Feb.01
2022 Black History Month at UIU
Black History Month is dedicated to recognizing the role of Black Americans in U.S. history: celebrating their achievements, contributions, and rich culture through a variety of engaging and educational programs.
In 1926 the second week of February was observed as “Negro History Week.” That week was chosen because within it fell the birthdays of former President Abraham Lincoln and prominent abolitionist and escaped slave Frederick Douglas. In the late 1960’s the celebration expanded, thanks in large part to the Civil Rights Movement, to include the entire month of February.
UIU alum Nelson Evans came back to campus to speak at a previous BHM event. Click to Read More!
Together, the Multicultural Subcommittee, a subcommittee to the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) Committee, and the newly formed Student Diversity Union, worked to bring both virtual and in-person opportunities to celebrate Black History Month to Upper Iowa University. For updates on the schedule of events and available resources please continue to revisit this page.
Interested in serving on one of the IDEA subcommittees? Visit here to learn more: https://uiu.edu/IDEA
Here we provide a brief review of early Fayette and Iowa Black history. In addition, to the right, in “Learn More”, you can learn more about the first black woman to graduate UIU and the family origin of Fayette, Iowa’s Watermelon Days.
1851: Iowa is the 3rd state to allow interracial marriage.
1852: Fayette County: An area known as ‘the colored settlement’ was established between Fayette and West Union. Black and mulatto (mixed) families moved from Illinois to the new farming community north of Fayette. They built their own school house, and several students continued their education at Upper Iowa University with some becoming excellent teachers.
1857: Upper Iowa University opens January 7 as an interracial and co-educational institution. Two years earlier the University of Iowa offered their first classes to both men as women, but it was not interracial .
1857: Iowa’s Constitution was ratified. After much debate it was decided that ‘Negroes should have the right to provide testimony in court’ and ‘Negroes should have the right of suffrage (the right to vote)’
1861-1865 Civil War. All Upper Iowa University male students volunteer to fight in Iowa Regiments for the Union Army.[1]
1879: Upper Iowa University admits Susan Angeline Collins, UIU’s first female African American student. Others soon followed, and there was likely continuous enrollment of students of African American descent since 1879.
1969: The Brotherhood was formed at Upper Iowa University ‘to improve relationships between blacks and whites on campus.’ By 1983 this purpose had changed to ‘participate in worthy undertakings for the improvement of all ethnic and minority groups on campus and in the community.’ Alpha Nu Omega fraternity grew out of the Brotherhood.
[1] Not all students actually fought. One student dropped out when his young wife requested it, and others were not found to be physically fit.
Learn More:
UIU’s First Graduate of African American Descent
Fayette Watermelon Days
