African Americans in Davenport, Iowa facts for kids

African Americans have a long and important history in Davenport, Iowa. Their community is the third largest black community in Iowa. Their story in Davenport began even before the Civil War.

Where Do African Americans Live in Davenport?

Davenport, Iowa, is part of a group of four cities called the Quad Cities. These cities are located along the Mississippi River. For many years, Davenport has been one of the main cities in Iowa where most of the state's black population lives. Other important cities for the black community in Iowa include Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Iowa City.

In 2010, more than half (55.2%) of Iowa's black population lived in these cities. In 2008, about 9.2% of Davenport's population was African American. This was much higher than the average of 2.5% for other cities in Iowa. By 2019, the African-American population in Davenport grew to 11,939 people, making up about 11.67% of the city.

The table below shows how many black residents lived in different Iowa cities in 2020:

History of African Americans in Davenport

Early Settlers and the Fight for Freedom

African Americans began settling in Davenport as early as the 1830s. Iowa was a "free territory," meaning slavery was not allowed there. It became a "free state" in 1846.

A famous person named Dred Scott lived in Davenport. He was an enslaved man who later sued for his freedom. He and his wife argued that they should be free because they had lived for a long time in free states and territories, including Davenport. A special plaque marks where Scott lived in Davenport.

Many African Americans came to Davenport in the 1800s. They were escaping slavery or the Civil War. Davenport was a major port on the Mississippi River in a free territory. This made it a safe place for them to come.

After the Civil War, on October 31, 1865, about 700 soldiers from the 60th U.S. Infantry Colored Regiment met in Davenport. They rallied for the right to vote and other civil rights. This meeting helped Iowa become one of the first states to allow African Americans to vote in 1868.

Growth of Black Businesses and Community

In the late 1800s, a small black business area grew on Fifth Street. It started in 1884 when Linsey Pitts, a former enslaved person and Civil War veteran, opened his saloon. His business did very well and attracted other black-owned businesses. By 1900, there were 10 black businesses and homes on that block.

The book Them was the Good Old Days (1922) described some of the African Americans in Davenport at that time. It mentioned people like John Hanover Warwick, a barber, and Jake Busey, the first black person to graduate from public schools in Davenport.

In the early 1900s, Davenport's African-American population was small, with 569 people counted in 1910. Labor unions in Davenport were often segregated. In 1904, some businesses hired African Americans to replace striking workers. After the strike failed, union leaders realized they needed to end segregation so all workers could stand together.

The Great Migration and Its Impact

The Great Migration happened in the first half of the 20th century. During this time, about 1.5 million African Americans moved from the Southern states to industrial cities in the North and Midwest. Many came to Davenport.

Davenport was a manufacturing center, with factories like J.I. Case and John Deere. These factories offered good jobs, similar to those in bigger cities like Detroit or Chicago, but in a less crowded environment.

However, in the late 1970s, many factories started to close or reduce jobs. African Americans, who were often the last hired, were often the first to lose their jobs. This caused financial difficulties for many black families in Davenport. Many black-owned businesses on Harrison Street, known as "The Strip," closed down.

Civil Rights Efforts in the Mid-1900s

The fight for civil rights began in Davenport in the 1940s. After black men served in World War II, they wanted equal rights at home. In 1942, Charles Toney and his family won the first civil rights lawsuit in Davenport against an ice cream shop that discriminated against them. In 1943, a ban on interracial dancing at a youth center was removed after protests.

In the 1960s and 1970s, African Americans lived in certain neighborhoods. As the black population grew, schools in these areas became very crowded. The state of Iowa ordered Davenport schools to desegregate (end racial separation) in the early 1970s. The Davenport School Board resisted this for a while. Finally, in 1977, after protests and investigations, they created a plan to change school boundaries and integrate the schools.

Important "Firsts" in Davenport's Black Community

The 20th century saw many important "firsts" for African Americans in Davenport:

• 1960s – Lafayette J. Twyner, a dentist, became the first African American elected to the Davenport School Board.
• 1965s – Charles Westbrook founded the local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Council (SCLC).
• 1970 – Soul Kitchen opened, the first restaurant owned by an African-American woman, Claudine Jackson.
• 1971 – James Smith became the city's first African-American principal at Lincoln Elementary.
• 1976 – Bill Cribbs was chosen as the first city Affirmative Action Director.
• 2001 – Jamie Howard was elected as the first female African-American alderman (city council member).

In the mid-1990s, Davenport's African-American community started holding cotillion balls for teenage boys. These events celebrated the achievements of black high school graduates and helped boost their self-esteem.

Culture and Community

Music Influenced by African Americans in Davenport

In the early 1900s, steamboats on the Mississippi River brought jazz musicians to cities like Davenport. Famous musicians like Louis Armstrong played on these riverboats.

Davenport also had its own music venues. The Coliseum dance hall, which opened in 1914, hosted many jazz and blues artists, including Duke Ellington, Jimi Hendrix, and Louis Armstrong. Music like jazz and blues, which started in the African-American community, became popular with everyone in Davenport.

Bix Beiderbecke, a famous jazz musician from Davenport, learned a lot about jazz in his hometown. Some say he was influenced by Louis Armstrong. Armstrong himself wrote about meeting Beiderbecke, calling him "the great cornet genius."

During the Little Rock Integration Crisis in 1957, when schools in Arkansas were being integrated, Louis Armstrong was in Davenport. He sent a telegram to President Dwight Eisenhower offering his support for integrating the schools.

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society, located in Davenport, helps people learn about and enjoy blues music. They hold an annual Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, which is one of the biggest blues festivals in the United States.

Community Gathering Places

Many places have served as important gathering spots for the African-American community in Davenport:

• Joe's Barbershop – Harrison Street
• Cork Hill Park
• Wilma's – Harrison Street

Religion

Churches have always been central to the African-American community.

• Bethel AME Church – a major church for African-American Protestants.
• Community Outreach Church of God in Christ – a major church for African-American Pentecostals.

Notable African-American Residents of Davenport

Many notable African Americans have lived in Davenport:

• Roger Craig – a famous NFL running back.
• Jamie Williams – an NFL receiver and a writer for the film Any Given Sunday.
• Michael Nunn – a middleweight boxing champion.
• Ricky Davis – a professional basketball player.
• Dana Davis – an actress and singer.
• Phyllis Thede – an Iowa state senator representing Davenport/Bettendorf since 2009.
• Robin Thede – Phyllis Thede's daughter, a comedian and writer. She was the first African-American woman to host a late-night TV talk show, The Rundown. She was also the first African-American woman to be head writer on a late-night TV talk show.

Local community leaders include the Rev. Charles Westbrook, who founded the Community Outreach Church of God in Christ.

See Also

• African Americans in Iowa