Even now, it's common to hear black people from other, "blacker" environs glibly proclaim that they had no idea that there were even black people in Iowa.
It's important to remember – and irresponsible and ignorant to presume otherwise – that many escaped slaves and freedmen didn't stay close to home as they escaped slavery. The northeastern states were not the only place in the country to go, and Chicago was never the only city in the Midwest worth being, contrary to popular belief. The United States of America has always offered huge expanses of open space as a resource to the adventurous and enterprising.
Today, Iowa lies at the crossroads of two major interstates: I-35 and I-80; it has always been on the way from somewhere to somewhere else. Before it was flyover country, it was "drive through" country and any place with valued resources – rich, arable land with ample rainfall; plenty of open, unclaimed space; shale and coal deposits – would be popular to settlers of any color or creed. Add to that the fact that Iowa shares a border with Missouri – one of the slavery border states – and you have territory that is accessible to and attractive to plenty of escaped slaves and freedmen, not to mention abolitionist John Brown.
The Root features an article mentioning 15 all-black or predominately black settlements in the United States, including Buxton, IA (number 8) and Muchakinock, IA (number 9). More information can be found here, courtesy of the African American Museum of Iowa.
"There aren't any black people in Iowa!"
And you're an idiot.
It's important to remember – and irresponsible and ignorant to presume otherwise – that many escaped slaves and freedmen didn't stay close to home as they escaped slavery. The northeastern states were not the only place in the country to go, and Chicago was never the only city in the Midwest worth being, contrary to popular belief. The United States of America has always offered huge expanses of open space as a resource to the adventurous and enterprising.
Today, Iowa lies at the crossroads of two major interstates: I-35 and I-80; it has always been on the way from somewhere to somewhere else. Before it was flyover country, it was "drive through" country and any place with valued resources – rich, arable land with ample rainfall; plenty of open, unclaimed space; shale and coal deposits – would be popular to settlers of any color or creed. Add to that the fact that Iowa shares a border with Missouri – one of the slavery border states – and you have territory that is accessible to and attractive to plenty of escaped slaves and freedmen, not to mention abolitionist John Brown.
The Root features an article mentioning 15 all-black or predominately black settlements in the United States, including Buxton, IA (number 8) and Muchakinock, IA (number 9). More information can be found here, courtesy of the African American Museum of Iowa.
"There aren't any black people in Iowa!"
And you're an idiot.
When I moved to NY for an internship, they were surprised there were CITIES in Iowa. Bitches, meet Dwolla. And Slipknot. And Cloris Leachman. And every insurance company known to man. And brilliant mechanical engineers. And Kurt Vonnegut and Jane Smiley and Rita Dove from the Iowa Writers Workshop alumni list. And Nobel winners and Pulitzer winners and GREG COOKIEPANTS mf PARKS! Proud, am I.
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