Category: Civil Rights Forum - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

Learn About Black History Online - No Hate In Our States

7/1/2020

Learn More About Black History - View Online

Civil Rights Forum

Here are two fine programs streaming for free that will give insight into Black history in our country.

I recommend you watch them in this order:

Finding Your Roots on PBS, Season 1, episode 2: Gives the fascinating history of two prominent African American politicians, Cory Booker and John Lewis. NOTE: this is streaming on Amazon ONLY through June 30th.

After you learn about John Lewis’s roots, you will want to watch Selma, which is streaming for free on Amazon Prime.

Both of these movies provide excellent information and are great springboards for family discussion.

Julie Ross

There Is No Such Thing As A "White Ally" - No Hate In Our States

7/1/2020

Read the Article There Is No Such Thing as a "White Ally"

Civil Rights Forum

Conversations about race are never easy. It is not the job of Black People to do that educating. As attorney Catherine Pugh points out in her article, There Is No Such Thing as a "White Ally", "Racism is not mine, it's yours. It's not called 'helping' when it's your mess we're cleaning."

This is not an easy read, but it is essential that white people fully understand racism in America. Catherine Pugh is a former adjunct professor at the Temple University in Japan. She developed and taught "Race and the Law" for its undergraduate program. She has worked for the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section, and as a Public Defender for the State of Maryland.

“There Is No Such Thing as a ‘White Ally’”

Caryn Unsicker

Watch "13th" - No Hate In Our States

6/23/2020

**Watch the Documentary 13th - Streaming On Netflix**

No Hate In Our States

Netflix and Amazon Prime are streaming many excellent movies and documentaries which give insight into the history of racism in our country and why the Black Lives Matter movement is something we must all understand and support.

13th is an excellent documentary for gaining understanding into the oppression and racism that plague our country. Watch 13th for free on YouTube: https://youtu.be/krfcq5pF8u8

Keep an eye on the PACG Facebook page for more film suggestions.

Julie Ross

Racial Equality Now! Rally - What You Can Do Now

6/20/2020

Racial Equality Now! Rally
Saturdays at 11:30 am, beginning June 20th

The Slumberland/Party City Corner of
John Deere RD & 16th ST
Moline, IL (across from South Park Mall) (map)

Civil Rights Forum

Please join us from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm every Saturday to stand up for the rights of Black People, specifically, and all People of Color in the United States of America! The purpose of this local Racial Equality Now! Rally is to support the current movement for racial equality and justice that has spread across this country and to ensure that it keeps going for as long as it takes to see real and meaningful progress toward racial equality in America.

Our first rally was this past Saturday, June 13th, and we got lots of positive feedback from people passing by. If you come on Saturday, please wear a mask and expect to participate in social distancing (6 to 10 feet from others).

Although I made a few extra signs, please bring some of your own if you can. Ideas for signs can include things like “Honk for Justice,” Honk for Equality,” “Black Lives Matter,” “I Can’t Breathe!,” “Let’s Talk!,” “No Hate in Our State,” or “No More Deaths,” and many others.

There is lots of parking in the adjoining Slumberland/Party City/Enterprise parking lot, so please bring a friend and join us to help promote racial justice and equality for all People of Color! If you can’t make it this Saturday, join us on Saturdays as often as you can. Together we can make a difference!

Caryn Unsicker

Spread the Word About the Illinois COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project - What You Can Do Now

6/11/2020

Spread the Word About the
Illinois COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project

On Monday, June 8th, Illinois launched a $2 Million COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project to provide financial assistance to low-income immigrant families impacted by COVID-19.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) explains:

The COVID-19 pandemic put the systemic failures of our health care, labor, economic and public safety infrastructure on full display. Our communities have been uninsured, underpaid, and over-policed long before this crisis struck.

As the faults of these systems are laid bare, we have an opportunity and responsibility to fight for a vision of a world where the most vulnerable are not left out but also given the opportunity to live lives of dignity and respect.

The COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project is just one avenue to respond to the needs of our communities.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Immigration Funders Collaborative will provide direct assistance to families that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. ICIRR and IDHS will work with Illinois Welcoming Centers (IWC), Immigrant Family Resource Program (IFRP), and New Americans Initiative (NAI) partners with current contracts to deliver this much needed program.

Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR), World Relief - Moline and Open Door (Rock Island Welcoming Center) each received a grant for 20 applications for Rock Island and Henry County residents. They’re working together to ensure that 60 eligible QC families complete the application process prior to the June 30, 2020 deadline.

Qualified applicants must be not eligible for the federal stimulus package, unemployment insurance and federal benefits; he/she must have a photo ID and proof of address (official document with printed name and address, e.g. phone bill, utility bill, bank statement, etc.).

The deadline for application is June 30th. The successful applicant will receive a cash award of $1000, which is limited to one per household. This is state funding, and is exempt from Public Charge.

Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To expedite your application, please contact them no later than Friday, June 26th.

Contact one of the people below to begin this process. Assistance in Spanish and French are also available (flyers in each language may be downloaded below).

QCAIR: Nana Ouro-Agoro – 309-716-7437 or nana.ouro-agoro@qcair.org

World Relief:  Habie Timbo -309-938-0275 or htimbo@wr.org

Open Door:  Loredia Dixon – 309-793-8201

French Speakers:  Nana Ouro-Agoro – 309-716-7437 or nana.ouro-agoro@qcair.org

Spanish Speakers:  Maria Bribriesco – 563-505-5711 or qcair@qcair.org

Note:  When you go to the ICIRR website, it says "Funding Update – the $2 Million funds have been exhausted." Disregard this message! The QC groups have already been granted these applications and funding is guaranteed (although application submission does not guarantee approval of request). The state of Illinois is continuing to seek further funding for this program.

Flyer in English

illinois_immigrant_covid_relief_eng.pdf
File Size:	279 kb
File Type:	pdf

Flyer in French

illinois_immigrant_covid_relief_french.pdf
File Size:	211 kb
File Type:	pdf

Flyer in Spanish

illinois_immigrant_covid_relief_spanish.pdf
File Size:	211 kb
File Type:	pdf

What You Can Do Now - Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form in the Mail

4/21/2020

Look for Your Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form

Civil Rights Forum

Absentee Ballot Voting in Iowa for June Primary Election

On March 31st, the Des Moines Register reported that, due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office will mail every registered voter in Iowa an absentee ballot request form before the state’s June 2nd primary. The State is encouraging voters to consider voting by mail so that the virus will not be spread among polling site workers and residents. In addition, the early voting period for mail-in ballots has been extended.

If you haven't received your request form in the US Mail by May 5th, contact your County Auditor's Office. Read much more in our Blog Post.

Contact the PACG Webmaster with questions.

What You Can Do Now - Look for Your Absentee Ballot Request Form

4/18/2020

Look for Your Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form

Civil Rights Forum

Absentee Ballot Voting in Iowa for June Primary Election

On March 31st, the Des Moines Register reported that, due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office will mail every registered voter in Iowa an absentee ballot request form before the state’s June 2nd primary. The State is encouraging voters to consider voting by mail so that the virus will not be spread among polling site workers and residents. In addition, the early voting period for mail-in ballots has been extended.

To further clarify this information, I spoke to Roxanna Moritz, the Scott County Iowa Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, this week. She emphasizes that every active voter in the state will receive an absentee ballot request. If you have not received your form by May 5th, contact your county auditor’s office to request one (see phone numbers below).

Iowa's June 2 primary is scheduled to go forward as planned, but Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is encouraging Iowans to vote by mail to reduce the spread of the virus. Last week, Pate extended the early voting period for mailed ballots to 40 days, up from 29. That means Iowans will be able to cast mailed ballots beginning on April 23.

"The safety of voters while casting their ballots is our top priority," Pate said in a news release. "The June 2 primary election will go on as scheduled because it’s important for Iowans to make their voices heard by voting. The safest way to vote will be by mail."

Iowans who receive the request forms will need to return them to their county auditor in order to receive an actual absentee ballot. When the time comes, voters will have to fill out and mail back their ballots.

The ballot request form requires Iowans to fill out information like their name, date of birth and address, an ID number, and whether they want to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary.

"We don’t just blindly mail out ballots to people who don’t request them. That’s like mailing out blank checks. There have to be security provisions in place to ensure the integrity of the vote," said Kevin Hall, a spokesperson for the secretary of state's office.

Iowa's primary will feature competitive races for federal and state legislative offices. At the federal level, Democrats will choose a nominee to face off against Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King also faces several challengers in the 4th Congressional District primary. – Des Moines Register, March 31st

Moritz expressed her concerns regarding moving to all mail-in voting by November to the Cedar Rapids Gazette:

As much as she prefers an all-mail primary, Scott County Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz doesn’t think there is time to pull it off correctly. “We want to move to a vote-by-mail state, but do it right,” Moritz said. “There are so many things to address and doing it in a hurried fashion and making any mistakes could give cause as to why not do vote-by-mail.”

She’s not sure it would even be possible to make the changes needed to conduct the Nov. 3 general election by mail.

Another challenge may be staffing those polling places. Many poll workers come from the ranks of older Iowans, so Pate has made a poll worker recruitment push to encourage people not in COVID-19 high-risk categories to step up.

So far, auditors report that only a few poll working stalwarts have bowed out of the primary…

Eligible Iowans who have not registered to vote or updated their registration have until May 22 to preregister to ensure the absentee ballot request form goes to the correct address. For information on Election Day registration, visit the Iowa Secretary of State’s website.

Ms. Moritz is readily available to answer questions for her constituents at rmoritz@scottcountyiowa.com. She also keeps her Facebook page current with pertinent voting information and is available through her personal cell phone at 563-370-3915. She expressed her concern about making sure that residents get correct information about voting during this unusual time.

Iowa County Auditors' Offices:
Clinton County - 563-244-0568
Muscatine County - 563-263-5821
Scott County - 563-326-VOTE

Request an absentee ballot here and mail it to your county auditor.

Iowans can check to see if they are registered to vote here.

Download and print off a State of Iowa Official Voter Registration form. Mail your registration to your County Auditor’s office. Use this link to find the address of your County Auditor. You may also register to vote online.

Contact the PACG Webmaster with questions.

After Action Report - Civil Rights Forum Met with Theresa Greenfield

2/20/2020

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with Theresa Greenfield
Tuesday, February 18th at noon

The PACG Civil Rights Forum organized a visit with Theresa Greenfield, who is running in the Democratic primary to be the candidate to run against Senator Joni Ernst. Immigration activists from the many organizations in the Quad Cities working on immigration issues met with Ms. Greenfield to deliver our message, beginning with: "Children do not belong in detention." At the PACG Blog you can read our complete "ask" and some proposed legislation.

We are trying to set up a similar meeting with Republican candidate, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is running in the Republican primary for the Congressional seat of retiring Representative Dave Loebsack. We will also visit with other candidates or elected officials in both Iowa and Illinois. Contact Alta if you want to participate.

Alta Price

African Americans in Davenport Struggled to Educate Their Children

2/16/2020

Did You Know About the Struggles of African Americans in Davenport to Educate Their Children?

Donate to Preserve Local Cultural and Ethnic History

As part of PACG's on-going fu ndraiser to pay for a large kiosk display at the MLK Interpretive Center, the struggle African Americans had to educate their children is the subject of this week's blog post about local cultural and ethnic history.

Local historian Craig Klein has gathered the following information from research in eastern Iowa.

The Colored School Controversy
As in other midwestern states, the struggle for equality in Iowa schools began long before the Civil War. Believing that blacks were inferior to whites, members of Iowa’s First Territorial Assembly enacted a general school law in January l839 that barred black children from attending school with their white peers. As a result, when Iowa gained admission to the Union in 1846, school laws already in place prevented black children from attending the “common schools” established in each county. Paralleling other “whites only” practices sanctioned by Iowa’s early constitution, this arrangement was supported by most Iowans in the late 1840s and 1850s. However, increasingly in the 1840s and 1850s, Iowans sympathetic to the plight of blacks began to question the wisdom and morality of this school law provision. Prompted by the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, the debate over equality in Iowa schools became heated in the 1850s. At the constitutional convention of 1857 in Iowa City, delegates favoring open enrollment for all school children met fierce opposition from die-hard opponents of equality. But when it became obvious that neither side would prevail, the convention approved compromise language that mandated the creation of separate, state-supported schools for black children. In the school law of 1858, the state legislature enacted this provision into law.[1]

The debate over equality in Iowa schools also resonated at the local level. Charting the course of the debate over this issue in Davenport, Iowa, from 1858 to early 1860, the following news articles and minutes of Board of Education meetings shed light on the controversy that arose over the city’s early “Colored School.” Though Davenport only had a handful of school-aged black children in 1858, their presence became a contentious issue. Formed in May 1858, the city’s first Board of Education apparently sought to resolve the issue by quietly allowing several black children to attend School No. 3 at the southeast corner of Sixth and Warren streets. But in a disparaging June 26, 1858, editorial, the Daily Morning News, a local newspaper with decidedly Democratic and southern sympathies, called on concerned citizens to have these children expelled-a summons that soon bore results. On September 15, 1858, thirty-eight Davenport residents signed a petition asking the Board of Education to expel “some four or five Negroes” then attending the Stone School House at the corner of Seventh and Perry streets. Because the school law of 1858 only allowed for mixed schooling if there was unanimous consent for it in the community, the Board of Education had no choice but to comply: on September 18, 1858, it ordered the expulsion of these children from the city school system.

While most citizens acknowledged that the Board had no legal recourse, the decision to remove the children disturbed many Davenporters. Seeking a solution to the crisis, they heatedly debated the issue amongst themselves, arriving shortly thereafter at a consensus to establish a separate school for black children outside the school system. Some residents favored this solution for pragmatic reasons as well: they feared opponents of tax-supported “free schools” would use the controversy to destroy the city school system. Apparently responding to public sentiment, the Board of Education moved on November 8,1858, to establish a separate school for black children in a room in the newly-constructed Baptist Church at the corner of Perry and Fourth streets. But it is unclear if this school ever opened. After failing to establish another separate school in April 1859 (whether it was in the Baptist Church or another location is unclear), the Board moved in late 1859 to establish a “Colored” school in a room in School No. 3 at the corner of Warren and Sixth streets. Opening in early December, this venture soon failed “for want of pupils.” Before mandating an open school system in the early 1860s, the Board reportedly tried one last time in l860 to establish a separate school for black school children in the Baptist Church. But this experiment was short-lived as well.

[1] Amie Cooper, “A Stony Road-Black Education in Iowa, 1838-1860,” Annals of Iowa 48(1986), 113-34

Source: Davenport’s Pioneer African American Community: A Sourcebook, p. 19

Citizen petition protesting the presence of black children in Davenport public schools. (Davenport Daily Gazette on Sept. 22, 1858) On September 15, 1858, thirty-eight Davenport citizens signed a petition protesting the presence of black children in city schools. Presented to the Davenport Board of Education, this petition appeared in the Davenport Daily Gazette on Sept. 22, 1858, along with copy of the Board’s September 18, 1858 decision to expel several black children from school. (The 1868 date on the petition is in error.)

The Stone School House - The school from which several black children were expelled in late September 1858. Bowing to demands from thirty-eight citizens, the Davenport School Board expelled several black students in late September 1858 who had been attending School No. 2, also known as the Stone School House, at the corner of Seventh and Perry Streets. Newly built in 1854, the Stone School House was later renamed Adams School.

The Baptist Church - The site of Davenport’s first colored school. Seeking to keep the controversy over racially mixed education out of the city school system, Davenport school officials moved to establish a separate school for black children in November 1858 in the newly-built Baptist Church at the southwest corner of Perry and Fourth Streets. However, it is unclear if this school opened at this time. After school officials failed to establish separate instruction for black children in School No. 3 (later known as Old Jefferson) in December 1859, black children were reportedly again placed in a segregated classroom in the Baptist Church. Probably operating in 1860, this school soon failed as well.

The Brick School House - The site of a segregated classroom for black children in late 1859. After Davenport’s first separate school for black children in the Baptist Church closed in the spring of 1859, school officials organized another "colored school" in the Brick School House at the southeast the corner of Sixth and Warren Streets. (Also known as School No. 3, the building was later renamed Jefferson School.) Though a woman named Mrs. M.A. Fearing was hired to teach this school for $20 per month, it soon closed because of low attendance.

You can help preserve this history like this by making a donation to purchase a display screen for the Martin Luther King Interactive Center.

For other Blogs in support of this project, see also:

Did You Know About African American Women's Clubs in Davenport During the Progressive Era?

Did You Know That Frederick Douglass Visited Davenport in April of 1866?

Did You Know That Aeronaut Professor John Byrd Piloted His Balloon from Davenport in August of 1883?

Donate to Preserve Local Cultural and Ethnic History

Aeronaut Professor John Byrd Piloted His Balloon from Davenport in 1883

2/14/2020

Did You Know That Aeronaut Professor John Byrd Piloted His Balloon from Davenport in 1883?

Donate to Preserve Local Cultural and Ethnic History

As part of PACG's on-going fu ndraiser to pay for a large kiosk display at the MLK Interpretive Center, the Davenport visit of African American aeronaut [1] Professor John Byrd in 1883 is the subject of this week's blog post about local cultural and ethnic history.

Local historian Craig Klein has gathered the following information from newspaper articles in Davenport. We have decided to post them here in their original format because their colorful language and descriptions are an integral part of this rich history.

It should be noted that, as in all of our Blog posts on local cultural and ethnic history for the MLK Interpretive Center fund drive, PACG did its own quick search for Professor Byrd. Not surprisingly, there was no information available, including in the History of Ballooning. This online listing includes hundreds of aeronauts, dating back to the 1700s.

[Craing Klein note: This intriguing articles below were graciously contributed by Jack Martens of Winnetka, Illinois, who found them while doing research on Davenport’s German immigrant community.]

August 30, 1883 (Thursday)--Davenport Democrat--News article entitled “The Aeronaut's Flight”:
Between 4 and 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon the first balloon ascent that has been made from Davenport in a long time was accomplished by Prof. John Byrd, the colored aeronaut.  His balloon was filled at the gas works, and required 12,000 feet of gas to round it out to its full proportions of 25 in diameter and height of 30 feet.  It was then conveyed to the fair grounds and made ready for the ascent. The professor seated himself in the basket, gave the word, the ropes were loosened, and up the ship of air arose, gracefully, steadily, beautifully.  After reaching a height of a thousand feet it veered to the northwest a little, but as it mounted into a higher atmosphere, it was carried eastward, continually ascending until the professor says he was nearly two miles above the earth—so high, at any rate, that he became very cold. When over east Davenport, some of the ropes on the globe of the balloon became entangled and some broken and he clambered out of his basket and up to the cords, repaired the damage, and regained his basket for safety. People in East Davenport who were watching the balloon with glasses witnessed this hazardous feat. Having sailed in the high atmosphere until he was nearly benumbed, the professor began to descend, and between 6 and 7 o’clock he landed on the farm of Mr. E. R. Wright, about six miles north-east of the city, in safety, though the top of the balloon was rent some by bushes. His balloon stopped within about twenty feet of a hundred stand of bees; had it gone among them there would have been a sight worthy of the view of gods and men.

The professor makes another flight this afternoon, and to-morrow afternoon. Had his exhibition been known abroad, it would have been a great attraction to hundreds of people, and increased the attendance at the fair.

August 30, 1883--Davenport Daily Gazette--Excerpt from a long news article entitled “The Fair”:
A very popular feature of yesterday’s programme was the BALLOON ASCENSION
which occurred at 4:30 from the space just north of the Floral Hall. The balloon had been filled at the Gas works, and was brought to the grounds through the streets inflated, avoiding the telegraph wires by an ingenious way of handling the ropes. The ascension was entirely successful in every respect, the balloon with its captain, Prof. Byrd, rising gently from the ground, and starting first in a northwesterly direction. After reaching a considerable height it struck a current of air going in an opposite direction, and was carried slowly to the southwest, finally disappearing from sight about 6 o’clock. A team was sent in the direction, and brought the aeronaut safely back to the city.

August 31, 1883 (Friday)--Davenport Democrat--News article entitled “Up In The Balloon”:
Why didn’t you make another ascension yesterday? was the question addressed to Prof. John Byrd, the colored aeronaut, this forenoon, by one of the directors of the county agricultural association. "We had an immense crowd on the ground, and you would have made money.”

“Well, sir,” replied the professor, “in the first place, all we got for the ascension on Wednesday was four dollars, and that was discouraging enough for it didn’t pay for the gas; besides, nobody encouraged us to make an ascension yesterday; and besides, too, when we were filling the balloon yesterday at the gas works, the bag tore open at the top and let the gas out, and every foot of gas had to escape before we could mend it.  There was another loss. The next time we go up in that balloon it will be because money is held out to us before we go.”

Professor Byrd is a slightly built colored boy of mulatto-tinge, and looks as if his weight would not balance more than a hundred pounds.

As he was talking a group twenty to thirty persons had gathered about him, all expressing a wish that he would make an ascension in the afternoon.  “Well, gentlemen,” replied the professor after listening patiently to their urgings, “business is business. How much will this crowd give to see us go up in the balloon?”  And that crowd dwindled to a very small group in less than ten minutes.

“Why on earth did you leave your basket and climb up on the outside of your balloon to fool with those ropes for, as I saw in last evening’s 'Democrat,'” asked one of the gents who remained.

“It wasn’t 'on earth' at all,” replied the professor with a laugh in which the group joined; “if it had been we would have been safe enough without it; but we were a mile and a half above the earth, and we saw the ropes flying loose, and then saw a rip in the canvas which bid fair to let the gas all out pretty soon.  Now you know it wouldn’t do to let that balloon collapse and fall with us clear down to the ground from more than a mile high; you know that yourself; just fall eight or ten feet once, and you’ll be mighty careful how you fall that little distance again.  Suppose we had come down on a fall for mile and a half.  We is a small man anyhow, but by the time we got to the ground we’d be so little nobody could find us.  We had to get up and mend that rip, had to do it, and tie the flying ropes, too.  And we climbed up, and first took some sticking plaster and covered the holes, and then tied the ropes.  Had to shift the ballast though to even up the other side of the balloon, and then when we came down had to even up the ballast before we could settle down again.  It was skaery getting out there, but we had to do it or die, and any man will take mighty big risks rather than die, and you know that yourself!”

The professor has the habit of speaking of himself in the plural.  It is “we” all the time with him.  In answer to other questions he said the balloon was made of cambric, and that it cost him $160 [2].  The ascension on Wednesday was the sixteenth that he had made, and about the “prettiest,” he believed.   When he was at the highest, the earth looked all alike, save the Mississippi river was like a narrow ribbon.  He went on up until he couldn’t see the river for the great clouds that were moving beneath him like “great rolling hills of snow”; and, what was strange, people on the ground could see the balloon all the time, notwithstanding the clouds, while he could see nothing but clouds beneath him.  He couldn’t understand it.  One can have a very interesting talk with the professor about his ascension.


August 31, 1883--Davenport Daily Gazette--News note in “Davenport Briefs”:
Prof. Byrd, the colored aeronaut, goes from here in a few days to Macomb, Ill., where he will make two ascensions, and from there he will go to Iowa City.  His ascension here was a success in every particular.

You can help preserve this history like this by making a donation to purchase a display screen for the Martin Luther King Interactive Center.

For other Blogs in support of this project, see also:

Did You Know About African American Women's Clubs in Davenport During the Progressive Era?

Did You Know That Frederick Douglass Visited Davenport in April of 1866?

[1] aeronaut: one who operates or travels in an airship or balloon
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aeronaut
[2] If purchased today, the balloon would cost about $4000.

Donate to Preserve Local Cultural and Ethnic History