40:02,933 --> 00:40:04,833 And one other thing, like I said, 857 00:40:04,933 --> 00:40:08,766 the church has always been our foundation, 858 00:40:08,866 --> 00:40:10,200 and they weren't divided. 859 00:40:10,300 --> 00:40:11,966 We had the Beloit Community Ministers Fellowship. 860 00:40:12,066 --> 00:40:14,600 We had people partnering up and working together. 861 00:40:14,700 --> 00:40:16,633 And if anything, that's getting a little divided. 862 00:40:16,733 --> 00:40:18,833 Everybody's just interested in saving themselves 863 00:40:18,933 --> 00:40:21,066 when we need to save ourselves. 864 00:40:21,166 --> 00:40:24,466 Any other questions, comments, cares, concerns? 865 00:40:24,566 --> 00:40:25,633 Thank you. 866 00:40:25,733 --> 00:40:30,466 - Thank you. [audience applauding]