AFRICAN AMERICANS

AFRICAN AMERICANS. In 1840 seventy-two African Americans lived in Dubuque, giving the city Iowa's largest black population. Years affected this ranking. By 1980 Dubuque ranked eighth in the United States in the category "smallest metropolitan black population." In April 1983, Dubuque's population was 99.7 percent white with African Americans making up .25 percent of the population.

African American history has involved Dubuque since the city's earliest days. In 1839 the case of RALPH was the second issue argued before the Iowa Supreme Court. The positive resolution of the case was clouded less than a year later when Nathaniel Morgan, a local resident, was beaten to death by a mob of whites that accused him of stealing a trunk of clothes. The mob members were acquitted of murder. The court ruled they had not intended to kill Morgan.

In 1844 Edward LANGWORTHY, at the state constitutional convention, asked the other delegates to pass his proposal that the legislature prevent black and mulatto settlement in the state. The measure was adopted but removed at a later meeting. Dubuque residents were the only Iowans to admit to census takers that they owned slaves. George W. JONES claimed to be Dubuque's largest slaveholder by owning one male and three females.

Iowa counties along the MISSISSIPPI RIVER, except Dubuque, experienced growth in their African American population from decade to decade. The population of African Americans in Dubuque by 1850 dropped to 9 percent. Contributing to this decline were the tirades of Dennis MAHONY, editor of the Dubuque Herald and a strong southern advocate. Mahony often wrote editorials supporting the right of southern states to secede and urging freed slaves to return to Africa.

In their first recorded march in Dubuque, African Americans and their supporters paraded through Dubuque on April 22, 1870, celebrating passage of the 15th Amendment giving former slaves rights of citizenship.

In November 1893, an all-black play, "Among the Breakers," was performed by members of the African American community in Dubuque. A drama critic of the Dubuque Herald commented that the play moved along smoothly and that Joe Norris, as a light housekeeper, did very well. The critic went on to say, however, that he would have preferred to see Norris in swallow tail coat and white tie receiving visitors in one of Dubuque's finest homes.

The first cross burnings of the KU KLUX KLAN began in 1923. A huge gathering of Klan members was held off Peru Road in 1925. In 1926 the Klan marched through Dubuque and held another huge Konklave off Peru Road.

In March 1969, Black Student Union members charged LORAS COLLEGE with institutional racism. Among their demands were the removal of the basketball coach and the introduction of African American studies. In May 1969, a Holy Day Mass was disrupted by white protestors in support of the Black Student Union. Demands escalated into threats to begin an anti-recruitment drive to convince African Americans not to attend the college.

In November, with an off-campus African American cultural center a primary demand, angry students barricaded themselves inside Henion Hall. When students involved in the protest were expelled, an estimated one hundred protestors from across the Midwest converged on Dubuque. Seven hours of negotiations led to the students being readmitted to the college under probation. On November 18, 1969, the student body voted "no confidence" in the administration.

Efforts to calm the tense racial atmosphere in Dubuque led the Iowa Civil Rights Commission on December 28,1969, to investigate charges that African American students had been beaten and were carrying weapons in self-defense. In 1970 Dwight BACHMAN became Dubuque's first civil rights director.

African American students attending the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE in 1973 were angered by the suspension of A. J. Stovall, a student accused of assaulting a university official during an argument over a check. African American students demonstrated by blocking the passage to some classes. Stovall was reinstated after a hearing board determined that the administration had violated his due process.

In December 1982, an estimated two hundred fifty protestors marched through Dubuque demanding that city officials work harder to guarantee equal rights. The protest was a response to several incidents. A cross was burned into the lawn of an African American family and alleged discrimination occurred at the DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY against Asians, older workers and African Americans.

In 1983 Pierre BANDA, a citizen of Malawi, was elected president of the Loras College senate. The same year tensions rose over the appointment of Clarence DUFFY, associated with the LITTLE DUBLIN NEWS, to the Human Rights Commission.

An announcement was made in December 1989 of plans to establish the 2,OOlst chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Dubuque. Ralph Watkins, University of Dubuque minority counselor, was the interim president. As one of its first activities, the group sponsored a Martin Luther King essay contest in the area schools. The group continues to find support and guidance from many local residents including Ruby SUTTON, Hazel O'NEAL, Gail WEITZ, and Brian BEEKIE.

On May 4, 1990, the Dubuque Human Rights Commission asked a group of community citizens to develop a plan and timetable for bringing one hundred minority families to Dubuque by 1995. In October 1991, a Constructive Integration Task Force was officially incorporated to implement the integration plan.

Reaction to the task force and the issue of encouraging minority population growth in Dubuque led to violence. Cross-burnings occurred. Appearances on national television by Dubuque residents on both sides of the issue brought outside organizations and individuals to the city. An ecumenical Thanksgiving service was attended by Governor Terry Branstad and may local elected officials. L. Douglas Wilder, governor of Virginia, came to local church services with a victim of vandalism. Active Students Against Prejudice staged a march opposing racial incidents on November 23, 1991. When Rev. Thomas Robb, national director of the Ku Klux Klan, arrived in Dubuque on November 30, 1991 and staged a demonstration in front of the DUBUQUE CITY HALL, a counter-demonstration in Washington Park was arranged by the N.A.A.C.P.

Efforts to improve racial harmony continued. In 1994 the Dubuque Community Advisory Panel was established to deal with the review of discrimination or civil rights complaints against the Dubuque Police Department. The Panel, headed by Terry HARRMAN, was formed in response to complaints of the local chapter of the N.A.A.C.P. that police officers were harassing black men. The Dubuque Council for Diversity was created to draw up plans for education, mediation services, and partnerships with national diversity organizations, training and the establishment of a databank for employers seeking minority employees. The DUBUQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT developed its own multicultural and non-sexist plan administered by Thomas DETERMAN.