Tate Arms facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Tate Arms
|
|
 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 914 S. Dubuque St. Iowa City, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1914 |
| Architectural style | American Foursquare |
| NRHP reference No. | 100004732 |
| Added to NRHP | December 9, 2019 |
The Tate Arms, also known as the Charles and Dorothy Alberts House and the Williams Hotel, is a historic building in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. This building played an important role in providing housing for African American students at a time when they faced challenges finding places to live.
Contents
The Tate Arms: A Special Iowa City Building
The University of Iowa began accepting African American students in the 1870s. However, there were not many black students until the 1910s. The university built dorms in the 1910s, but these dorms did not allow African Americans to live in them until 1946. This meant that black students often had to find other places to stay.
Early Days and First Owners
The Tate Arms building was finished in 1914. It was built for Charles and Dorothy Alberts. This house was very important because it was Iowa City's first rooming house built for black tenants. It was also owned by black landlords. Charles Alberts was a stonemason. He also ran a business that made cement blocks. He might have even built the house himself.
The first black university student moved into the house in 1920. Later, in the 1920s, a white lawyer named Edward F. Rate bought the building. He continued to rent rooms to African Americans. From about 1928 to 1932, the house was called the Williams Hotel. This name came from its owner at the time, James Williams, who also owned a car wash.
The Tate Family's Legacy
In 1940, Elizabeth “Bettye” Tate and Junious “Bud” Tate bought the house. Bud ran a cleaning service. Bettye had already managed a rooming house for black male students in their old home. She later worked for 22 years at the University of Iowa's heart research lab.
After the Tates bought this 12-room house, they renamed it the Tate Arms. They housed up to 20 male students each year. Bettye was known for having clear rules. She did not allow certain things and expected tenants to keep their rooms tidy. The Tate Arms continued to be a boarding house for black students until 1961. After this time, it still housed students, but they were not only black students.
A Landmark for History
Finding housing in Iowa City was difficult for African Americans for a long time. This changed when the Fair Housing Amendment to the Iowa Civil Rights Act was passed in 1967. Before this law, there were no city rules that forced people to live separately based on race. However, it was a common practice that housing was separated.
In 1979, Bettye Tate sold the building. It had been empty since 1970. The building was almost torn down several times. But in 2014, it was named an Iowa City Historic Landmark. This means it is a special building that should be protected. The Tate Arms was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. This listing helps to recognize its important place in history.
