Racism lurking at sundown in Iowa?

Are blacks still not allowed to live there?

A very provocative statement. My Grandfolks lived in Grundy Center. I am writing a book about the general area based in the late 40's and early 50's. I know the midwest has always had its share of ignorant bigotry, just didn't have Jim Crow to drive the bus honking the horn. Please tell me more.

Since i was born and raised in central iowa and now have expierienced other parts of the nation i would say that the midwest is Obviously the most racist area i have ever been in i now live in Columbia,SC and the racism that i thought i would find here in the south is nearly a total myth. but back home i hear about racism everyday.

There are tons of blacks, Mexicans, and other "non-whites" living in Iowa. In fact, I'm white and I feel like a minority now. I haven't heard of any racially motivated issues in quite some time either.

Jessica wrote:

AH shut up you moron. We're not racist. we're just a bunch of dumb hicks who don't know any better because there are only white people that live here! no black person wants to come live with a bunch of sheepfuckers!

Jessica, you're thinking of Minnesota. The farmer finally caught that guy, in the act no less.

JAC wrote:

A very provocative statement. My Grandfolks lived in Grundy Center. I am writing a book about the general area based in the late 40's and early 50's. I know the midwest has always had its share of ignorant bigotry, just didn't have Jim Crow to drive the bus honking the horn. Please tell me more.

My grandparents are also in Grundy Center they own the quick print center there. Now I am their blood Grandaughter but I am dark skinned(I hate to say black because that is not a race but a color). I have always been excepted there with no question as are my children and husband who is also dark skinned. But in our quest to buy a home there were many times that it felt like we were doing something we should not be doing when we entered many small town. I can totally understand the under current of racism going on.

I came from Van Buren County, Iowa where there were only two black people: a sweet, harmless old man who cleaned the school and who lived with his sister....so when I went to Northeast Missouri Teachers College in Kirksville in the early 1960s, I was appalled when I learned that are black athletes from Des Moines and St. Louis could not get a haircut downtown, nor could they eat in the restaurants in Kirksville. We found a student who could cut hair, so he set up shop in one of the dormitories for the "colored" athletes, while a large number of us boycotted the restaurants until some changes were made. But 45 years ago, attitudes were different all over the nation, not just in Kirksville.

For some reason or other, my name is posted on your website and under it the town is Newton, Iowa.....I am from Mt. Pleasant, not Newton.

Ok,are blacks not allowed to live where?What place are you speaking of???In particular

Ahhh.Never mind I read a bit more...Hah,really shows my "smarts" with that there question ehe???

Iowa will never change. I walked out of American History class in 1970 because a student made a joke about slavery and the teacher laughed along with the class. I left Iowa in 1979 and would NEVER move back because of the ignorance and bigotry there, which seems pretty evident in many of the responses to this article.

I am a police officer from the Twin Cities area in Minnesota. I am looking to relocate with my wife and daughter to Iowa. My wife is from Iowa City and I have visited there several times. I am of mixed race and looking for a law enforcement job down there. Any issues with people of color getting hired in LEO jobs in Iowa? Institutionalized racism rampant in the Minneapolis Police Department and surrounding suburbs.
Thanx...

Chris Simmons wrote:

Since i was born and raised in central iowa and now have expierienced other parts of the nation i would say that the midwest is Obviously the most racist area i have ever been in i now live in Columbia,SC and the racism that i thought i would find here in the south is nearly a total myth. but back home i hear about racism everyday.

Are you a person of color? I strongly disagree with your comment regarding racism in the south a near total myth. There are several forms racism. Educate yourself.

Karen M wrote:

Iowa will never change. I walked out of American History class in 1970 because a student made a joke about slavery and the teacher laughed along with the class. I left Iowa in 1979 and would NEVER move back because of the ignorance and bigotry there, which seems pretty evident in many of the responses to this article.

I totally agree with you in this post! I was born in Iowa but have resided in many other states and over seas, and more so than not, I witness the ignorance and bigotry often, especially here in NW Iowa. Very unsettling, but I understand that a vast majority of these bigotrist & ignorant folks are this way because of how they were brought up, and instead of taking the time to let their minds be open, and to educate themselves on this topic as a whole, they just take the *easy* way & form their judgements and opinions according to what they hear other ignorant folks say and then *go with the flow*, the *majority* of views and opinions expressed.
I am so thankful, that I have gotten to experience many different cultures and to work with many people of all different ethnic origins and have some really wonderful, true friends resulting from my travels and experiences.
I will be leaving this area in about a year, and although there are many things I love in this area, I certainly will not miss the ever so prevalent presence of ignorance that plagues the midwest.

Chris Simmons wrote:

Since i was born and raised in central iowa and now have expierienced other parts of the nation i would say that the midwest is Obviously the most racist area i have ever been in i now live in Columbia,SC and the racism that i thought i would find here in the south is nearly a total myth. but back home i hear about racism everyday.

I live in Garland, TX. Nearly as south as you can get. There is RAMPANT racism here. Not only is it the "rednecks" against the "Ns" (I refuse to use the "N" word). It's "them" against whites. And some "go after" there own if they are in a bi-racial relationship. The KKK is still alive in Mississippi-a southern state.
I am hoping and praying for the day when we all live peacefully. We have enough issues overseas then to be bothered with what our brither is doing.

I currently live in Garland (dallas), TX; and will possibly be moving up to Iowa.. From some of the posts I have been reading, it seems that Iowa has shut it's doors to "people of color" and only allows whites. I can't believe this is true. I have visited web sites of surrounding communities (looking for homes) and it shows city wide festivities with blacks and whites enjoying each others company. I also find it kind of amusing that some of these stories are 30-40 years old (back in the 1960's w/ my grandparents...or in 1970 class....)
I grew up in the south, and let me tell you racism is alive and well. If anything, it is more prevelant here. Not only is it whites against people of color-it's african-american against hispanic and anglo-americans, asian americans and so on. There is even racism with-in one's own race; if you are in a bi-racial relationship or a certain economical class. I would say the south is worse on this issue because of the huge diversity we have. I wonder if any of these peoples' child/parent/spouse were to need an organ if they would be so picky?
I think no matter where one goes he/she will find SOME kind of bigotry; be it socio-economical, race, religion.
Our forefathers came over to the Americas for a reason...to leave all that behind and then some. If you truely think about it; aren't we all aliens? Some of us only need to look back 2-3 generations and realize our family did not originate in the good ole U S of A.
I am hoping when my family and I make up there, that we are welcomed in the community and treated with respect.

Karen M wrote:

Iowa will never change. I walked out of American History class in 1970 because a student made a joke about slavery and the teacher laughed along with the class. I left Iowa in 1979 and would NEVER move back because of the ignorance and bigotry there, which seems pretty evident in many of the responses to this article.

You let one persons ignorance cloud your judgment? That is what I would call ignorant. You need to thicken up the skin a little bit. If you let something like that offend you, then you have obviously enjoyed a difficult life.

Jay wrote:

<quoted text>
You let one persons ignorance cloud your judgment? That is what I would call ignorant. You need to thicken up the skin a little bit. If you let something like that offend you, then you have obviously enjoyed a difficult life.

It wasn't "one persons ignorance" clouding my judgement. It was the fact that the teacher condoned the action by laughing along. I wasn't buying his brand of "American History". I have lived among a very diverse group of cultures and races for over 25 years here in the Seattle area. Most people do get along, but there is still bigotry and racism everywhere, mostly gang related.

Heather wrote:

I currently live in Garland (dallas), TX; and will possibly be moving up to Iowa.. From some of the posts I have been reading, it seems that Iowa has shut it's doors to "people of color" and only allows whites. I can't believe this is true. I have visited web sites of surrounding communities (looking for homes) and it shows city wide festivities with blacks and whites enjoying each others company. I also find it kind of amusing that some of these stories are 30-40 years old (back in the 1960's w/ my grandparents...or in 1970 class....)
I grew up in the south, and let me tell you racism is alive and well. If anything, it is more prevelant here. Not only is it whites against people of color-it's african-american against hispanic and anglo-americans, asian americans and so on. There is even racism with-in one's own race; if you are in a bi-racial relationship or a certain economical class. I would say the south is worse on this issue because of the huge diversity we have. I wonder if any of these peoples' child/parent/spouse were to need an organ if they would be so picky?
I think no matter where one goes he/she will find SOME kind of bigotry; be it socio-economical, race, religion.
Our forefathers came over to the Americas for a reason...to leave all that behind and then some. If you truely think about it; aren't we all aliens? Some of us only need to look back 2-3 generations and realize our family did not originate in the good ole U S of A.
I am hoping when my family and I make up there, that we are welcomed in the community and treated with respect.

I think it all depends on what part of Iowa you are going to move into. Here in Northwest Iowa we do have our share of biased people, but the majority are willing to overlook the color of your skin. In our little town, when a minority moves in, of course everybody talks about them, because they are different, different color, different beliefs, different ways of acting, some for the better some for the worse. After the initial hype wears off, nobody really pays much attention. Living in a small town, it is not so much the color or race, but rather if you are going to be an asset to the community by volunteering and getting involved in the town. Maybe in Sioux City, Des Moines, Cedar Falls, and other big towns it is different, but in towns like Rock Rapids (pop. 2500) your involement and personality dictates what and how much people are going to say about you. Are there racist people up here....yes, but are the majority? I think not.

I was never raised a raciast. It seams that it is mostly in the younger generation the older ones has learned better. If you treat everyone the same it will generly work itself out. But we are talking about the new forieners taking over the whole country. They are telling everyone that will listen including the large companys that americans don't want to work, that they are the only ones that will do the low paying jobs.I say they are wrong and we need to show them a thing or too. I've done about every job that there was to do too raise my two sons. It is time that the younger generation shows, that they are too.