St. Joseph Museums celebrates local Black history
Feb. 19—During February and beyond, the St. Joseph Museums wants to enlighten people about the past and present for the area's Black community.
Throughout Black History Month, staff members have been conducting school tours led by local community leaders. And on Thursday, Feb. 24, it will induct two outstanding St. Joseph residents, Bullock Family Chapel director the Rev. Ecy Bullock and St. Joseph NAACP chairman James Dodd, into the Black Archives Hall of Fame.
"St. Joseph has a rich history amongst the African-American community that has been largely ignored over the years," Drew Brown, a board member for St. Joseph Museums, said. "It's essential that we use this opportunity to uplift people who've made significant contributions, not only to the Black community but to the betterment of the St. Joseph community at large."
The ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. at the Black Archives Museum, 3406 Frederick Ave. Admission is free and reservations are not required.
Originally started in 1991 by Jewell Robinson, a former teacher at Bartlett High School in St. Joseph, the Black Archives began as the Knea-Von Black Archives. While it has honored people from St. Joseph's past Black community, it's also proud to recognize people making a difference in the present day.
This year the Black Archives recognizes Bullock as a funeral director and assistant minister at St. Francis Baptist Temple who helps connect churches across denominational lines and provide help during dark times. Similarly, Dodd, a life-long St. Joseph resident and United States Air Force veteran, is being honored for his ability to keep local relationships going, as he plans and organizes Bartlett High School reunions and provides guidance and context for younger members of the Tes Trams Club, a Black social club.
"With Ecy Bullock, we have a Black entrepreneur. So we're uplifting that to show he's representative of the Black businesses that we had here in town, and some of whom still exist," Brown said.
"With James Dodd, he's been active in the community in various organizations, and been a force moving forward for the betterment of all people."
The museum also honors St. Joseph's past and its relationship with the Black community, enlightening newer generations on topics like slavery and segregation.
On Feb. 15, students from North Andrew High School toured the Black Archives Museum. As part of their experience, they watched Brown and Ramadhan Washington portray Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and Dr. Kenneth Clark in the Brown v. Board of Education trial and learned about historical figures like politician John Lewis and journalist Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
"It's always fun because there's a new generation coming through every year we do this. So these kids are not familiar with school segregation and they're not familiar with the history of this country and with St. Joe," Brown said.
During the school tour, the students got to see significant Black entrepreneurs, artists and writers that came from the area. They talked with Brown and Washington about what it was like to grow up during segregation and what they experienced.
"We showed them footage of people getting 'sugared-up,' somebody would pour on the sugar and ketchup and knock them off the stool. They have to understand that this is what we went through. It wasn't some namby-pamby 'OK, segregation is wrong. Just have a seat,'" Brown said.
Sara Wilson, executive director of the St. Joseph Museums, said education like this is important, especially during a month where the struggles and achievements of Black people are in the spotlight.
"It's good for the students to have the opportunity to come here and learn about the history and ask questions," she said.
Working with the Black Archives Museum, she said it's a privilege to be on a board that's passionate about its past and present history.
"We're really this nexus where people can come and hear about this history ... It's not a Jesse James, not a Pony Express history. It's the history of people's lives who have made an impact that sometimes have been overlooked or intentionally ignored. To bring those histories to light and to share them is one of the most gratifying things of my job," she said.
Andrew Gaug can be reached at andrew.gaug@newspressnow.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @NPNOWGaug
