4 25 1555 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) World War, 1939-1945. Veterans. Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource In 2003, the Lawrence Public Library partnered with the Dole Institute of Politics and Haskell University to capture the histories of Douglas County’s World War II veterans in the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. From 2005 to 2007, the Lawrence Public Library, the Watkins Museum of History, and the Kansas State Historical Society also embarked on a similar endeavor, the Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project, which was funded by the Kansas State Legislature. This collection contains many of the video recordings and more information about the interviews conducted for these projects. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Pye, Deborah Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Cartwright, Harold Location The location of the interview Douglas County (Kan.) Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211715">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211715</a> Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 0:52:23 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 128 kbit/s (audio) 1625 kbit/s (video) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harold Cartwright World War II Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Cartwright, Harold Description An account of the resource Harold Cartwright was drafted into the United States Army (Infantry) in 1944. He served as a rifleman in the 32nd Division. He also served as a Corporal in General MacArthur’s Honor Guard in Tokyo for nine months. Interviewed by Deborah Pye on November 10, 2006, Cartwright talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Cartwright was born in Kansas on September 9, 1924. He attended basic training at Camp Fannin in Texas. He was discharged in 1946. Cartwright passed away on May 26, 2010. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Pye, Deborah Kansas State Historical Society Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Manila (Philippines) Tokyo (Japan) 1944 - 1946 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2006-10-10 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP4 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Cartwright_Harold WWII Interview 2 Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: <a href="https://archive.org/details/cartwright-harold-wwii-interview-2">https://archive.org/details/cartwright-harold-wwii-interview-2</a> Obituary: <a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/harold-cartwright-obituary?pid=143177493">https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/harold-cartwright-obituary?pid=143177493</a> The Watkins Museum of History also holds items related to this collection. Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211715">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211715</a> Other resources for interviews with World War II veterans are available through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project: <a href="https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html">https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.htm</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society also have interviews associated with this project, which was funded through a grant program passed by the Kansas State Legislature in 2005. Researchers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for uses other than educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- United States. United States -- History, Military. United States. Army. World War, 1939-1945 -- Veterans -- Interviews. Lawrence (Kan.) -- Oral history. World War, 1939-1945 -- Pacific Area. Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) World War, 1939-1945. Veterans. Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource In 2003, the Lawrence Public Library partnered with the Dole Institute of Politics and Haskell University to capture the histories of Douglas County’s World War II veterans in the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. From 2005 to 2007, the Lawrence Public Library, the Watkins Museum of History, and the Kansas State Historical Society also embarked on a similar endeavor, the Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project, which was funded by the Kansas State Legislature. This collection contains many of the video recordings and more information about the interviews conducted for these projects. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Krische, Helen Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Caruthers, Barbara Location The location of the interview Baldwin City (Kan.) Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 0:29:23 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 127 kbit/s (audio) 1626 kbit/s (video) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Barbara Caruthers World War II Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Caruthers, Barbara Description An account of the resource Interviewed by Helen Krische on June 14, 2006, Barbara (Danley) Caruthers talked about growing up during World War II. Caruthers attended Baldwin High School from 1941 to 1945. Her mother was a housewife and her father worked as a house painter. She had seven siblings, including a brother, Albert, who served in the Navy. He was stationed at in Great Lakes, Illinois. Caruthers married Dale Caruthers, who served in the Navy during the war, in 1946. In this interview, Caruthers reflected on life in Baldwin City during and after the war. She passed away on April 23, 2019. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Krische, Helen Kansas State Historical Society Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Baldwin City (Kan.) 1941 - 2006 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2006-06-14 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP4 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Caruthers_Barbara WWII Interview Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: <a href="https://archive.org/details/caruthers-barbara-wwii-interview">https://archive.org/details/caruthers-barbara-wwii-interview</a> Obituary: <a href="https://www.lamb-roberts.com/obituaries/Barbara-Caruthers/#!/Obituary">https://www.lamb-roberts.com/obituaries/Barbara-Caruthers/#!/Obituary</a> The Watkins Museum of History also holds items related to this collection. Other resources for interviews with World War II veterans are available through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project: <a href="https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html">https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.htm</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society also have interviews associated with this project, which was funded through a grant program passed by the Kansas State Legislature in 2005. This interview can be used freely for purposes beyond educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- United States. Kansas -- History. Lawrence (Kan.) -- Oral history. Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) World War, 1939-1945. Veterans. Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource In 2003, the Lawrence Public Library partnered with the Dole Institute of Politics and Haskell University to capture the histories of Douglas County’s World War II veterans in the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. From 2005 to 2007, the Lawrence Public Library, the Watkins Museum of History, and the Kansas State Historical Society also embarked on a similar endeavor, the Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project, which was funded by the Kansas State Legislature. This collection contains many of the video recordings and more information about the interviews conducted for these projects. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview unknown Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Caruthers, Betty Location The location of the interview Douglas County (Kan.) Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 1:00:36 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 127 kbit/s (audio) 1626 kbit/s (video) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Betty Caruthers World War II Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Caruthers, Betty Description An account of the resource Betty Caruthers was interviewed at the Watkins Museum of History as part of the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. Caruthers talked about working for Sunflower Ordnance Works (Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant) and her time in the United States Organizations (USO) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, during the Second World War. She also discussed rationing, music, and leisure time during the war, and shared photographs of her uniforms. Caruthers was born on October 19, 1922, in Kansas. Following high school, she worked as a beauty operator. Her husband, Walter Caruthers, served in the Navy. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor and was on the USS Narwhal during the attack on December 7, 1941. Caruthers shared stories about her husband’s time in the Navy and their life together following the war. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource unknown Kansas State Historical Society Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lawrence (Kan.) 1922 - 1945 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource unknown Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP4 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Caruthers_Betty WWII Interview Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: <a href="https://archive.org/details/caruthers-betty-wwii-interview">https://archive.org/details/caruthers-betty-wwii-interview</a> The Watkins Museum of History also holds items related to this collection. Other resources for interviews with World War II veterans are available through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project: <a href="https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html">https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.htm</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society may also have interviews associated with this project. Researchers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for uses other than educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- United States. Kansas -- History. Lawrence (Kan.) -- Oral history. World War, 1939-1945 -- Women -- United States. Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack On, 1941. United Service Organizations (U.S.) Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/39fd71803e27fac2c1761400418b6e9e.pdf 4e8dd7da5fc05c2583489105a13651ff PDF Text Text 1 1 2 CITY OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS 3 4 LAWRENCE FAIR HOUSING ORDINANCE 5 50th ANNIVERSARY ORAL HISTORY PROJECT 6 7 8 9 10 11 Interview of Robert Casad 12 October 24, 2016 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 �2 1 MR. ARNOLD: Today is October 24th, 2016. I 2 am local historian Tom Arnold interviewing Dr. 3 Robert Casad in his apartment at Presbyterian 4 Manor in Lawrence, Kansas, for the City of 5 Lawrence Fair Housing Ordinance 50th Anniversary 6 Oral History Project. 7 At the time the ordinance passed in July, 8 1967, Dr. Casad was a law professor on the faculty 9 of the University of Kansas Law School in 10 11 Lawrence. Sir, to start off why don't you just tell me 12 a little bit about your background, you don't have 13 to go into too much detail and what you were doing 14 in Lawrence in the mid to late 1960s. 15 DR. CASAD: Well, I came here from law 16 practice in Minnesota to be on the faculty. I had 17 been at the University of Kansas as a student, got 18 my A.B. and M.A. here, and then went to Michigan 19 Law School and practiced law briefly in Minnesota, 20 and the opportunity to become a professor opened 21 up and I came down here. 22 come back to a place that I liked. 23 Kansan and have spent virtually all my life here. It was an opportunity to 24 What else would you -- 25 (14:35:43) I am a native �3 1 MR. ARNOLD: So by the mid 1960s you were 2 actually a professor teaching law at the law 3 school at K.U.? 4 DR. CASAD: 5 MR. ARNOLD: Yes. Okay, great. How would you 6 describe the city at that time, in the '50s and 7 '60s, and the racial environment and what forms of 8 discrimination were apparent? 9 DR. CASAD: Well, of course it was much 10 smaller, and as far as the racial environment, 11 there was segregation in movie theaters. 12 that had pretty much vanished by the late '60s. 13 That is something we accomplished in student 14 politics when we were students, we got them to at 15 least allow black people to attend movie theaters 16 that did not have balconies, and that was an 17 accomplishment then. Well, 18 But there was a swimming pool here in 19 Lawrence, and I believe it was a municipal 20 swimming pool, but when agitation began for racial 21 equality I believe they sold the swimming pool to 22 private enterprise so that they wouldn't be forced 23 to desegregate the swimming pool. 24 Ottawa had a swimming pool and Baldwin had a 25 public swimming pool, neither of which were At the time �4 1 segregated, but Lawrence was segregated. 2 I don't think the schools were technically 3 segregated, although virtually all of the black 4 students went to either Pinckney or Woodlawn or 5 New York School, grade schools. 6 know much about the junior highs. 7 think. 8 that time, just trying to think. 9 West and South and Central Junior Highs were I don't really I'm trying to I think there was only one junior high at Yes, I think 10 organized somewhat later, as I recall, but I'm not 11 positive about the dates. 12 already existing by 1960. 13 They may have been The high school was not segregated, although 14 seems to me that black students were discouraged 15 from participating in the athletic events because 16 I rarely saw them performing for Lawrence High. 17 The high school I went to in Wichita was not 18 segregated, although the grade schools in Wichita 19 were segregated up until the eighth grade and 20 after that -- no, up until the ninth grade. 21 that they, black students, went to the public high 22 schools, there were two then in Wichita, North and 23 East, but Lawrence was surprisingly very racially 24 segregated at that time. 25 You would think a city founded by the After �5 1 abolitionists would have been much more willing to 2 be in the forefront of desegregation, but Lawrence 3 wasn't, and there was great resistance to 4 ultimately building a public swimming pool for 5 that principal reason. 6 campaign to get a public swimming pool in 7 Lawrence. 8 (14:40:38) 9 MR. ARNOLD: We had to have a similar Right. The first protests 10 regarding the swimming pool were in 1960 and a 11 group that was involved with those protests, or at 12 least was advising the African-American groups who 13 were protesting, was the Lawrence League for the 14 Promotion of Democracy. 15 that organization? 16 justice activist league. 17 DR. CASAD: 18 MR. ARNOLD: 19 DR. CASAD: Were you involved with It was kind of a social No, I wasn't. Okay. My involvement was just my 20 personal beliefs and the fact that my wife was 21 actively involved in the Lawrence United Church 22 Women. 23 MR. ARNOLD: 24 DR. CASAD: 25 Right. And they were actively involved in trying to promote racial desegregation in �6 1 Lawrence. 2 (14:41:35) 3 MR. ARNOLD: Right. Now, you had mentioned 4 that most of the African-American students went 5 to, in elementary school, Woodlawn, which is in 6 North Lawrence, New York, which is in East 7 Lawrence, and then Pinckney, which serves parts of 8 the Pinckney neighborhood in Old West Lawrence, so 9 it was pretty evident in terms of segregation that 10 those were the areas -- 11 DR. CASAD: 12 MR. ARNOLD: 13 14 15 Yes, uh-huh. -- where the majority of African-Americans lived. DR. CASAD: Residential, there was de facto residential segregation. 16 (14:42:02) 17 MR. ARNOLD: Right. Now, to a significant 18 degree that segregation was sustained because of 19 real estate practices that real estate agents, if 20 an African-American came to town looking for 21 housing, even if they could afford to live 22 anywhere they would tend to steer them towards the 23 African-American neighborhoods. 24 something people were aware of at that time? 25 that kind of a -- Was that Was �7 1 DR. CASAD: Oh, I think they were, and in 2 fact in some parts of the city the, in fact in 3 West Hills, where we ultimately bought a house in 4 1968, there were racially restrictive clauses in 5 the covenants of the deeds. 6 them have covenants running with the land that 7 prevented the sale of that land to persons, I 8 think they even included Jews in there, that 9 people had to be white Christians in order to live The property, all of 10 in that neighborhood, and those, you know, later 11 developed areas, most of them did have racial 12 covenants in the properties, so I don't know how 13 many people who weren't actively involved were 14 aware of it but I certainly was, and it was 15 evident just from looking at the city where black 16 people had to live. 17 (14:44) 18 MR. ARNOLD: What would you say at that time 19 were the most obvious or known impediments to 20 bringing about change? 21 racial attitudes of a certain established group of 22 residents of the city or was it other factors, or 23 was it just kind of the national environment, that 24 Lawrence was just indicative of the nation? 25 DR. CASAD: Was it certain, just Well, I think Lawrence was �8 1 indicative of the nation. 2 probably a little bit advanced over a lot of 3 places, but I think it was the fear that real 4 estate prices would plummet if they allowed 5 African-Americans to live anywhere except in those 6 areas where they were already contaminated, and I 7 think that was probably one of the principal 8 forces behind the continued practice of race 9 segregation in everything. 10 If anything it was Businesses were afraid that they'd lose 11 customers if they opened their stores, and 12 restaurants especially, to black people, but I 13 don't know, I can't remember exactly how much of 14 that, of racial segregation continued in the 15 restaurants by that time. 16 but I'm not, I really am not certain when the 17 racial segregation in the restaurants was ended, 18 probably not until 1964, the Civil Rights Act. 19 (14:46:05) 20 MR. ARNOLD: Right. I think it probably did Well, some of it changed 21 to a degree in the late '50s after -- I don't know 22 whether you ever have heard of the story of Wilt 23 Chamberlain and four other African-American 24 athletes [actually three other athletes]. 25 DR. CASAD: Oh yes. �9 1 MR. ARNOLD: -- going to the chancellor and 2 saying, "If you don't get the restaurant owners 3 downtown to open their businesses up to us we're 4 gonna transfer out of K.U.," and -- 5 DR. CASAD: 6 MR. ARNOLD: Yes. -- some change was brought about 7 because of that, which shows you how much prestige 8 Wilt brought to the program, and -- 9 DR. CASAD: 10 MR. ARNOLD: 11 DR. CASAD: Yes. -- how that -I do remember that when a 12 basketball team would go and have dinner together 13 before games or something like that LaVannes 14 Squires, who was the first black athlete allowed 15 to participate on university varsity teams, was 16 not allowed to eat with the other team members and 17 Phog Allen himself required the owner of the 18 Jayhawk Cafe, which was where they liked to eat, 19 which is right down there on Ohio Street at 14th, 20 to permit LaVannes Squires to eat with the team. 21 Yes, I remember that. 22 though, I think. 23 (14:47:35) 24 MR. ARNOLD: 25 believe. That was in the '50s, Right, late '50s. '59, I �10 1 Now that's an example of how K.U. students 2 certainly had some influence in bringing about 3 change in the city, but what's also obvious when 4 you read about the history of the groups that were 5 advocating for change was the involvement of 6 people like yourselves, K.U. faculty members. 7 you find that to be the case, that many of your 8 colleagues, in addition to yourself, and their 9 spouses often were often interested in pursuing 10 change and supporting these organizations that 11 were advocating for social justice? 12 DR. CASAD: Did I think that, yes, members of the 13 faculty were generally sympathetic with 14 desegregation, but I don't remember how active 15 most of them were in that regard, but I'm sure 16 they voted for the measures that would tend to 17 desegregate the city whenever issues came up like 18 that. 19 I know the churches were actively involved in 20 helping to desegregate the city, to promote racial 21 equality. 22 what you were talking about, C-O-R-E? Committee on Racial Equality, is that 23 MR. ARNOLD: 24 DR. CASAD: 25 MR. ARNOLD: CORE was -Yes, yes. That's -- �11 1 DR. CASAD: 2 MR. ARNOLD: 3 DR. CASAD: 4 I remember that as a student. Right. I don't remember them involved in this. 5 (14:49:24) 6 MR. ARNOLD: Yes, many faculty members were 7 involved in things like, or their spouses, in 8 League of Women Voters, the Fair Housing 9 Coordinating Committee, the United Church Women, 10 but, as you say, in addition to the faculty 11 members and spouses the churches also I think you 12 often found being very heavily involved in some of 13 these types of organizations. 14 DR. CASAD: 15 (14:49:50) 16 MR. ARNOLD: Uh-huh. And then the other one that I 17 had mentioned earlier, the League for the 18 Promotion of Democracy, which was active from the 19 late '40s until about '64, also pursued those 20 types of issues and had quite a bit of faculty 21 involvement. 22 Would you say that, was there any, did you 23 ever sense any resentment on the part of long-time 24 residents of the city with faculty members wanting 25 to stir things up and bring about change, -- �12 1 DR. CASAD: 2 MR. ARNOLD: 3 4 Oh yes. -- did you ever sense that? And how would you describe kind of -DR. CASAD: I think there was always some 5 tension between the town and gown that -- and I 6 don't know, I can't put my finger on specific 7 instances that would give me that feeling but I 8 tended to get the idea that people in the city 9 resented these outsiders coming in and trying to 10 change their community, and I think the 11 Journal-World wasn't especially sympathetic to the 12 changes, although, as I recall, they were never, 13 they never actively attempted to oppose it. 14 As example of our -- I was, I was invited to 15 write this article here, and I don't remember if 16 it was by the Journal-World or whether the 17 Journal-World invited the Committee on Fair 18 Housing to submit some kind of an article and they 19 designated me to do it, I can't remember the 20 circumstances. 21 (14:51:50) 22 MR. ARNOLD: Right. Yes, there were actually 23 seven articles that were published in a series in 24 February of 1967. 25 obviously, and there were six others that were You authored one of them, �13 1 either authored by specific individuals or 2 authorship wasn't attributed but all kind of in 3 favor, examining different aspects of the fair 4 housing issue and arguing in favor. 5 to ask you if you recall how that -- 6 DR. CASAD: 7 MR. ARNOLD: I was going Who were the other -One was a sociology professor, I 8 don't have the names with me, but I think three of 9 them were professors in addition to yourself, but 10 it appeared they were all members of the Fair 11 Housing Coordinating Committee, so it looked as if 12 it was something that the committee had decided to 13 put a series of articles together to kind of, as 14 sort of a side track while the Human Relations 15 Commission was crafting the ordinance to -- 16 DR. CASAD: 17 (14:52:49) 18 MR. ARNOLD: Uh-huh. And I'm wondering if you recall 19 what the intended target audience of those 20 articles was? 21 Was it just to hopefully try and -- DR. CASAD: Just the community at large, I 22 guess, to make sure they understood the issues. 23 It's not somebody trying to stir up their, trouble 24 for them. 25 if you happened to be black and were trying to There was a lot of trouble here already �14 1 eliminate or alleviate some of that. 2 (14:53:21) 3 MR. ARNOLD: Right. Do you recall also in 4 the same time frame the Fair Housing Coordinating 5 Committee also pursued a signature campaign and 6 they got over a thousand people in Lawrence to 7 sign a pledge that they supported fair housing? 8 DR. CASAD: 9 MR. ARNOLD: I don't remember that. Okay. It was actually in, the 10 city has actually mapped out the location because 11 everyone, it was published in the Journal-World 12 and everybody also provided their address and the 13 city actually found very broad-based support when 14 you looked at where all these people lived, 15 including many, many of them in all-white 16 neighborhoods, -- 17 DR. CASAD: 18 MR. ARNOLD: Uh-huh. -- so it was pretty obvious that 19 a fair number of citizens of Lawrence had no 20 qualms about having African-American families 21 living in their neighborhoods. 22 Do you think that, do you have the sense that 23 there was fairly broad-based support in the 24 community for fair housing? 25 DR. CASAD: I don't really have much sense �15 1 for that. I think it was something that we -- 2 (Phone ringing) 3 Some robo call. 4 We didn't feel a lot of support from anybody 5 other than those that were actively involved in 6 it, but I didn't see any organized opposition 7 except to the extent that the realtors perhaps 8 were sub rosa an organized group that opposed it. 9 (14:55:04) 10 MR. ARNOLD: Right, yes. Do you recall how 11 the Fair Housing Coordinating Committee came 12 about? 13 organization of a number of different [groups]. 14 Were you involved at all in their [activities] and 15 who decided we need this coordinating committee to 16 pursue fair housing? 17 DR. CASAD: I know it was kind of an umbrella I have a feeling that I was but I 18 don't remember that, that I was -- I don't know in 19 what capacity. 20 that committee. 21 willing to do the work. I'm not even sure that I was on 22 (14:55:51) 23 MR. ARNOLD: I just was involved because I was I think you and your wife 24 attended a number of the, well, the Human 25 Relations Commission meetings, along with many �16 1 other members of the Fair Housing Coordinating 2 Committee. 3 Dulin, who was in charge of the committee? 4 the youth pastor [of Plymouth Congregational 5 Church]. 6 7 Do you remember Reverend Richard DR. CASAD: The name I remember. He was I don't have a recollection of the person. 8 (14:56:13). 9 MR. ARNOLD: Okay. I was just curious. Your 10 wife I know was involved with United Church Women 11 and the Lawrence League of Women Voters and they 12 both were organizations that were concerned about 13 fair housing. 14 DR. CASAD: 15 MR. ARNOLD: Uh-huh. Was she there representing them 16 at these meetings or was she really there on an 17 individual basis? 18 19 DR. CASAD: No, I think she may have had some official capacity. 20 MR. ARNOLD: 21 DR. CASAD: 22 (14:56:43) 23 MR. ARNOLD: Okay. I'm not positive but -- Right. And what got both of you 24 interested in getting involved in support of this 25 issue? Any particular concerns or -- �17 1 2 DR. CASAD: Yes, just our personal beliefs, I think. 3 (14:57) 4 MR. ARNOLD: Okay. Was there a sense among 5 the groups that were supporting this that the 6 ordinance could make a real difference? 7 DR. CASAD: Well, we hoped it could. There 8 was also a feeling that how are you going to 9 enforce this? How are you going to enforce it? 10 And the enforceability was a matter that people 11 were concerned about because they didn't want to 12 have to use strongarm methods if they didn't have 13 to and so that was a factor people were worried 14 about, but -- and if you're not going to enforce 15 it what good is it? 16 that kind of discussion. 17 (14:57:51) 18 MR. ARNOLD: You know, that, there was I think a year before the Fair 19 Housing Coordinating Committee brought the 20 proposal for a city ordinance up to the Lawrence 21 Human Relations Commission the State of Kansas had 22 considered a fair housing law but it had not 23 passed. 24 to the City Council the disappointment in the fact 25 that the State had not taken up the issue? Was part of the motivation in pushing it �18 1 DR. CASAD: 2 (14:58:16) 3 MR. ARNOLD: I don't recall that. Okay. Do you remember off the 4 top of your head any particular other individuals 5 who you remember working with that played kind of 6 an important role in pushing the issue forward and 7 drafting the ordinance? 8 9 DR. CASAD: Well, the only people I recall specifically were Ann Moore and her husband, Tom 10 Moore, and Fred Six, and those are the ones that I 11 worked -- I worked with Fred basically, he's the 12 only one I really recalled, because my role was in 13 drafting the ordinance and I probably, I collected 14 sample ordinances from other towns, university 15 towns and other towns that had them to use as 16 guidelines to draft the local ordinance here and I 17 think I may have been one of, if not the 18 principal, one of the principal writers who 19 prepared it. 20 think before the council because he was very well 21 known in the community. 22 well known and respected and he himself was an up 23 and coming practicing lawyer so he was the one to 24 promote it certainly, and he did. 25 Fred was the one who promoted it I (15:00:32) His parents were very �19 1 MR. ARNOLD: But I know you all used for kind 2 of your primary model the Iowa City, Iowa, 3 ordinance. 4 Do you recall why? DR. CASAD: I don't recall why except that we 5 may have thought that was closest to the situation 6 that we found ourselves in here. 7 (15:00:51) 8 MR. ARNOLD: 9 10 It sounds as if you intentionally targeted university towns, thinking there would be the closest similarity? 11 DR. CASAD: 12 MR. ARNOLD: 13 DR. CASAD: I think we did. All right. But I think there were some other 14 towns involved, but not just the university towns, 15 but I don't remember exactly what all we did. 16 (15:01:10. 17 MR. ARNOLD: Right. Did you all have a sense 18 when you, when the coordinating committee made the 19 proposal to the Human Relations Commission and 20 then they took it up and the ordinance was drafted 21 did you have a degree of confidence that this 22 would be passed by the City Commission? 23 think they'd be receptive to it? 24 25 DR. CASAD: Did you I thought so by that time. I think there was enough feeling of receptivity �20 1 somewhere along the line and I thought in the 2 hands of Fred, that it would, he could convince 3 them. 4 (15:01:48) 5 MR. ARNOLD: Did you think that it would sell 6 primarily on the legal arguments or do you think 7 that moral arguments would sway them or some 8 combination? 9 DR. CASAD: Well, I -- 10 MR. ARNOLD: Or the kind of arguments you 11 even made in your article, which is if we want to 12 alleviate poverty and other social problems among 13 African-Americans housing is one area that's a key 14 to that? 15 DR. CASAD: 16 started there. 17 something. Well, let's go back to where you I was about to respond to 18 MR. ARNOLD: 19 DR. CASAD: Okay, the legal or moral? Yes. I think we felt that if it 20 were emphasized that this is not a legitimate 21 basis for discriminating in residential housing, 22 that the other issues would fall into place. 23 moral would follow along. 24 (15:03:04) 25 MR. ARNOLD: The Did you have a sense that, in �21 1 addition to feeling that the City Commission would 2 be receptive did you have a sense, again, that the 3 community would be receptive to this, other than 4 obviously the real estate agents, who had a vested 5 interest? 6 DR. CASAD: Well, I had, I guess I had some 7 doubts as to how enthusiastic the community would 8 be but once we got it on the books they were, I 9 thought it was, it worked fairly successfully. 10 (15:03:44) 11 MR. ARNOLD: Now why do you think fair 12 housing was an issue that a number of groups kind 13 of coalesced around and felt like that was a topic 14 that should be pushed forward and an ordinance put 15 in place to try -- 16 DR. CASAD: Well, it was, nationally that was 17 a, there was a great deal of emphasis on that. 18 There had been some Supreme Court decisions that 19 made it clear that that was not a legitimate basis 20 for segregating people and that the, we felt that 21 the ordinances would be upheld in the courts, but 22 you had to have an ordinance. 23 (15:04:38) 24 MR. ARNOLD: 25 Right. Were you involved at all in efforts at the state level to push through a �22 1 state, similar state law, which I don't think 2 passed until 1969, but did you get involved in 3 that? 4 5 DR. CASAD: I don't recall being involved in that. 6 (15:04:49) 7 MR. ARNOLD: Okay. Do you remember at the 8 time when the ordinance went before the City 9 Commission and first the proponents made their 10 case and then the opponents argued against it, 11 which, as you've already pointed out, was really 12 only the real estate agents, do you remember what 13 the substance of their argument against it was? 14 15 DR. CASAD: No, I don't have any specific recollection. 16 MR. ARNOLD: 17 DR. CASAD: Okay. I can assume what their argument 18 was but I don't specifically remember what they 19 said. 20 (15:05:24) 21 MR. ARNOLD: Right. In addition to the legal 22 argument in favor of that you've already talked 23 about I know a number of people also appeared 24 before the City Commission, African-Americans like 25 Jesse Milan, who had been a victim of housing �23 1 discrimination. 2 DR. CASAD: 3 MR. ARNOLD: 4 Uh-huh. Do you think their presence was important in reinforcing -- 5 DR. CASAD: 6 MR. ARNOLD: 7 DR. CASAD: Oh, I think so. Okay. Jesse was well, well received in 8 the community and people knew he was not anyone to 9 fear. 10 Yes, his participation I thought was very important. 11 MR. ARNOLD: 12 DR. CASAD: 13 Good. I don't remember who else but there were others. 14 (15:06:17) 15 MR. ARNOLD: Two other things that may have 16 helped sway the commission. The vice chancellor, 17 James Surface, wrote a letter to the City 18 Commission in support of the ordinance, arguing 19 that it fully conformed with university housing 20 policy, and then also the basketball coach, Ted 21 Owens, wrote a letter and said that he fully 22 supported it and kind of gave as an argument in 23 favor of it, you know, when he goes out to recruit 24 athletes, and particularly African-American 25 athletes, he often makes the case to their parents �24 1 that Lawrence is a town that they would want their 2 son to live in and play sports in and so he felt 3 that this was a strong reflection on the, you 4 know, reputation of the town. 5 you think the City Commission would have been 6 swayed by kind of those university positions? 7 DR. CASAD: To what extent do Well, I think they were because 8 they were well stated and certainly people like 9 Ted Owens was, the community certainly wants to 10 have a good basketball team and at that time I 11 remember there was a, I remember there was about 12 that time a reaction against, by some of the most, 13 you know, ardent segregationists that they ought 14 to change the name of the Jayhawks to the Black 15 Hawks because we're getting too many negroes on 16 the basketball team, but of course they were the 17 only ones who were any good and so that helped to 18 break down the attitudes in the community of 19 people that just didn't like black people. 20 (15:08:20) 21 MR. ARNOLD: Right. And Fred Six told me 22 when I interviewed him that he thought that the 23 fact that Lawrence was a university town and the 24 university's influence, you know, attracting 25 diverse groups of professors from different areas �25 1 and different backgrounds, as well as a diverse 2 student body, certainly helped change town 3 attitudes and made it, helped to make it possible 4 for things like the Fair Housing Ordinance to pass 5 do you think that's -- 6 DR. CASAD: 7 (15:08:54) 8 MR. ARNOLD: 9 July of '67. I think that's accurate. The ordinance finally passed in Later that year the bond issue to 10 build a municipal swimming pool finally passed 11 after a couple of unsuccessful efforts. 12 recall any advocacy for that that you or 13 colleagues of yours were involved in to push for 14 -- because I understand it was a pretty close vote 15 that time it finally passed. 16 DR. CASAD: Do you I know my wife was involved in it 17 and I know our own personal -- we took our 18 children to Baldwin mainly to go swimming. 19 were neighborhood swimming pools around in various 20 neighborhoods and some of them were not segregated 21 but the public pool, to the extent that the 22 Jayhawk Plunge was the public pool, everybody 23 assumed it was, it was segregated and we wouldn't 24 go there and support it, but I'm sure my wife was 25 somehow involved in that promoting the swimming There �26 1 pool ordinance, but I don't remember myself being 2 actively involved in it. 3 (15:10:29) 4 MR. ARNOLD: Okay. So those two issues were 5 addressed, and obviously fair housing certainly 6 didn't bring about change overnight, but a couple 7 years later, in 1969, then continuing into 1970, 8 there was quite a bit of unrest in the town and on 9 campus, some of it related to the war in Vietnam 10 but also some of it related to racial injustices. 11 Did you have, or can you share any of your 12 perspectives on that violent two-year period and 13 what things were like in town and what you think 14 triggered that level of violence? 15 DR. CASAD: The worst period was '69 and '70 16 and that year I was on leave at UCLA and things 17 were just as bad at UCLA. 18 Angela Davis was on the faculty and did a great 19 deal of agitation that made a lot of people angry, 20 so we had issues of that nature even at UCLA, but 21 I understand that year there was fire in the Union 22 building and one of the local cops shot a black 23 student, killed him, and so there was a lot of, 24 lot more ill feeling I guess here because it was 25 more concentrated than where we were in west L.A. That was the year that �27 1 When I came back I remember I was, I ran for 2 judge, for the district judge. When Judge Frank 3 Gray retired there was no incumbent in the 4 position and I -- at that time we ran as party 5 nominees, that was before the judicial reform, and 6 I guess I was the last person to run as a Democrat 7 for a judgeship in this district and this was an 8 issue people were interested in, and I would have 9 to say that I believe that I carried the city of 10 Lawrence narrowly but in the whole district my 11 opponent, Jim Paddock, was, he was out, he got, 12 outvoted me for, by a large majority and so I was 13 not elected, but it was a -- I did make that 14 attempt to assert myself as a person in the 15 community instead of just a professor. 16 (15:13:58) 17 MR. ARNOLD: Right. Were you involved, other 18 than your involvement in the fair housing 19 committee and in assisting to push that ordinance 20 through were you involved in any other community 21 groups that were pushing for various types of 22 change that you remember? 23 DR. CASAD: I know I was on the traffic 24 commission but there were no particular issues of 25 social nature involved there, it was just �28 1 2 controlling the traffic flow. I don't recall being involved in other civic 3 issues until -- well, I guess -- I don't -- I just 4 don't remember any. 5 defeated for the judgeship I decided I'm going to 6 have to be a professor and settle down and do what 7 I can here and so from then on I was more 8 concerned about promoting my career, I guess, than 9 promoting other issues in the community. 10 (15:15:18) 11 MR. ARNOLD: I became -- after I was During the 1960s obviously 12 nationally and down to the local level a number of 13 laws were passed, from the Civil Rights Act to the 14 Fair Housing Ordinance in Lawrence, that made a 15 number of different forms of discrimination 16 illegal, but obviously in addition to putting 17 those laws in place changing attitudes among the 18 public in general is equally important. 19 see, oh, from the 1970s on in your many years 20 living here in Lawrence a fairly rapid change, a 21 slow change? 22 towards racial relations, towards discrimination, 23 evolved over the years? 24 25 Did you How do you think that attitudes DR. CASAD: Well, I think the national, legislation at the national level promoted it �29 1 nationwide and that in turn was reflected in, 2 probably within 10 years there was quite a bit of 3 change here in the community, and by 1970 I'd say 4 it was much better in terms of the relations 5 between the blacks and whites. 6 Segregation was largely eliminated, official 7 segregation, and so on. 8 basically, though, it was a reflection of action 9 at the national level. 10 (15:17:12) 11 MR. ARNOLD: I don't know, I think it Did you feel like you could look 12 back later, reflect back on the passage of the 13 Fair Housing Ordinance here and see that it 14 brought about changes in Lawrence, at least over 15 time? 16 17 DR. CASAD: Well, I don't know, I can't put my finger on cause and effect -- 18 MR. ARNOLD: 19 DR. CASAD: Right. -- but from that time things 20 began to improve in terms of racial relations 21 fairly rapidly. 22 (15:17:50) 23 MR. ARNOLD: In reflecting back on that 24 period and the role you played in bringing about 25 the Fair Housing Ordinance, bringing it to �30 1 fruition, what would you say you were most proud 2 of in terms of the role you played? 3 DR. CASAD: Well, I guess that's about the 4 only one that I did play much of an active role in 5 is the ordinance, that ordinance, and I do, I did, 6 I think a large part of the drafting was done by 7 me to get the materials together and decide on 8 what should go in it. 9 great length, but I guess that would be my major I discussed it with Fred at 10 achievement would be the drafting of that 11 ordinance. 12 (15:18:49) 13 MR. ARNOLD: Okay. Kind of reflecting back 14 in that period of your life and your involvement 15 in that and kind of your observation, if you were 16 going to talk to a group of young people today 17 about how to bring about change what kind of 18 advice would you give them in terms of, you know, 19 looking at how change came about in different ways 20 in the 1960s, which was a very activist period, 21 what advice would you give them if they were 22 seeking to bring about change today? 23 DR. CASAD: Well, I certainly was never as 24 sympathetic with violent demonstrations and I 25 really don't, I would not advise people to do �31 1 that. 2 without it, but I don't know how effective this 3 would have been if there hadn't been some 4 agitation elsewhere in the country in the '60s 5 that did involve some active, well, some coercive 6 measures, like sit-ins and things like that. 7 I don't know how effective you can be I always felt that if we can state the 8 arguments clearly enough, then we'll have to 9 depend on people's conscience, and I guess we 10 stated them clearly enough in this case without -- 11 we didn't have to do any sit-ins or blocking 12 anything. 13 (15:20:58) 14 MR. ARNOLD: Do you think -- and I think 15 you're absolutely right, I think this is a great 16 example of where a group of concerned citizens and 17 citizens groups came together, identified an issue 18 that they felt strongly about and made a very 19 strong case for it and succeeded. 20 like timing helped you out because of what was 21 going on both in the city and nationally, if you 22 had tried it three years earlier it might not have 23 gone through? 24 25 DR. CASAD: Do you feel Well, this did not happen -- it stretched over several years, as I recall. �32 1 MR. ARNOLD: 2 DR. CASAD: Right, yes. It wasn't overnight. I don't 3 remember exactly when we started on that but I 4 have a feeling it was around '64 or '5. 5 6 7 8 MR. ARNOLD: I think '64, you're right, was when I think that committee formed. DR. CASAD: Yes. So it took three or four years actually before it ever came to fruition. 9 (15:22:04) 10 MR. ARNOLD: 11 end of my questions. 12 you'd like to share or anything I didn't ask that 13 you wanted to talk about? 14 DR. CASAD: Well, sir, I have come to the Are there any other thoughts Oh, I think you've covered it 15 pretty well. I really don't have that much 16 personal recollection, you know, it was just, I 17 just remember working on this ordinance and doing 18 a few things to promote it, but other than that I 19 didn't really do much. 20 MR. ARNOLD: Well, I think you played a very 21 important role and the arguments you set forth in 22 the article you wrote that obviously helped sway 23 the public, because, interestingly, there was not 24 -- there were a couple of letters to the editor 25 after it passed but very little outward public �33 1 opposition, other than the arguments that the real 2 estate agents made, and even then only two of them 3 showed up to state their opposition to it, so I 4 think you all made a very good case and wrote a 5 very good ordinance. 6 7 So if you don't have anything else I'm finished. I appreciate your time. 8 DR. CASAD: 9 MR. ARNOLD: 10 DR. CASAD: 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Okay. Thank you so much. Well, thank you. ***** � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource City of Lawrence Fair Housing Ordinance 50th Anniversary Oral History Project Subject The topic of the resource Discrimination in housing -- Kansas -- Lawrence -- History African Americans -- Segregation -- Kansas -- Lawrence -- History Lawrence (Kan.) -- Race relations -- History Description An account of the resource On July 18, 1967, Lawrence mayor Richard Raney signed into law Ordinance 3749, which provided fair housing protections to the citizens of Lawrence and predated the passage of the federal fair housing ordinance by almost a year. The purpose of this oral history project, sponsored by the City of Lawrence to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ordinance, is to document and capture the memories, roles and issues surrounding the passage of Ordinance 3749. In May 1961 the Lawrence City Commission established an interracial Lawrence Human Relations Commission (LHRC) to “further amicable [race] relations” and “investigate…practices of discrimination” within the city. Separately, in 1964 various community organizations, including the NAACP and church groups, formed the Lawrence Fair Housing Coordinating Committee (LFHCC). Working together, the LHRC and the LFHCC submitted a proposed fair housing ordinance to the Lawrence City Commission in April 1967 seeking to address discriminatory practices in the sale and rental of homes in the city that effectively perpetuated patterns of racial segregation. Although strongly opposed by the Lawrence Real Estate Board representing local agents, the Fair Housing Ordinance passed the city commission on July 18, 1967. As its stated purpose the ordinance aimed “to provide for the general welfare of the citizens of Lawrence by declaring discriminatory practices in the rental, leasing, sale, financing or showing and advertising of dwelling units, commercial units or real property to be against public policy, and to provide for enforcement thereof.” Approval of Lawrence’s Fair Housing Ordinance predated the signing of the Federal Fair Housing Act by nine months and preceded passage of the Kansas Fair Housing Act by nearly three years. This landmark piece of civic legislation, promoted by a diverse group of concerned residents of a university town that viewed itself as an example of American values to outsiders, including foreign students, and aspired to embody the ideals of its Free-State legacy, addressed discriminatory practices in housing, providing means for victims to seek redress and imposing penalties on violators. The origins, development and importance of this citizen-inspired movement warrants examination and interpretation as the city approaches the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Ordinance of 1967. Interviews for this project were conducted by Thomas Arnold in the summer and fall of 2016. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available City of Lawrence (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016 Relation A related resource Click <a href="https://soundcloud.com/lawrenceksaudio/sets/50-years-of-fair-housing-in">here</a> to access the audio recordings of the interviews in this collection. A selection of the interviews were also recorded on video. Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzt8e_efB6wWS-BHMpGWKW46fyHPtfKPZ">here</a> to access the video recordings of the interviews in this collection. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Arnold, Tom Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Casad, Robert Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 0:49:00 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview of Robert Casad Subject The topic of the resource Discrimination in housing -- Kansas -- Lawrence -- History Segregation -- Kansas -- Lawrence -- History Lawrence (Kan.) -- Race relations -- History Ordinance 3749 (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource Oral history interview with Dr. Robert Casad, who was a law professor at the University of Kansas in the 1960s and who was involved in drafting the Fair Housing Ordinance that passed into law in Lawrence, Kansas in July 1967. This interview was conducted by Tom Arnold on October 24, 2016, as part of the Lawrence Fair Housing Ordinance 50th Anniversary Oral History Project. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Casad, Robert Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lawrence Fair Housing Ordinance 50th Anniversary Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available City of Lawrence, Human Relations Division (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 10/24/2016 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Arnold, Tom Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. The public may freely copy, modify, and share this Item for noncommercial purposes if they include the original source information. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Relation A related resource Click <a href="https://soundcloud.com/lawrenceksaudio/robert_casad_24oct2016?in=lawrenceksaudio/sets/50-years-of-fair-housing-in">here</a> to listen to the audio recording of this interview. The Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas is the official repository for this collection of oral histories. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CasadInterview102416.pdf (transcript) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lawrence (Kan.) 1950s - 1967 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/c2ee7eab14b723bf97f20457e5941657.pdf 40697c39edc1f3434040895f684c6731 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Douglas County Genealogical Society Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) -- Genealogy Douglas County (Kan.) -- History Description An account of the resource This collection is comprised of the publications of the Douglas County Genealogical Society, including issues of The Pioneer (the quarterly newsletter of the Society) as well as directories, various indexes compiled by members of the Society, and other resources of interest to genealogists and researchers studying the history of Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Douglas County Genealogical Society (Lawrence, Kan.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1977 - 2013 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Name Index to The Pioneer, Vol. 1, Nos. 1-4 Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) -- Genealogy Douglas County (Kan.) -- History Douglas County Genealogical Society (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource An index of names included in the Volume 1 issues of The Pioneer, the quarterly newsletter of the Douglas County Genealogical Society in Douglas County, Kansas. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Chapman, Beverley J. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Douglas County Genealogical Society (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1978 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Shogrin, Donna Douglas County Genealogical Society Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright, Douglas County Genealogical Society Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PIONEER_NAMEINDEX_VOL1_1977-1978 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) 1977 - 1978 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/6aa82bd50e61e0e4764d3bf18bb1b8f3.pdf 4081ad5c7304f0e0d64e7d80298f503b PDF Text Text Interview with Carlos Chavez Interviewer: Emily Raymond Date of Interview: March 9, 2021 Length of Interview: 36:43 Location of Interview: Recorded over telephone Transcription Completion Date: March 14, 2021 Transcriptionist: Emily Raymond Carlos Chavez (Interviewee): Like, uh, this is, like, from the mid-‘50s to early ‘60s. So, uh, we used to have, uh, some KU students who would come to all of our neighborhood houses at Christmastime, and they used to take us, uh, to some building at KU, on a horse-pulling wagon, and we sat on bales of hay, and uh, we would sing Christmas carols. And then we got to this big building, uh, where they took us to, and they would have snacks, and they had a gift for each one of us with our names on it under this huge tree. And, uh, then they would bring us back after we celebrated a little bit, which was different. And they always gave us toys, not like we got at home, just clothes [laughs]. Emily Raymond (Interviewer): That’s sweet. I hadn’t heard anyone tell me about that before. CC: Really? ER: Nope. CC: Yeah. And, you know, we see our neighbors that we grew up with and played with all the time, going too, ‘cause, you know, I guess we were all poor in that neighborhood. Uh, and then sometimes I’d go with my mom pulling a wagon with jars and a bag of vegetables. And we went to 9th and New York Street. And there’s a church basement there, we would go down, and I didn’t know, I can’t remember the name of that church. It’s still there. Where, uh, she and other ladies were canning vegetables. And it was real hot in there, and I know I’d meet a couple of my buddies there, and we’d play outside, around the churchyard, while they were down there canning. But, um…and then during the summer, at New York School, uh, they had a summer playground for us, from ages to, like, about 10 to 17-year-olds. And from around the neighborhood. ER: Oh, okay. CC: And they played games like, uh, they had, like, checkers and caroms, Ping-Pong, box hockey, and then all sports to play catch with. You know, they had balls and gloves and stuff. And you had to sign in and sign out, so you couldn’t leave without signing out, so they would have an idea of who all was there. ER: Sure. CC: But, uh, and then, some of the home games that we played, you know, at our houses in the neighborhood, were, like, “Rover, Red Rover,” and “Truth, Dare, Promise or Repeat.” And we’d play ditch-‘em – that was mostly the guys on bikes. �ER: “Ditch-‘em?” CC: Ditch-‘em, yeah, it’s on bicycles, you have two teams and you just drive all around the back of the neighborhood and stuff and, uh, try and catch up with ‘em. When you catch up with somebody, you tag ‘em, you know, then they’re out. Just eliminating people. ER: Oh, okay. I gotcha. CC: Yeah. And then we had, like, spear fights with those cornstalks back behind the buildings [ER laughs]. But you couldn’t have dirt clods on ‘em, so, that was illegal. ER: Oh. I – okay, you got rules for – CC: Oh, yeah. And our favorite game was “rubbers.” And this, you probably don’t know what that is, but that’s when we used to have, uh, old inner tubes, ‘cause we had a lot of flats over there, with all the glass and stuff. ER: Right. CC: And you’d get an old inner tube and you’d cut up rings. And then you tie ‘em together, and it was, like, you could have four to five rings, and then each one got five of those. And then you had teams, and of course you chased each other, shooting somebody. And then you can’t shoot in the face. And, uh, you eliminated people that way. So, that was a game we all really liked to play. And then, of course, we – some of us were by ourselves or something, we’d just, uh, we’d go down to the dump and, uh, look around there, and you could catch tadpoles in a puddle that was by the waste plant. I don’t understand how there was always, uh, tadpoles there. Now that I’m grown, I don’t understand it. ER: I don’t either. CC: And then we’d play in the sand piles over by the Santa Fe depot, and we’d catch lizards there. There was a lot of lizards. They were real fast. ER: Oh, ‘cause they like – they like the hot, arid environments with the sand. CC: Right. Right. Or we’d just play in the woods, you know, a lot of wooded area there. Or go swimming in the river, you know, ‘cause of course, the pools were off-limits for us, so… ER: The pools were off-limits? CC: Yeah, there was a sign: “Whites Only,” there. And so, we would just go down by the river, but it was usually with older guys, and they would talk us into coming in, but, you know, it’s just more or less wading in the water. None of us really knew how to swim. All I knew how to do was dog-paddle. �ER: That must have been dangerous. CC: It was dangerous. Of course, we didn’t know it at the time. ER: No, of course. CC: The older ones would tell us, you know, you have to stay close to the shore and stuff. But, uh…and another favorite thing was, uh, they butchered across the street, and we’d go down there and watch ‘em butcher cows and pigs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But there was a real small ledge that you had to drop down into and see a small – through a small window. And it was a tight fit, and we’d have to take turns climbing in and out, so everybody could watch ‘em butcher, but yeah, I got to know how they butchered each one of those animals. ER: Goodness. CC: Yeah. ‘Course, in the inside, you know, like in wintertime and stuff, you know, one thing we hated was our phone was on a party line. ‘Course, that didn’t bother me until I was later in my teens, but [ER laughs]. Yeah. ER: That – that makes sense. CC: Everybody listening in on your conversations. But, uh, then when we were littler, I had an older brother than came in from Kansas City. And on Saturdays, and then he would let us watch this shock show, with Gregory Graves. I don’t know if you know anything about that. It was just shows like The Mummy and Frankenstein movies and stuff. ER: Oh, okay. CC: It was usually at about [9:30?] at night. And, uh, we’d watch that, and of course my mom would always be at the back room with my littlest brother; he was a baby. And we had an outhouse, and the girls were always afraid to go out there, so I always had to go out there with ‘em and stand out there [laughs]. It was weird because they were scared too, because there was, uh, a place called the Tampico, which was a bar, it was just – uh, not next door, but the door after that. ER: Okay. CC: And there was always a lot of, you know, drunk guys walking around out there and stuff. You could hear ‘em laughing and hollering and stuff. ER: Oh. Alright. CC: Yeah. And then, uh, I was gonna tell you about a – a kind of a work history that you wouldn’t see today, and that’s when I was seven years old, I started selling newspapers. But they were just walking up and down Massachusetts. And I only had, like, four blocks that I could be on, and that was on the west side of the street. And I would sell the Journal-World paper going �up and down Massachusetts Street, and, uh, they were seven cents a paper. They gave us ten [papers] to start off with. ER: Seven cents. My gosh. CC: Yeah. ER: You wouldn’t get that today. CC: No, no. And the Kansas-City Star right now about the cheap price. But, uh, if they gave you a dime, sometimes they would say, “Keep the change,” and we got to keep it ourselves. I can’t remember if they even paid us for that, but I know we always had the – the three cents if they gave you a dime. I would even ask, you know, if I could keep the change. ER: Oh. That’s cute. CC: The one thing I always did was, I was – I stayed close by this, uh, it was a midget named Leo. And he rode a small cart, selling things, you know, I’m sure that’s even in the papers and stuff, about him and his history. And, uh, ‘cause he attracted a lot of people, so it helped me sell more papers. ER: I never heard about Leo. No one ever told me about him. CC: Really? Oh, yeah, you can look that up, ‘cause he was real popular in, you know, he wore glasses, and he wore, like, an engineer cap, you know, train engineer cap. ER: Oh. CC: And, uh, I could just picture him right now, too. But when I was ten, I was selling peanuts at KU football stadium, and Gale Sayers was playing there at that time. So I – I got to see him play, but I didn’t ever meet him. And then at twelve and thirteen, it was funny because, uh, at twelve I was working on a farm for Paul [name?] across from Garrett’s Market in North Lawrence. ER: Okay. CC: And they would leave me there in a field of soybeans, just to pull weeds. And I’d be there by myself, and that’s, you know, at twelve years old. And at thirteen, I went to, uh, Hemphill’s farm, which was also in North Lawrence, and that was, uh, uh, baling hay. And both those jobs, I never even tried to get – my mom, somehow, talked to somebody and told me: “Hey, you’re gonna go with this guy, he’s gonna pick you up,” you know, so he was a stranger to me. ER: Oh, my goodness. CC: Yeah, by myself out there, you know, in these fields. It was really different. And you wouldn’t see that today. �ER: No. Now you have to fill out paperwork – well, and then kids can’t even work, you know, under a certain age. CC: Right. ER: Goodness. So, did you get to keep the money that you earned, or did you give it to your family to kind of help out with expenses, or…? CC: No, no, I had to help give it to my mom, other than that. And, uh, in fact when I was making money then, I would go downtown. I don’t know if you remember, they used to be open until 8:30 on Thursdays. And I would always go up town and buy her something and bring it back, and sometimes I’d get me, like, a shirt, maybe, or something. ER: What would you get her? CC: Oh, cooking stuff. I mean, kitchen stuff, you know, like that. Spoons and stuff, you know, she always – I always saw pans that were old, I would see, but of course she liked using her own, but – ER: That’s sweet. CC: To me, I thought she would – yeah [laughs]. And, uh, and then after that, at fourteen I was a custodian at a community building. And at fifteen I was – I worked at the sirloin stockade in Lawrence. And, uh, but I got some funny stories about disciplinary times. When I – ER: I’d like to hear about those. CC: Yeah, when I was real little, I used to think that my older brothers and sisters – they lived out of town – were my aunts and uncles, ‘cause, you know, they were a lot older than I was. ER: Oh, okay. CC: I don’t even remember them being at the house or, you know, anything. And so, one day my oldest brother came to visit, and asked if we – I wanted to go to the dump with him. Of course I did, yeah. And he started gathering all these broken parts of bikes and stuff, and I thought: “Wow,” and he was putting ‘em in his station wagon. Well, when he took me home, he just dropped me off and left. And I was telling my mom I didn’t like him anymore, because, you know, he stoled our toys. She said: “What do you mean he stoled your toys?” I said: “From the dump, and took them. They, you know, those were ours.” And she didn’t see it that way, ‘cause he was gonna take ‘em to his own kids and fix’ em up. ER: Oh, I see. CC: Yeah. And I didn’t know anything about that. I just thought he was gonna bring ‘em to our house, and fix ‘em up. �ER: Oh, no. CC: But…and then when I was ten years old, we used to go around to different gardens. They had gardens everywhere around there. And, uh, I used to carry around a salt shaker. You know, I’d put wax paper under the lid and screw it down. Those old glass ones. ER: Yeah. CC: And carry it around. And, uh, so one time I stopped at a garden, and, uh, was filling up on tomatoes, and I fell asleep. And I was laying there, and my belly was full, and then I was awakened by this older woman. She was a small woman, but she – shadowed over me and blocked out the sun [laughs] in a loud voice, that I didn’t understand what she was saying. She grabbed me by the ear and – and walked me down the alley where my dad was out there burning trash. And she spoke to him in Spanish, and it sounded pretty dramatic, anyway. He pulled me in the yard and gave me a boot in the rear [laughs] and then – ER: Oh, my gosh. CC: Up to the house where my mom was already waiting. She heard her talking. Waiting with the belt. And I guess that was called stealing, but to us, we just thought: “Well, you know, there’s a lot of gardens; a lot of tomatoes out there.” ER: Yeah, sure. Why not, you know, just… CC: Yeah. ER: Oh. CC: And when I was nine years old, um, I was mad because, uh, my shoes had holes in ‘em. And I wanted some Keds, you know, everybody was getting those Keds. ER: Oh, yeah. I know what you mean. Those… CC: Yeah, Mom said we couldn’t afford ‘em, so I decided to run away to Texas and make money [ER laughs]. So, I had to take my little brother – he was four and a half – because I was supposed to be watching him. So, I got a bag with an extra shirt for him and a long-sleeved shirt for me in the winter months, working outside, ‘cause, like, my dad was always wearing longsleeved shirts. And I also took my big sombrero that I got to block out the sun, that my older brother gave me. We headed down the tracks behind those buildings, the cider building and those. ER: Yeah. CC: So we wouldn’t be seen, and also, I figured the track would lead us to Texas. �ER: That’s so cute. CC: Yeah, we were by my sister’s house, who lived at 12th and 13th in Haskell. And, uh, she lived up, kind of on a hill, to me. Well, right now it just seems like, you know, nothing. But then it was like a hill. And when my brother had to use the bathroom, so I told him to go up in there and tell her – tell her that I’m out here. And so I laid belly-down along the curb, hiding under my sombrero. And it wasn’t long that I heard: “Carlos? Carlos? Get up here.” And she took me inside and he was sitting there with a milk mustache, eating cookies. ER: Oh, my gosh. So that was the end of the runaway plot. CC: Oh, yeah. She called my mom and took me home. And Mom hugged my little brother, and the belt started hugging me. ER: I bet. Oh, my gosh. I like that you thought you could run to Texas on the track. That’s – CC: Oh, yeah. Yeah, anything was possible back then when you’re a kid. You know, there was a lot of – lot of free space there, that you could explore and do things. ER: Your sister had mentioned that you guys spent a lot of time outside. CC: Oh, yeah. Yeah, we did. Yeah, like especially playing those, uh, “Rover, Red Rover” games and that “Truth, Dare, Promise or Repeat.” That was our biggest one. ER: Was it? CC: The neighbors would even come up and we’d play that one. ER: I remember those two. We also played Kick the Can; did you ever do that? CC: Kick the Can? No, no. ER: Oh, well, it’s pretty simple. It was just an outdoor game where everyone would hide and then one person would be looking for them, and the idea was for someone in hiding to come out and kick the can down the curb, and then you’d have to go run back and hide. And if you were caught, then you were “it,” and you had to – had to find – CC: Oh really? ER: It was a silly game, but we would spend hours outside, doing that. CC: Oh, yeah. Yeah. We were outside all the time, even in the wintertime. We’d make snow, uh, forts, and we used to pile all that snow up against our fence, and that helped build the fort, you know, and throw snowballs. It was great. ER: That sounds like fun. �CC: Yeah. And in the summertime too, we had a couple – we had a guy, a Mr. Hill that used to come around in this blue pickup truck, and he had watermelons and cantaloupes. And he was a real nice guy, because when we were little, you know, he would ask me if I would go up to the different houses, and run up there and just let ‘em know that he was out there. He didn’t have a bell or anything like that, you know, like an ice cream truck. ER: Right. CC: But he had a whole back bin full of watermelons and cantaloupes. And he would even let us try ‘em. He’d cut out a little triangle and plug, and let us taste it, and then, you know, of course we’d buy watermelon. And then, for the littlest guys, he would give us those little round ones. I don’t see them anymore, but they – they were just, looked like the size of a baseball or softball. ER: Oh, okay. CC: And they were good. He would give us those free. So…but that’s pretty much all I had thought about and stuff. I’m not sure what all you really wanted. ER: No, I like those memories. I just like, um, a bit of context. Like I told your sister, even though you didn’t grow up in La Yarda – CC: Yes. ER: It’s helpful to know what was going on in Lawrence at the time, like you said, things like “Whites Only” at the swimming pool. Uh, I wouldn’t have known about that otherwise. So… CC: Right. ER: It’s all important. I’m curious – how did you enjoy school? CC: Well, we – it was three miles away. We walked. It was, uh, St. John’s. And, uh, it was good. It was good. Uh, we – we played in the South Park there – it’s South Park, isn’t it? Yeah, it’s still – ER: Yeah. CC: Called South Park. Where the fire engine is. Yeah. And we used to have races there, going around those trails, with sidewalks. Uh, but no, school was real good. In fact, you know, being in a Catholic school, they’re – they are real strict, and so when I got to Central Junior High one year, there, in ninth grade, I was like, uh, “A” average. Which didn’t last long, but [laughs] yeah, it was – they were pretty much advanced in, uh…private school. ER: And how about church life? Um, you sister said your parents were – were very involved in the church. �CC: Yeah. ER: Especially your dad. CC: Oh, yeah, he was. Yeah. And, uh, uh, of course we said the rosary every night, you know, in front of an altar that he built. And that was something else, ‘cause man, he would be in front. He had a huge rosary, and then of course my mom would be in the back, ‘cause, uh, she was the disciplinarian. Start giggling and you had to go to the bathroom real quick, because by then we had a regular bathroom inside, and – and I remember that once one started giggling, the other one’d start, and oh man, my two sisters that are older than me – but, uh, Isabel, the oldest one, she was pretty strict. The three of us were just gigglers. ER: Giggles are contagious. CC: Oh, yeah, they are. Yeah, they are. For no reason. [Laughs] ER: So how about this altar? Your sister mentioned it as well. What did it look like? CC: He made about five altars. And, uh, right now the older siblings, each one of ‘em have one at their house, you know. ER: Oh. CC: Mom passed, ‘cause she used to have all of ‘em. But, uh, oh, it’s – it’s huge. It’s probably six or seven feet tall. And, uh, and it looks like an altar you would see at a church. It even had a tabernacle and it had little – little, uh, chalices inside. ER: Oh, my goodness. CC: The doors would open. Oh, yeah, it was good too, you know, and detailed. And I have pictures of saints and everything, and it had a crucifix. And underneath it, it had a glass that covered, uh, the Last Supper. And it had all the picture, of all the apostles and everything in there. So, it was, yeah, it was nice. ER: That’s nice that you have those things to remember them by. That he made – so you can share ‘em around. CC: Right, right. ER: So, how about – tell me about your family now. When did you meet your wife? CC: Well, I’m divorced now, but I met her in – when, not until I moved here to Kansas City. But, uh, and actually I was married twice, because I used to be married to a – she’s passed away, but, uh, in Coffeyville. And I had one son there. And, uh, I moved here years later, and I met another lady, and then I’ve got three kids by her. But, um, no, we – we still get together. We have, uh, family reunions, like, every three to five years. And I usually was the one that started �those, but, you know, wanting to pass that on to the younger generation. I did that, uh, two – three years ago. And they had one, but it was a small one, so we were planning a big one this year. And they’re always in Lawrence, since we all started out there. But there’s four families, and there’s, like, and what I have is a family tree that I created, and it’s a website. And right now, there’s 547 names. ER: Oh, my goodness. CC: Of just family, yeah, there’s – there’s four families, uh, mainly, that are from the same ancestors. And those are Estrada, Gonzales, Chavez, and Alvarez. So…yeah, we have a big family, so we’re looking forward to getting together again, which was planned already for last year, but that didn’t happen ‘cause of the COVID. But, um, probably not this year either. I’m not sure. But – ER: It will depend on how they get the vaccines out, and – CC: Right. ER: How effective they are. CC: They’re usually at the 4-H grounds. ER: Hmm. CC: There in Lawrence. ER: Well, I hope that can happen for you. I mean, that sounds like a really nice thing to be able to do. CC: Yeah. And it’s funny because most of the ones that, uh, the girls married guys from Topeka, and then the guys married girls from Topeka, so [laughs] and that’s where mostly everybody is, between Topeka and Lawrence. There are some in Texas. ER: So, how did they meet in Topeka, if you lived in Lawrence? CC: They always had dances there in Topeka. ER: Oh, dances. CC: And, uh, yeah, oh, yeah. Weddings and everybody was always invited. And so, they’re usually in Topeka where everybody met, because they would have dances, you know, and of course that’s where they would meet [murmurs]. Everybody went to ‘em. That’s mostly how they went. ER: How old did you have to be to go to one of those? �CC: There was no age. There was no age. ER: Oh, just anyone. CC: Most of the family, though, of the wedding party or whatever, they would have younger kids there, but the rest of ‘em would just be, you know, teenagers on up to 70s and 80s. Man, there was, you know, everybody loved to dance at the dances there. And as a kid, you kind of had to know, learn how to do those dances, you know. [Cungas?] and rancheras and [unintelligible] stuff. ER: That sounds like fun. CC: Oh, it was. It was, it’s always fun. ER: So, I’m curious, apart from the “Whites Only” sign at the swimming pool, which takes me by surprise, um, did you ever experience any other kinds of discrimination, or witness it firsthand while you were growing up? CC: Uh…not so much. I – I mean, I did when I was older, you know, I was in high school and stuff, but that was, you know, back when they were having riots and stuff. And that was already in the ‘60s. ER: Oh, okay. CC: But, no, before that, I – I was trying to remember, but I barely remember, um, friend of mine, and I don’t even remember who it was, but he was taking me to go swimming, and ‘cause this was after I was in, uh, Cub Scouts. ER: Oh, okay. CC: Now, that was a story, because my dad, I didn’t know him very much, you know. He died when I was eleven. But I remember one time I had a – I was gonna get an award, and I told my mom, so she told him to take me, you know, walking, and that was up to St. John’s, you know. We went up there and, uh, I was supposed to get a Wolf badge. And, uh, so he knew I was gonna get an award. Well, I was up in line, and they didn’t have mine for some reason. It was a mistake, and my, uh, Mrs. Boyle was her name. She was our den leader. And she came up to me and apologized and said, you know, she was gonna get it to me, you know, within a week or two, but it didn’t come in. And so, I just said: “Okay,” you know, but I couldn’t tell my dad, because, you know, he didn’t speak English. And I didn’t know how to tell him that, he was kind of looking at me, you know, he would – in Spanish I did understand what he said: “Y tu?” You know: “And you?” ER: Mm-hmm. CC: Like “Everybody got one, but where was yours?” and stuff. And I just didn’t know what to do. I shrugged my shoulders. It’s funny ‘cause he was so tall, uh, my oldest brother and my �youngest brother, they’re both six foot, and the rest of us in between are five [feet] eight [inches]. So, they were the bookends. But he was six foot also, and he had those long legs, and I remember walking with him, holding his hand, and I was taking, like, three steps to every one of his. And, uh, it wasn’t till we had to get all the way home to tell my mom, you know, what happened. And then she explained it to him. ER: Oh, okay. So, your mom would translate for you guys. CC: Yeah. ER: I didn’t know if you had grown up speaking both Spanish and English. CC: No, not at that age, when it was him, ‘cause she would speak to us in English. And, uh, I didn’t learn my Spanish till I was older, in the service and stuff. But, um, my dad – I hardly ever even saw him, ‘cause he was always gone. He was always working. He worked two jobs and stuff, all the time, you know, and then of course when he got sick, he was in the hospital and stuff, so, yeah… ER: You said you were in the service; which branch? CC: I was in the Marine Corps. ER: Oh, okay. CC: Yeah. I started out about three years in the reserves. I had about four cousins and a brotherin-law that was in that reserve unit. But then I just couldn’t take that once a month and everything, so I went ahead and went into active service. And, uh, I avoided Vietnam when I went in, because the outfit they sent me to had just gotten back. But, oh, there’s a – there’s a Twilight Zone story there, because when I got out in ‘75, I was overseas, and then when I came back, I didn’t get any mail or – the right mail. My mom and all of ‘em had moved. She was the last one to move out of Lawrence, and she went to Topeka. ER: Uh-huh. CC: They tore that whole block down. Pennsylvania Street. They were gonna build a highway, I guess from K-10 or something, to North Lawrence, I’m not sure what they were gonna do there. Well, I never received a letter, and so when I got out in ‘75, I got to the bus station, it was already about 4:00 in the morning. And I had all my gear with me, and I had no money. I’d been just eating chips and stuff, because I had a check for five hundred dollars, but I didn’t have it cashed at the time. ER: Right. CC: So I was walking down Massachusetts Street, and I noticed there was a restaurant open, I can’t remember if it was Rainey’s or something. It was kind of like a drugstore restaurant. But I went in there, and there was Judge Rankin, was there, and I – he talked to me, you know, about �being in the service and stuff, and he bought me breakfast, and then he asked me if I needed a ride home. And I said: “Yeah, I’ll take one,” and he told those police officers to give me a ride home. And so they were gonna turn their car in, they were done. And they asked where I lived, and I said 805 Pennsylvania. And they said, uh, “No, you don’t live there.” I said: “Sure I do, I’ve lived there all my life.” And they took me there, and there was nothing there. ER: Oh, how bizarre. CC: What in the world? And, uh, I said: “Well, go down the alley,” ‘cause, you know, where are they at? And they said: “No, well, we gotta turn this car in.” I said: “Well, I have a brother that lives on Craig Court,” but I didn’t know the address. And they took me up to that circle drive, and, gosh, it was on the other side of these huge bushes. But I didn’t know, you know, his address, and it wasn’t out there on the box – mailbox or anything, so… And they said: “Well, we gotta turn this car in. Where do you wanna go?” I said: “Well, just take me back to 805 Pennsylvania,” and they dropped me off there. And I was walking down the alley, and then I decided to go out in the street, in New Jersey Street, and I walked all the way down to about, um, well, it was the 10th or between 10th and 1100 block. And, uh, I saw a light come on, and it was [Jamie’s] house. And so, I went and I knocked on the door, and [Jamie?], he was getting ready to go to Stokely’s, where he worked. A lot of ‘em worked at Stokely’s, a [murmurs] there on 9th Street. And, uh, he was surprised to see me, you know, and I said, yeah, I said: “Hey,” I said, “I was supposed to go home, but there’s not even a house there.” He just laughed, he said: “You didn’t know that?” And I said: “No, where’s my mom? Where is she living?” ER: Oh, my gosh. CC: “Oh, they moved to Topeka.” He said that she was the last one to move out, but they, you know, they bought everybody out on that block. And then they already tore it all down. And, uh, so anyway, I got to call my sister that lived over on 6th Street, and, uh, she came, and her husband came and got me. And then they took me to Topeka, to where my mom lived. That was – that was just crazy, they couldn’t believe I didn’t know. ER: No one had written to tell you? CC: Well, my mom said she wrote to me, but I didn’t get the mail, ‘cause I was overseas I guess, that’s why. ER: Oh, that’s – that is so strange. So disorienting, my gosh. CC: But no, as far as, uh, uh, I was – like I was saying, there was a kid that took me to some club place. That they had a pool there, an inside pool. And, uh, they asked me if I had an ID and I said �no, I just had told them my name. And they said: “Well, you can’t come in here.” Now, I don’t know if they were saying it was because of the ID, because I told ‘em my name, but he didn’t have an ID. You know, they were members, his family was. ER: Oh, okay. CC: And so, his mom, I remember, just brought me back and dropped me off at home. But, uh…that, and, man, I can’t remember the name of the kid. And I – but I remember going to school with him for a few years, when I was a kid, real kid. So, that’s about the only thing. No, after that, though, you know, with the riots and stuff. That was – that came way later. ER: Do you still keep in touch with some of your friends from school? CC: Yeah, yeah. I have. I haven’t been to a reunion. I did go to, well, I was living in Coffeyville, and then I came down to pick up a car in Topeka, and I stopped in Lawrence, but it was the day before the reunion, and, uh, that was our 40th. And then I, uh, went to a club there in Lawrence, that I knew a guy that was running it. And I met a lot of the guys there that came in for the reunion. I got to see them, anyway, but… There’s a few of them that I still stay in touch with, but not many – not – not a whole lot. I got so much family, it’s hard to keep up with the other people. ER: I imagine it is. Your sister said something like that. CC: Every month or so, which I’ve gotta do, uh, today or tomorrow, is I write a letter – or, you know, just a – talking about what’s going on, if anybody has any news, you know, graduations or weddings or anything, you know. I call it the family network. And then I send out a birthday list with the month of everybody’s birthdays, so everybody can keep up with whose birthday it is. And I’ve been doing that for several years now, so… ER: That’s a special thing to do. CC: Yeah, that takes up times, too, so, ‘cause I gotta know what to write, you know, some suggestions like – obey your parents, hug your kids, stuff like that. Just a whole bunch of those in. ER: And what do you do for work? Or are you retired? CC: I retired last year. I worked for Proctor and Gamble. I loaded rail cars and trucks and, uh, made soap. ER: And – CC: I worked there 30 years. ER: 30 years. �CC: Mm-hmm. ER: And you do the writing in your spare time? CC: Yes. ER: Good, you keep busy. CC: Oh, yeah, I stay busy. I got two kids living with me, you know, they’re busy with them too, you know, stuff that they’re going through and everything, and trying to get ‘em to go through some different stuff and more stuff [laughs]. ER: What do you like to do with your grandkids? CC: Oh, I like playing with them. ‘Cause I, man, I tell you what, it’s a whole ‘nother world; I’m not at all good with, uh, phones and computers and stuff like that, you know, other than emails and stuff, but gosh, the three-year-old, the four-year-old, they know how to work an iPad and of course, you know, they – I can’t show ‘em anything. But now, I do make sure that they don’t use it very much time with that, ‘cause they might at home, but not – not here. ‘Cause I want ‘em to, you know, play and talk, you know, see what they like to do, and – and go outside and do walking and stuff. That kind of playing. ER: Sure. Take them outside of the digital world for a while. CC: Yeah. ER: Well, I hope you can do more of that, now that some of the restrictions are being lifted. CC: Yes, yes, that did, uh, take a toll on it, so… ER: Must have been kind of difficult to adjust. CC: Yeah. Yeah, it was different. ER: Do you still attend church at St. John’s? CC: No, no, I live in Shawnee. ER: Oh, you live in Shawnee. Okay. CC: Yeah. ER: For some reason I thought you lived in Lawrence. CC: No. Uh, I – we tried to go – my brother, I got an older brother that lives here in Shawnee, we sometimes go visit family together, but, uh, we try to go there on, uh, the – December the 12th, �the Lady Guadalupe Day. And, uh, they usually have a – we meet people there, and then they have in the basement, they have that, uh hot chocolate, what you call atole. And, uh [murmurs] so we get to talk to some of the older people, friends and stuff there. But, you know, and then we went to a lot of funerals, too, that they had there, and of course now you can’t go. ER: That’s true. CC: Well… ER: Many things have changed. CC: Yeah. And I keep up with some of the stuff that goes on in Lawrence, because I got two sisters and a brother that live there now. ER: Oh, okay. CC: And they got families, too. ER: Well, I’m glad you can still keep up with them to some extent. CC: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we’re a close family. We’re – everybody’s, you know, involved with each other and stuff. And it just keeps growing and growing. Like I said, there’s 547 names, but I know there’s probably five or six that are not on there, of new ones that [laughs]. ER: That’s a family forest, I think, not a tree. CC: Yeah [laughs]. ER: Well, I’m happy for you. I’m glad that you have such a support network. CC: Yes, yes. ER: Well, is there anything else that you remember, or that you had written down? CC: Nothing that I can tell. [Laughs] There’s a lot of stories, but – that I told my sister about, and that’s probably why she recommended me. But, no, those stories are – they’re just for family [laughs]. ER: Yeah. Well, that’s good. It will give you something to pass on. CC: Oh, yeah. Yeah. ER: Well, I really appreciate – CC: Do you have a big family? �ER: I’m – do I have a big family? Um, not really. I grew up in Texas, and our relatives live in New England, so we would see them sometimes, maybe if we’d go up there annually, when I was a kid, but – CC: Yeah. ER: We – we grew up in a pretty small town, so the people we lived with became our family. CC: Gotcha. That’s good, too. That’s good, too. ER: I still keep I touch with all of them like I do with regular family, so it’s nice. It’s – there are some definite advantages to growing up in a small town. CC: Right, right. ER: Well, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me, Carlos. CC: Sure, sure. Not a problem. ER: And if you remember anything else, or you have anything else you want to share, please feel free to give me a call again. CC: Okay. I will. ER: Alright. Enjoy the rest of your day, and good luck recovering from your surgery. CC: Thank you. You too. Be careful. ER: Bye. CC: God bless you. Bye. END OF TAPE � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource La Yarda Oral History Project Subject The topic of the resource La Yarda (Lawrence, Kan.) Mexican Americans -- Housing -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- History -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- Social conditions -- Kansas -- Lawrence Description An account of the resource La Yarda was a neighborhood of worker housing provided by the Santa Fe Railroad for Mexican-American railroad workers in Lawrence, Kansas; located near the Kansas (Kaw) River, the neighborhood was largely destroyed by a major flood in 1951. In 2006, Helen Krische, archivist at the Watkins Community Museum, began an oral history project to document the La Yarda and Mexican-American communities in Lawrence, Kansas. The project was resumed in 2019 by Nora Murphy and Emily Raymond. The interviews primarily feature the children of the railroad workers who migrated to Lawrence in the early 20th century; they describe daily life, social activities, and living conditions in the Mexican-American community in Lawrence from roughly the 1920s through the 1970s. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived La Yarda Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Watkins Community Museum (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2006 2019 2021 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource These works are the intellectual property of the Watkins Museum of History, Lawrence, Kansas. The public may freely copy, modify, and share this Item for noncommercial purposes if they include the original source information. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Raymond, Emily Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Chavez, Carlos Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data MP3 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 0:36:43 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 192 kbps Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Carlos Chavez La Yarda Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Chavez, Carlos Description An account of the resource Carlos Chavez was interviewed by Emily Raymond on March 9, 2021, as part of an oral history project to document the La Yarda and Mexican-American communities in Lawrence, Kansas. La Yarda was a neighborhood of worker housing provided by the Santa Fe Railroad for Mexican-American railroad workers; located near the Kansas (Kaw) River, the neighborhood was largely destroyed by a major flood in 1951. Carlos grew up in East Lawrence, and recounts his memories of his childhood as part of Lawrence's Mexican-American community in the 1950s and 1960s. Carlos describes jobs that he had while growing up, pasttimes enjoyed by neighborhood children, and aspects of the social life of Lawrence's Mexican-American community. He describes his experience returning to Lawrence after military service in the mid-1970s. Carlos also discusses experiences of discrimination and segregation faced by the Mexican-American community in Lawrence. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Raymond, Emily Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lawrence (Kan.) 1920s - 1970s Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021-03-09 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3 (audio recording) PDF (transcription) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 8-CChavez-20210309.mp3 (audio) 8-CChavez-20210309.pdf (transcription) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Watkins Community Museum (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the audio recording of this interview, go to <a href="https://archive.org/details/8-cchavez-20210309">https://archive.org/details/8-cchavez-20210309</a>. The <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">Watkins Museum of History</a> also holds items related to this collection. <a href="https://archives.lib.ku.edu/repositories/3/resources/5295">Additional research on the La Yarda community</a> is held at the Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published with the permission of Carlos Chavez. This work is the intellectual property of the Watkins Museum of History, Lawrence, Kansas. The public may freely copy, modify, and share this Item for noncommercial purposes if they include the original source information. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived La Yarda Oral History Project Subject The topic of the resource La Yarda (Lawrence, Kan.) Mexican Americans -- Housing -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- History -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- Social conditions -- Kansas -- Lawrence Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/31f94ff31e7e911a4a00d05263ac14eb.pdf 4ff883a63efa1193c746de88496c419e PDF Text Text Tape 17: Interview with John Chavez and Helen (Chavez) Martinez Interviewer: Helen Krische Date of Interview: 2006 Length of Interview: 33:57 Location of Interview: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Transcription Completion Date: October 20, 2020 Transcriptionist: Emily Raymond Helen Krische (Interviewer): We’re gonna talk a little bit about your parents and when they first came into this area. Um, did they come directly from Mexico, or, um…were they already in the U.S.? John Chavez (Interviewee): [murmurs] into Texas. I know my father – HCM: Actually, we do have a whole history written down here. A little bit of – let’s see here, now actually, we had a, well, our reunion, family reunion several years ago. HK: Uh-huh. HCM: My sister put an album together and so she did write down, actually, did put down a little history of when my dad – [murmured sounds, difficult to distinguish from the static] HCM: Because actually he…he was quite young, probably just a teenager when he did come to the United States. HK: Mm-hmm. HCM: How…let’s see here. [murmured sounds] Okay, eventually, uh, after his parents, you know had passed away, well then he eventually made his way on into Texas and was alone. Uh, he worked in Pueblo, Colorado, and, uh, was working for the Union Pacific Railroad. JC: I think when he was in Texas, though, he worked as a farmhand, not in Kansas, but maybe two years. In Colorado. [murmurs] eventually comes through here, the Union Pacific comes through Lawrence, uh, some way, he come into Lawrence. HK: Right. HCM: And then. Then lived in Williamstown. JC: Well, he – he lived first in Lawrence – HCM: In Lawrence. �JC: Then he moved to, uh, Williamstown for a couple, few years and then came back, um, to Lawrence. HK: Do you know what year that was? Approximately? JC: Uh, well, yeah, uh, I was born in 1936 and I was born in Williamstown. And my sister, she was a couple years older than I was, so she was born there also. We were the only two, so it had to be between ‘35 and ‘39. HK: Okay. HCM: When they moved to Lawrence? JC: When they were, the time spent over there. JC: Now when they came into Lawrence, I can’t be sure. HCM: ’41, when I was born. JC: Then came back [HCM interrupts] The first time they came – HCM: Oh, okay, yeah. JC: Let’s see…‘26, ‘27…My oldest brother was born in ‘28. HK: Did he speak any English, or did he just speak Spanish? JC: My father? No, he spoke English. I’m not sure how early he – he learned it, you know, but it was in Texas. I remember when we were young, he spoke – he spoke very little just in English, I guess he was ashamed of the way he spoke and he didn’t want to mess with that. And, uh – HCM: But our parents conversed with each other in Spanish. HK: Uh-huh. JC: Yeah. HCM: The older, brother and sisters learned Spanish because they would speak to them, but when we younger ones came along, they would speak to us. My dad would speak to us in Spanish and we’d answer him in English [laughs]. JC: Yeah, well, once we started in school, you know, you just learn the English and just forgot about the Spanish. HK: Uh-huh. �JC: Just forgot all the Spanish. If we didn’t have to use it, we wouldn’t use it. HK: Uh-huh. JC: My mother could understand very good English and she spoke to us in English [murmurs]. HK: Do your children speak Spanish? No? JC: No. HCM: Now they want to. HK: Now they want to. [laughs] HCM: Everything back then, was, they discouraged, you know, society really discouraged the Spanish. HK: Yeah. HCM: In fact, you know, when I started school, you know, my name is – is Elena. In kindergarten they changed it over to Helen. So it just stuck, you know. But, which is the translation into English. Everything was more or less encouraged to be English. HK: Where did you live at, in Lawrence? JC: When we first came to Lawrence, we lived um, 805 Pennsylvania. HK: Okay. JC: But, uh, earlier, I think my parents lived on New Jersey Street, maybe 801. And that may not be the only place they lived, but that was before they went to Williamstown. When they came back they bought a house on Pennsylvania there. And that’s where we stayed until they, until my dad passed away. And then Mom got moved here. I remember that, uh, Haskell – HCM: The Haskell – JC: Happened in ‘74, [17?]74, you remember that? HK: Uh-huh. Then what was it – HCM: The city – JC: The Haskell – �HCM: Yeah, the city was gonna, uh, make a Haskell loop and they – they had all the people that lived on the 800 block of Pennsylvania, they bought out the houses and they, and, uh, you know, they tore them down, now it’s all gone. HK: Uh huh. HCM: And so – JC: They were moving us to the 900 block too and I guess they got so many complaints that they stopped. HK: Really. JC: [murmurs] They never went through with it and I think there was supposed to be some kind of, uh, connection with Highway 10, not sure. HK: Oh. JC: Down, down by the depot in that area. HK: Yeah. Was that in the ‘70s or was it in the early ‘80s? JC and HCM: No. [conflicting voices] HCM: ‘70s. JC: ‘Cause Mom moved out in ‘74 in Topeka, so that had to be about – HK: Yeah, I don’t remember that. I don’t know where I was [laughs]. JC: Yeah. HK: Having fun, I suppose. JC: Yeah, I’m sure there’s a record of that somewhere in the city. HK: Yeah. Huh. So they just tore down those houses? JC: Yeah. HK: Huh. HCM: The tree that my dad planted, when our youngest brother was born, is still there. JC: Yeah. �HK: Oh, that’s neat. HCM: In fact, we have a – JC: There’s a picture of it in there, of our brother’s tree. Uh, I think it might be in that section, I’m not sure. HCM: But he just sketched, he had a drawing that he sketched, with, the tree and our house. [murmurs] JC: Yeah, Pennsylvania and New Jersey was about the only streets that Mexican people lived on, close to the Santa Fe yards. There’s a few, very few who lived away from there. I know some lived in, uh, North Lawrence, that was the Garcias. And then there was, uh, some [murmurs]. New Jersey. [murmurs] I don’t remember anybody else. Mexicans [murmurs]. HK: I know that, um, in talking to some people, that their father worked for the Union Pacific railroad, that they had lived in, like, converted cattle cars and stuff like that. Was that…? JC: Yeah. HCM: Yeah. JC: Actually, that’s where I was [born?]. HK: Really? HCM: Yeah, the boxcars. JC: Yeah. In Williamstown Square, they had, uh, they had two boxcars set off to the side of the tracks – HK: Uh-huh. JC: And there was two families that lived there. Ours and then the other one was Jimenez. I’m not sure if you’re gonna [interview Fidel?] or not. HCM: Yes, I have. JC: Okay. His was the other family that lived there. HK: Oh, okay. JC: So that was kind of unusual. HK: Yeah. Yeah. Do you remember anything about, did you, did they live in it very long, or…? �JC: No, I’d say maybe three years [murmurs], I don’t remember a lot about it, except there was no light [murmurs]. HCM: No electricity. Carmen – well, Carmen would tell about how Dad, uh, made a bed for our oldest brother, you know, sort of uh, like a foldaway bed. And during the day it would fold up to the wall. I mean, but, at times they would put it down and they would use it as a stage to [laughs]. My sisters and John would – would use that as, you know, entertain a show to put on plays or whatever. HK: How funny. HCM: So there was a lot of entertainment [for themselves?] HK: Did your, uh, parents have a garden? JC and HCM: Oh yeah. JC: I think everybody – HK: Everybody did. JC: Yeah. HCM: Three gardens that my dad had. HK: Oh, my gosh. HCM: He had one in North Lawrence, he had one over by the yards, (that would be La Yarda) and then just a small one in our backyard. JC: They weren’t so small, they was pretty big too. [laughs] HCM: Go out and get the cilantro, the onions, yeah…so he worked all three of them at the same time, and, uh, because when the harvest would come in, then you’d go take the car, help him, and then, boy, was that a joy to see Dad bring the bushel baskets, you know, lift them over the porch, that railing, put ‘em on the porch. Oranges – not oranges – but tomatoes… HK: Did he sell any of the produce to other people? HCM: No, just, I just recall Mary and I once just took, uh, it was a red wagon and Mom had us just go around the neighborhood. As a rule, she canned – canned tomatoes, and we – we had enough in our family that we, for the winter, you know, she made hot sauce out of it. You know, just canned tomatoes, and [unintelligible] for family. HK: How many children were in your family? �HCM: Fourteen. HK: Wow. HCM: So. HK: Yeah. HCM: Yeah, fourteen. HK: So I guess that she, um, she did a lot of sewing, too? HCM: Oh. Oh, yes. We have some stories in here that’s, some – some of our, you know, brothers and sisters had written. In fact, Lupe writes about a story here. My mom, you know, she drew a picture of one of the dresses that Mom made. But we, uh, my mom did sewing and not with patterns, it was just cutting out, you know, cutting out the pattern out of the newspaper and measuring us, you know, stand right there and that old kettle, you know, sewing machine would just be going and she’d can. Gosh. TC: [murmurs] HCM: No, I don’t think so. TC: [murmurs] HCM: Unless she did for Lupe and Carmen, because we came along… TC: [murmurs] HCM: So Coyo, like Coyo writes in one of her stories, she said: “Oh, the rickrack.” [laughs] She said: “I didn’t like the rickrack but I didn’t wanna tell Mom.” ‘Cause that was, Mom would add to, rickrack everywhere. [laughs] HK: How did she do her laundry? HCM: Oh, gosh. Yeah, that. At first she did it, you know, I remember that old washboard that she used to have and then, uh, she would go to my grandma’s, which my grandma lived just right across the alley from us, once a week she’d go there and she’d, you know, use Grandma’s machine, come back and we’d hang clothes out on the line. And, uh…it was a while before Mom got her own washing machine. And then when she did, my aunt bought that for her and my aunt lived in Topeka and had a big family of her own, but she bought Mom a washing machine. But it was always hanging clothes out on the line. Oh gosh…I remember one year we got a dryer. [laughs] ‘Cause in the wintertime, I remember those clothes would be stiff. [laughs] You know, when we’d go bring them in or, she’d just hang ‘em inside the house, you know, [unintelligible]. HK: Uh-huh, uh-huh. Sure. �HCM: It was hard for her. ‘Cause when she had, when she did get it with the wringer, type, you know, you have to put it through the…what was it, those rollers? HK: The rollers, yeah. HCM: Uh-huh. HK: Yeah. Did she ever get her hand stuck in there? My mom used to get her hand stuck in there. HCM: No, but my, but Trini did, our oldest brother did, one time. I remember that. [laughs] Oh, God… HK: Well, what kind of, did your dad ever tell you any stories about, uh, his work on the railroad, or…what was your impression of his work? HCM: Oh, gosh. Other than…not really, other than I do recall, we didn’t have a telephone but our neighbors behind us, maybe, you know, every now and then they would call Dad of – of an evening or late at night. If there was a train derailment, or something, they would call him. But through the neighbors, the neighbors, you know, would let Dad know and I just recall Dad, then, would be, you know, a winter night having to dress warmly and we were all of course were worried, Mom, she worried about him. Because back then, I’m sure there were coyotes and things like this, you know, that were out, ‘cause he’d have to be out by himself, you know. And, uh, there’s really no protection, you know. I know it was, it was a concern and a worry for Mom. Dad didn’t ever [someone clears throat], I don’t think I ever heard any complaint. JC: No. HCM: Never. JC: No, he was always happy to work all the time. [laughs] HK: Little more money coming in. JC: Yes, uh-huh. He did used to talk about his days in Mexico when he was a young boy, ‘cause he used to be a sheep-herder. HK: Oh, okay. JC: For an uncle. The uncle didn’t treat him right, he didn’t even hardly pay him anything at all, so he didn’t like that at all, but, he’d be out in the fields overnight with the sheep. And to keep warm, he would, you know, sleep right in amongst them. HK: Uh-huh. �JC: And, uh, he said lots of time he would wake up in the morning all wet, and sheep, you know, sweating. HK: Oh, no. JC: He had a, he had a hard life before he came up here. HK: Did he talk about, uh, about having enough to eat, or…stuff like that, or…? HCM: Actually, whatever, what little we do know is, we learned from mom, you know, by asking her. Later in years we really didn’t take time to ask, you know, about our parents’ history. And of course Dad was so busy all the time, working, you know, if he wasn’t working right after he got off work he go straight to the garden, catch the bus, you know, home. And, uh, back to the other garden he was, you know. Just a hard life. HK: What did your family do during the holidays? HCM: Oh, gosh. There, with so many of us, it was always a holiday, I think [laughs]. Yeah, we, like, like Christmas, I remember…a Christmas tree, a lot of times maybe to school, when we were in grade school, maybe the school would, uh, have a – where they would give the Christmas tree away after, you know, the Christmas break and draw straws. JC: I got – I got to bring it home one time. HCM: I got to bring it home one year too, so I’m wondering if maybe it wasn’t, maybe on purpose [laughs]. JC: Yeah. HCM: But we’d bring, drive the Christmas tree home. And then I do recall sitting there in the evenings, Carmen and Lupe would help us to cut out newspapers and we’d just cut ‘em into strips, you know, and – HK: Uh-huh. HCM: They’d make paste out of water and flour, and we’d just make the chain things. And, you know, Christmas decorations. Until later on of course, then, you know, as the girls got older they worked and they were able to – to buy decorations. But you know, very early years [murmurs]. HK: Did you give gifts to each other, like homemade gifts, or…? HCM: Um, let’s see, I – I remember always we’d just receive, like, two gifts, you know, just two gifts. And always – JC: We didn’t actually give it to each other, the gifts. �HCM: No, we didn’t. No. JC: Mom. HCM: Mom and the girls, the older ones, would all purchase the gifts and it was always – one item was always something to wear. Usually pajamas. And then a toy. But, um… JC: One thing I remember. I’m not sure it was Christmastime, but I think it might have been. There was, uh, somebody that would come ‘round in a truck and they would drop off, uh, large bags of stuff. HCM: You know, it was, I think it was – JC: School, or – HCM: No, I think it was probably, uh, whether it was Salvation Army or somebody would donate the big bags. JC: And they would go down Pennsylvania Street and I know they would stop at our house and they’d go on down and stop somewhere else, or, I’m not sure if it was – HCM: But most of it was clothes. JC: I don’t remember what was inside ‘em much, but I remember seeing the bags. HCM: Sometimes the clothes weren’t all – HK: Wasn’t that great. HCM: No [laughs]. HK: Well, what did you all do for entertainment? HCM: Oh, with each other it just seemed like, oh – JC: Played ball. HCM: Marbles for you boys, and – JC: Softball. HCM: Softball. We girls [conflicting voices] JC: We would go to the park there, by the school. �HCM: We just had our own entertainment with each other, and well of course we had a brother, my brother Ralph, he was what, two years younger than John? He was our entertainment. Oh. JC: Yeah. HCM: He was a clown. He was, I mean, he provided us this total entertainment like – say for Halloween, well we really in younger years couldn’t afford to get costumes, so they’d line us all up after school and we had our, that old wooden stove there, the soot and all that, you know, he’d make us all hobos, you know. Or clowns or hobos and just get, you know, a big shirt, that’s what we’d, you know, a pillow or whatever. But he, he took care of our costumes and, uh, he would tell us stories or dress up, you know, and…always, always entertain us, but like I said, we got a lot of stories of him in here. JC: We’d play hide and seek. Baseball, out in the street, football, same thing, just all the neighborhood kids get together and [murmurs]. And marbles, I think we played horseshoes I don’t remember. HCM: No, and then Dad would make a swing for us and [murmurs] for the tree that we had, we had a tree like this and you just got the rope and a tire and…and then it seems like we all, in our family had either a sibling that was close in age to us, you know, like we had Ralph. Together they did things, I had sisters, two years, you know, difference in age and so we were always together. So we all had somebody to, you know, to always share our time with and, you know. JC: I remember when we were little too, we’d have a day where we got quite a bit of rain and the water would be running down the street. Everybody would get little sticks and pretend they was boats and race ‘em down to the, down to the sewer, and we’d pick ‘em up before they went down. Then we’d go back and do it again. That was our entertainment too, part of the time. HCM: And always helping Mom, you know, always have the little ones to help out with. And back then, too, in our younger years we didn’t have running water either so, went and go get water, you know, water was down a couple of houses away. There was access to, to water – JC: It was in between two houses – HK: City pipe? Was it city water that came through a pipe, is that…? JC: Hmm… HK: Or was it a regular pump? JC: No, um… HCM: Spigot. JC: …no, I think, you just turned it and – �HK: Spigot. Yeah. JC: But it wasn’t in anybody’s yard, I don’t think. It was in between two houses, and there was little fences there, so I couldn’t tell one house or another. It was three – you know, two houses away from where we were. I’m not sure, but down the street [murmurs]. HK: Anybody get into trouble, with 13 kids in the family? [laughs] There must have been something going on all the time. [laughs] HCM: Actually…actually, you know, no, we really didn’t. JC: No, I remember one time Izzy and Ralph had got into some kind of problem – I don’t know if I should say anything – [laughs] – it didn’t involve the police or nothing but they had done something ornery in the neighborhood there, caused a big smell, a big stink and all. You’ve talked to Izzy, haven’t you? HK: Uh, yes. JC: Bermudez, with Rachel? If he didn’t say anything about it, then I probably won’t either [laughs]. HCM: Oh, gosh. ...[Passage from 23:26 to 24:21 redacted]… HCM: I don’t recall, you know, and then we had that popcorn, what was it, that was next to it, TNT – JC: TNT? Or no, [Bartel’s?], uh…I think it was [Bartel’s feeder?]. HCM: But I do remember we’d always go get pop – the boys were Ralph and you probably did too – we’d get the kernels of corn that were to the side. JC: Oh, yeah. HCM: And, uh, and bring those, and of course we just, you know, get the kernels off, make our own popcorn, so it was – JC: They had big wire bins, and they would have all the corn in there. And of course, you know, they’d rub against each other, and against the wire, and just fall to the outside – HCM: So what fell, yeah, so what fell out, we’d, we’d bring home and that was – JC: They weren’t gonna scoop it up. They were just gonna use the kernels on the cob, take them off, so we got what was scraped off of them. Fell outside the bin and used that. �HCM: And then what about, the story about Ralph, do you remember? The time we thought he was lost? JC: [laughs] Oh. How did that go, anyway? HCM: When…when we were all younger, [Ralph playing?], and of course it was getting evening, dusk, and Mom called us all to come in. And, uh, everybody came in but Ralph. We didn’t know where he was, we thought: “Oh no, where is he?” We all went out looking for him, couldn’t find him. So she asked one of the neighbor boys, that was, you know, always hanging out with him, and he went looking for him, you know, Ralph. So back then I recall Mom got really worried. We have uh, we, my dad had built an [altar?] so Mom went back and back and went in front of the altar to pray. She was just really beside herself. So all of us just followed her, you know, right behind her, same thing, you know, everybody’s quiet, but we knew what she was praying for, so we did too. The next thing we know, we heard it start thundering. And, oh… then Mom got really worried, ‘cause then we could hear the rain. So there she goes from the [back?] room into the dining room into the kitchen to go out the door to see where Ralph was, and here he comes running in the back door, soaking wet. What he did, there was a ladder behind our house, and as you can see the roof isn’t that big, so he had climbed up there and he fell asleep on top of the roof of the house, and of course the rain woke him up. [laughs.] So I said: “Boy, I think God does hear Mom’s prayers, because here he comes, you know.” She was always into all kinds of… HK: What did you – what the family do for healthcare? Did you call the doctor when somebody got sick, or did your mom have a lot of home remedies, or – ? HCM: Well, home remedies for one thing, but yes, uh, but also the doctors, when we were real sick the doctors would come, and uh, just to give you an idea, this is just a cartoon caricature of what Ralph drew when one of my sisters was sick, the doctor came to the house. And of course, you know, all of us in the back room, want to go peek and see what’s going on. This is an idea of what…this is a sick person in the living room. HK: All that noise and commotion. HCM: Yes, commotion because, you know, only when you were really sick would Mom call the doctor, and other than that they would, uh, they would try to use home remedies. HK: Funny. HCM: Oh, I know. HK: Whack him over the head. [laughs] JC: Some of the remedies, cut, slice a potato in little thin slices and get ‘em on – HCM: Put vinegar, I think Dad would put vinegar on them? Whenever he had a fever real bad, I do recall once being real sick and Dad used a handkerchief or some cloth. I know he came home �from work and our fever hadn’t left us, so I know he sliced potatoes, what he dipped them in, it had to have been strong for us to – but then he would wrap it up in this, you know, in some cloth and – JC: Put it around your forehead. HCM: Put it around your forehead. ‘Course we’re lying down. And we’d fall asleep. When we woke up, we were feeling a lot better, so whatever it was, the aroma or what, I don’t know. But they did, you know, try. [someone clears throat] expense for doctors… HK: Well, what was it like growing up in Lawrence, in general? Do you remember much about the downtown area…? JC: Only going to the movies to see Cowboy shows at the Varsity. It was mostly the theater we went to, and, uh, that’s about the only time we went downtown. Other than having a ball game at the South Park. Walk home and maybe stop and get some ice cream. HCM: At the Velvet Freeze. JC: Well, there, and there was another place closer to the park, and I – HCM: You’re right, I think – JC: On the west side of the street between – I think 10th Street. HCM: I think, [ten, hundred block?] I don’t remember. I remember the, the store but I don’t remember the name of it. But I do recall – JC: Stopping there. HCM: Mm-hmm. HK: Do you remember experiencing any prejudice, you know, in the schools or downtown, or…? HCM: I think, for my part there was some, but not as much as the older brothers and sisters experienced, because yes, they could tell you, I know, they were not allowed, you know, in some of the restaurants, you know, so… JC: ‘Course we didn’t really go to restaurants much; we couldn’t afford to. And, uh… HCM: Or just to get a Coke or something. Carmen, my sister Carmen could probably tell you, ‘cause she did it. She used to work for, um, I don’t know what [murmurs] shop, the Eldridge gift shop, that she recalled. And my aunt Marge worked at [Gamell’s?] and she said, you know, [murmurs] worked there. When she wanted to go in for maybe a Coke somewhere [murmurs, unintelligible]. And actually, my brother Carlos, and he was quite younger. Quite, he’s quite �younger than I am. There was a swimming pool, the one right there. They didn’t allow him to go in – HK: Was that the Jayhawk [Plunge?] or whatever it was called? HCM: Where the, yes, yes, that was back then, right. Uh-huh. I remember he went with friends and, uh, he wasn’t allowed to go in there. Then when I came along, by then things were a [little fair?], so yeah we were able to, you know [murmurs] restaurant. Or the drugstores where they’d have soda. HK: Where – JC: I don’t remember that much myself, but I remember my brother, when he went to rent a house – yeah rent a house or rent a room, can’t remember which it was. He’d just got married, um, he was fairly light skinned, so when they, he went, they accepted him, you know and everything, but then when he took his wife – she was quite a bit darker – they wouldn’t allow them to rent. It was some – HCM: Honestly, that’s happened to Andy and I too, when we got married, rent our first apartment. They didn’t want to rent to us, either, come to think about it. HK: What kind of – um, when did you get your first job? JC: I got my first job at 14, working for the school district. An uncle of mine, somehow he heard about it I guess, talking about it I went up and got hired as a janitor – HK: Oh, okay. JC: At 14 and, I been working ever since. I never had a break in between where I didn’t have a job. And before that, we worked at potato – picking potatoes for a, for a couple of farmers here in town, the [Hechts?]. And that was, uh, it was work, but it was a lot of fun too. You could be with all your friends, ride in the truck, up in the back, while you were there. The work was kind of, well, it was dirty. Kinda dirty and kinda hard on your fingernails, and fingers. But, I don’t know, it was fun too. So that’s we did, I can’t remember what year we did that, but, I started working at 14, maybe two or three years before that. END OF TAPE 17a � https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/6c52df15d8cab3dbb7da1fe8fa16a9ca.pdf 5e27a8be872c747a0855de20ad9c94cd PDF Text Text Tape 17b: Interview with John Chavez and Helen (Chavez) Martinez Interviewer: Helen Krische Date of Interview: 2006 Length of Interview: 8:43 Location of Interview: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Transcription Completion Date: October 27, 2020 Transcriptionist: Emily Raymond Helen Krische (Interviewer): Um, when did you meet your – your wife, or your husband? Were they from around here originally, or…” John Chavez (Interviewee): Uh, my wife was from Kansas City. Argentine District. And, uh, I guess a lot of times we’d meet people through dances or weddings, maybe baptisms, or whatever, just get together, you get to see people you didn’t know. So the first time I saw her, first time I met her, was at a wedding dance. Teresa and Leo Schwartz. They got married here in the church. They had a dance in the community building and, uh, she happened to come down with, uh, people that were involved, I’m not sure if it was sponsoring something or what they were, but they came down from Kansas City. And she may have brought her – she was babysitting for – they brought her down, so that’s how I met her. Helen Chavez Martinez (Interviewee): Same experience. Mutual, through a wedding. [murmurs] HK: Was he from Lawrence, or…? HCM: No, from Ottawa. HK: Ottawa. HCM: But, uh, his sister, uh, married a neighbor of ours that [JC clears throat] a few houses from us, the Bermudezes. And, uh, we were up close with his sister [murmurs]. They asked him to be in the wedding, and he was in the wedding because of his sister and – HK: Okay. HCM: Like John says, it’s just about, that’s how we all – [laughter] JC: There wasn’t too many people here to choose from, or I guess you know, as I said, the same, you know, that were your same age. So whenever you saw somebody from out of town, I guess, it was more attraction; I don’t know what it was [laughs]. HK: Well, you have, most of the people were your relatives. [laughs] JC: Yeah, seemed like they were, yeah. �HK: And how do you think, uh, how do you think it’s been different for your children growing up? Uh, you know, growing up in Lawrence. Do you think that it’s been a lot different for them, or…? HCM: [murmurs] More opportunities for them [murmurs]. And of course Lawrence has really grown. Back then, Lawrence was very, just, small and there was not much, other than the movies, for us. Now there’s activities for them, they can go see arts center, they can get involved in different programs. Swimming, we didn’t really grow up learning to swim, because we didn’t… The only place that I recall, uh, Mexican people, if they wanted to swim, they would go to the river. Because I recall going with our, my oldest brothers and sisters would watch, swim at the river. There was a sand pile. We stood up at the sand pile and watched. But, you know, it was very dangerous. HK: Yeah. Definitely. JC: That was another activity we had, sand piles. HCM: The sand piles, yeah. JC: I can’t remember how often but it was pretty often. ‘Course everybody told us, you know, not to be there ‘cause it was dangerous, but we didn’t think it was at that age, I guess. There was a lot of family – HCM: And it was very close to where we lived, just right down the road. JC: Yeah. Yeah. HK: There’s a lot of sand bars along that area. JC: Yeah, mm-hmm. HCM: So no, our – our children and grandchildren have so much more opportunities. And they, now, you know, they pursue the school, the education. JC: Mm-hmm. HCM: Back then, it was, it was a little bit of a [struggle?] to go to school, if you wanted to, [JC clears throat, obscuring HCM’s voice]. HK: How far did you go in school? HCM: From high school – JC: High school. HCM: Yeah, high school. �HK: High school. HCM: Mm-hmm. JC: I think the kids now are [clears throat] the Mexican – HCM: Our younger brothers and sisters did go on to college. JC: Yeah. Yeah, they’re more comfortable in school, with their classmates. Uh, I think maybe they, maybe that we weren’t that comfortable in school. HCM: That’s true. JC: Cause there were very few Mexicans and…hadn’t been around that much, you know. Next generation gets more used to seeing people at a younger age. And they had more time to go to school, so it makes everything else a little easier. [murmurs] Integrated into the system, the school system and, uh, and their friends. They have a better, easier time making friends. HK: What do you think about all of the, um, immigrants? [JC laughs] All going on now? JC: I think, well, so far, they – they’ve been doing [unintelligible] I think is good, they need to control borders somehow. But, uh, they also should give people who are very poor opportunities to support their families, so…You know, when you don’t see a person, don’t know a person, you kind of, you know, stay away, but once you know a person, you want to help them. I think that’s the main thing, you know. Once you see a person, get to know ‘em a little better, you want to do something for them and they are much less fortunate than you are, money-wise. HCM: You know, they wanted a better life for themselves, for their families, because that’s how our parents came. You know, we know what it was. For them, they want them to have lives. By the same token, yes, they should, you know, they should have – have a, you know, legally become citizens. HK: Do you remember your parents helping any of, uh, if there were new families that moved into town? HCM: We had [JC clears throat] remember them visiting, you know, we had several new families that would stop and visit Mom sometimes, but, uh… JC: I remember some person helping Dad around the house and he would pay him, but I’m not sure if it was just ‘cause he had the ability that maybe Dad didn’t have or he was just trying to help him somehow, but I don’t know. I’m sure they did help each other. HK: Do you remember anything about the Depression years? If it was extra hard for your family, or…? �HCM: Our – Carmen and Lupe probably would tell you about that, but I – I can’t recall talking about [murmurs]. JC: Mm-hmm. HK: Well, can you think of anything else that you want to mention? JC: I just know that in this, in this area, in this, uh, time, in our history that there was a person who, I didn’t know the person but I was told that, uh…Mexican lady was working the Santa Fe yards and [he would] gather all the children together and would teach them, uh, Catholic religion. HK: Huh. JC: And, like I say, I wasn’t involved with that, but maybe this gentleman over here might have been. [Laughs] And, uh, well, it was just something unusual for somebody to – to gather all of, all the young kids, and, uh, have class for ‘em [unintelligible]. HK: And that person, that person was also Mexican? JC: Yeah. Yeah. There was a lot of people who come, uh, for short periods of time, then go back to stuff they do now, and I think that’s probably one of them. Also, some came and they – they died here, and they never made it, you know, never went back to Mexico. They were out in the cemetery for bottom?] markers. HK: Oh. JC: And, uh, whether their families ever did go back to [murmurs]. HK: Well, I thank you very much. It’s been a pleasure. And, uh, we’ll get you copies of the consent forms. And – [tape cuts off for final 15 seconds] END OF TAPE 17B � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource La Yarda Oral History Project Subject The topic of the resource La Yarda (Lawrence, Kan.) Mexican Americans -- Housing -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- History -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- Social conditions -- Kansas -- Lawrence Description An account of the resource La Yarda was a neighborhood of worker housing provided by the Santa Fe Railroad for Mexican-American railroad workers in Lawrence, Kansas; located near the Kansas (Kaw) River, the neighborhood was largely destroyed by a major flood in 1951. In 2006, Helen Krische, archivist at the Watkins Community Museum, began an oral history project to document the La Yarda and Mexican-American communities in Lawrence, Kansas. The project was resumed in 2019 by Nora Murphy and Emily Raymond. The interviews primarily feature the children of the railroad workers who migrated to Lawrence in the early 20th century; they describe daily life, social activities, and living conditions in the Mexican-American community in Lawrence from roughly the 1920s through the 1970s. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived La Yarda Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Watkins Community Museum (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2006 2019 2021 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource These works are the intellectual property of the Watkins Museum of History, Lawrence, Kansas. The public may freely copy, modify, and share this Item for noncommercial purposes if they include the original source information. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Krische, Helen Raymond, Emily Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Chavez, John Martinez, Helen (Chavez) Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data MP4 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 00:48:08 (video) Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 8220 kbps Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Chavez and Helen (Chavez) Martinez La Yarda Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Chavez, John Martinez, Helen (Chavez) Description An account of the resource John Chavez and Helen (Chavez) Martinez were interviewed by Helen Krische in 2006 as part of an oral history project to document the La Yarda and Mexican-American communities in Lawrence, Kansas. La Yarda was a neighborhood of worker housing provided by the Santa Fe Railroad for Mexican-American railroad workers; located near the Kansas (Kaw) River, the neighborhood was largely destroyed by a major flood in 1951. The interview is split into two parts. John and Helen grew up in East Lawrence; they discuss their family's migration from Mexico to Lawrence, their father's work for the railroads and his extensive gardens, and their mother's strategies for managing a large family. They share memories of holiday traditions, childhood pasttimes, and social activities. John and Helen also describe their experiences of discrimination and segregation as part of the Mexican-American community in Lawrence. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Krische, Helen Raymond, Emily Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lawrence (Kan.) 1920s - 1970s Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2006 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP4 (video recording) MP3 (audio recording) PDF (transcription) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 17-JChavezHMartinez-2006E.mp4 (video) 17a-JChavezHMartinez-2006E.mp3 (audio)/17a-JChavezHMartinez-2006E.pdf (transcription) 17b-JChavezHMartinez-2006.mp3 (audio)/17b-JChavezHMartinez-2006.pdf (transcription) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Watkins Community Museum (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the video and audio recordings of this interview, go to <a href="https://archive.org/details/17-jchavez-hmartinez-2006-e">https://archive.org/details/17-jchavez-hmartinez-2006-e</a>. The <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">Watkins Museum of History</a> also holds items related to this collection. <a href="https://archives.lib.ku.edu/repositories/3/resources/5295">Additional research on the La Yarda community</a> is held at the Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published with the permission of John M. Chavez and Helen Martinez. This work is the intellectual property of the Watkins Museum of History, Lawrence, Kansas. The public may freely copy, modify, and share this Item for noncommercial purposes if they include the original source information. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived La Yarda Oral History Project Subject The topic of the resource La Yarda (Lawrence, Kan.) Mexican Americans -- Housing -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- History -- Kansas -- Lawrence Mexican Americans -- Social conditions -- Kansas -- Lawrence Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/451ff88ef47889a8c8c6fc96faaec9a6.pdf 1a7ce4baa98ab2266b510a6fa6c96634 PDF Text Text The Daily Kansas Tribune (Lawrence, Kansas) · Thu, Jan 13, 1870 · Page 3 https://kansashistoricalsociety.newspapers.com/image/61052774 Copyright © 2017 Newspapers.com. All Rights Reserved. Downloaded on Jun 5, 2017 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of the Lawrence Public Library Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) History -- Kansas Biography -- Kansas Description An account of the resource Resources related to the history of the Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, Kansas. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Annual Report of the Lawrence Library Association, 1870 Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource The annual report, published in the Daily Kansas Tribune, of the third year of the Lawrence Library Association. The report details that year's receipts and disbursements, book acquisitions, lectures, donations, and conditions of the reading room, which have become rather cramped at this point. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Chester, H.W. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Newspapers.com Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Daily Kansas Tribune (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1870-01-13 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Lawrence Library Association Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DKT_AnnualMeeting_1870-01-13_p.3 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) 1870 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/73a4c755d4054ddf57b758bc6b2cf893.jpg 4bea2ffb99bfbb6e18b9d9b29ce27d35 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/a9b6a528632b102804967647505961dd.jpg 363924b3277452d66248eb3e3a8e3602 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Fitzpatrick-Postma Postcards Subject The topic of the resource Postcards Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Description An account of the resource This collection is comprised of postcards collected by Lawrence, Kansas, residents Charline Fitzpatrick and her daughter Sally Postma. The collection focuses on resources related to the history of Lawrence, Kansas, including scenes of buildings, events, and people in Lawrence, as well as commercial advertisements for businesses located in Lawrence. The collection was loaned to the Lawrence Public Library for scanning and inclusion in the Digital Douglas County History project by Rosalea and Peter Carttar. Scanning and metadata creation for much of the collection was completed by Kylie Hewitt during the summer of 2016. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Postcard Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 5 1/2" x 3 1/2" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Postcard of Flooded Railroad Tracks Subject The topic of the resource Kansas River (Kan.) -- Flood -- 20th century Description An account of the resource Postcard with a black and white photograph of flooded railroad tracks on the front. Photograph depicts the track which are mostly flooded, ice sheets are on the left side of the tracks. The power lines next to the tracks are leaning over. On the back "Emma M. Christensen" is written in blue ink across the middle. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Christensen, Emma M. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Fitzpatrick-Postma Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Unknown Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Still Image Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Postcard Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_River_Ice_to_Tornado(cp_12a) 7_River_Ice_to_Tornado(cp_12b) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lawrence, Kan. Acquisition date unknown Abstract A summary of the resource. Postcard with a black and white photograph of flooded railroad tracks on the front. A name is written on the back. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Album 7: River Ice to Tornado Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Photograph Print Drawing Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Acquired by Charline Fitzpatrick or Sally Postma. https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/4ea312aa3eb4c8f9d939efe1f5eef204.pdf 34af99f6d1fe9b772e1451a253e317a9 PDF Text Text ♦♦♦♦ A DEEP MAP OF HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY by Joseph Claunch, Sheila Crawford Aaron Edenshaw, Richard Lary Samatha Pete & Blaine Wise ♦♦♦♦ 1 �Printed at the Navarre Hall Printing Center May, 2006 Haskell Indian Nations University Lawrence, Kansas 66046 All regulations pertaining to Federal printing policies apply. Views expressed in the essays are those of the authors only and are not necessarily the views of the university. 2 �♦♦♦♦ TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction, by Denise Low / 4 Mapping Haskell’s History of Land Transaction, by Richard Lary / 6 First Students at Haskell: 1884-1889, by Samantha Pete / 19 Haskell Boarding School Era: Transition Years of 1900 to 1902, by Sheila Crawford / 28 A Decade of Change: Haskell Activism in the 1970’s, by Blaine Wise / 39 American Indians in Public Schools: A Continuing Challenge, by Joseph L. Claunch / 49 Spirits Residing on Haskell Campus, by Aaron Edenshaw / 65 ♦♦♦♦ 3 �4 �♦♦♦♦ Introduction by Denise Low Seniors enrolled in American Indian Literature Seminar, a symposium requirement for the American Indian Studies bachelor degree program, completed research projects on the topic of a deep map of Haskell Indian Nations University. The term “deep map” comes from cultural geography, meaning a multidimensional chart of a specific site, including geology, history, literary history, natural history, weather, interviews, journalism, and science. This vertical view of a small area unpacks into complex interweaving of natural facts and human experiences. Student Richard Lary defines a deep map as “the layout of the land, but also mapping the history of a certain place through stories and the feelings held by people that are some how connected to this place.” The human dimensions as well as the physical contours all create a descriptive gazetteer. The responses to this topic show Haskell as a dynamic location. Janet Allen interviewed Haskell community members who grew up at Haskell, as children of staff members. They reconstruct, in their conversation, a Haskell that no longer exists as a physical reality, but rather as a shared set of memories. Many of the buildings they knew are gone, and many of the people, yet their remembered reality continues to exist. The interviews are available at the Haskell Cultural Center archives, on video tape, rather than within this publication. The first essay, “Mapping Haskell’s History of Land Transactions” by Richard Lary, catalogues the literal mapping the land and landscape known as Haskell Indian Nations University. He reconstructs the original 280-acre holdings given to Haskell by Lawrence townspeople in 1884; the parcel additions as Haskell grew to over 1011 acres; and the diminished boundaries as U.S. termination of Indigenous tribes policies in the 1950s reduced landholdings. Today Haskell is 319 acres. His maps, charts, and references to Douglas County quick deeds give a needed foundation for understanding the legal title to the land base. Samantha Pete’s essay “First Students at Haskell: 1884-1889” summarizes the hardships endured by both staff and students during the first years of the institution. Government policy mandated a European-derived and Christian, rather than Nativecentered, curriculum. Readers may find it surprising how much interaction occurred between townspeople and Haskell during that era. Charles Robinson, the first governor of Kansas, was a superintendent. University of Kansas students hosted Haskell students for Bible study classes on Sunday afternoons. This interaction continued into the 1890s, when James Naismith, innovator of basketball, coached basketball at Haskell as well as KU. Pete gives the early Haskell history, which is the reference point for all subsequent eras. Sheila Crawford's essay “Haskell Boarding School Era: Transition Years of 1900 to 1902” shows some of the adaptations Native people made to the school that allowed the 5 �institution to survive. Survival of Haskell is linked with cultural survival and sovereignty today. Blaine Wise studies the 1970s era of activism at Haskell in “A Decade of Change: Haskell Activism in the 1970s” to see what occurrences related to the civil rights issues of the day. He documents the visits of member of the American Indian Movement to the Haskell campus and to Lawrence. The Longest Walk of 1978 stopped at Haskell, and AIM members Russell Means, Dennis Banks, and Clyde Bellecourt were among the well known figures who participated. The student newspaper The Indian Leader suggests some of the tension surrounding these events as well as the death of a Haskell student at the hands of the Lawrence police in 1977. Joseph L.Claunch examines the public school environment of the present day to see if assimilationist school designs, such as that of 19th century Haskell, have changed. He reviews public educational policies from colonial times to the present, and then interviews Lawrence school employees to gain perspective on Native students’ experience in 2006. Many of these students are children of Haskell students, staff, and faculty. He finds that “90% of the total Indian student population attends public school systems, like Lawrence Public School District 497,” and in the public schools, Native students are isolated as small minorities, less than 1% of most schools’ total school population. Many Haskell college students come from similar public school situations. In Lawrence, 482 Indian students make up 4% of the total enrollment. Claunch examines their educational experience. A final response to this research topic is Aaron Edenshaw’s essay on spirits and ghosts who continue to have existence in Haskell stories. Few people have spent time at Haskell without becoming aware of this type of experience. Several articles document the spirits, and within the oral tradition of the school, even more stories abound. This dimension is not usually thought of as part of an atlas, yet the cemetery, Pocahontas Hall, and other places on campus have well known associations with specific supernatural experiences. At the end of the semester, Lary summarized his experience: I have learned through the Deep Mapping project of Haskell campus that applying this concept to a certain place such as Haskell adds character as well as new dimensions to the school as a whole. It allows for a broader view of Haskell, and lets the stories and experiences of people that have been influenced by Haskell over its long history live on. In my opinion the best thing about Deep Mapping Haskell is that it shows to those who have no affiliation with Haskell that it is more that just land and buildings. It is a living breathing entity to anyone that has experienced Haskell. These six essays, and the videotaped interviews deposited in the Cultural Center archives, add to the richness of the Haskell experience. I am grateful to the student writers for letting me be part of this process. Denise Low Haskell Indian Nations University, May 2006 6 �♦♦♦♦ Mapping Haskell’s History of Land Transactions By Richard Lary The amount of changes that the Haskell campus has seen is great, so in order to narrow the scope of research, this paper focuses on the campus land boundaries. The amount of land held by Haskell was at one point in time much larger than the present day campus. To gain an understanding of exactly what areas of land surrounding campus were at one time owned by Haskell, sectional maps and descriptions of land sales are utilized to show how Haskell obtained the land and what events occurred to cause the land to no longer be in the possession of the school. The land holdings of the school throughout the years grew to be close to three times the amount currently held, and much land was lost, but the 2006 campus still is larger than it was upon its opening in 1884. In our society land is one of, if not the most, valuable possessions. That being said, it is of great importance that the remaining land held in the possession of Haskell be cherished and steps taken to ensure possession so Haskell can live on for the benefit of Native people for generation to come. Haskell History Haskell, originally founded to aid in the assimilation of the American Indian into American society, has transformed over its 122-year history to become a university that empowers Native people. Haskell is a very special place to anyone who has ties to it. This is precisely why those who care for Haskell and wish to see it last for future generations need to have an understanding of Haskell’s past and what changes it has endured, to learn from the past to preserve for the future. To better understand the land issues that surround the school, one must take into consideration the background of Haskell and how it became the university that it is known today. The school known as Haskell was not known as that when its doors officially opened in 1884. Indian Industrial Labor Institute is what the school was first known as until about 1885. The name “Haskell” was officially chosen for the school by the Secretary of the Interior in honor of Dudley C. Haskell, representative of the Second Congressional District of Kansas, who had been permitted to suggest the location of the school in Lawrence (Haverty 3). For the first ten years Haskell’s academic training did not go past the eighth grade. The students were taught mostly how to work in certain trades such as tailoring, wagon-making, blacksmithing, harness-making, painting, shoemaking, and farming for the boys and cooking, sewing and homemaking for the girls. According to the 1929 Haskell Arch dedication program, “A ‘normal school’ was added because teachers were needed in the students’ home communities. By 1927, the secondary curriculum had been accredited by the state of Kansas and Haskell began offering post-high school courses in a variety of areas” (Haskell 2). 7 �These post-high school courses were not valued as much when Haskell made a switch in the focus of its curriculum. According to Haverty, “Industrial training became an important part of the curriculum in the early 1930’s and by 1935 Haskell began to evolve into a post-high school vocational technical institution. The secondary program was gradually phased out and the last high school class graduated in 1965. The school began the process of converting into a junior college. In 1970, Haskell Institute officially became Haskell Indian Junior College. In 1992, after a period of planning for the 21st century, the National Haskell Board of Regents recommended a new name to reflect its vision for Haskell as a national center for Indian education, research, and culture preservation. In 1993, the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs (U.S. Department of the Interior) approved the change, and Haskell became, “Haskell Indian Nation University” (Haskell 2). This brief summary of Haskell’s history documents the changes in academic focus over the years. As sure as the academic focus changed over the years, the shape and size of Haskell’s campus land has also drastically changed. The land holdings seem to change for one reason or another along with academic shifts. Regardless of the reason, Haskell land holdings have dramatically increased and decreased over its existence. This brings back the main point, the changes in Haskell’s campus including where Haskell received the land from, as well as when and to whom ownership was transferred. Land Transactions History In 1883, the citizens of Lawrence, Kansas, donated 280 acres on which to erect an industrial school. Although the land was donated to the United States government, the citizens of Lawrence originally paid $9,300 for it. Oscar E. Learnard and his wife Mary E. Learnard conveyed to the United States the 280 acres in a deed, dated April 4, 1883, less land dedicated to right of way for the Leavenworth, Lawrence, and Galveston Railroad. The deed was approved by the Attorney General on June 7, 1883 and was recorded in Misc. Records Vol. 2, p.52 (Dg.Co. Quick Deed). This first area of land that was donated made up the original campus. Only about half of this 280-acre plot still remains as a part of Haskell’s campus. The portion of the plot that is no longer in Haskell’s possession is all wetlands area (Appendix 1). After this initial donation of 280 acres that make up tract 1 (see tables and maps in appendix for further information), Haskell obtained 8 addition tracts in the period between 1884 and 1936. Under the Indian Appropriation Act, tract 2 was purchased from James W. Alderman and Adeline W. Alderman. This tract consists of 200 acres and was sold for $17,500 on Jan. 18, 1887. The title was declared valid by the Attorney General on May 19, 1887, and the deed is recorded Vol. 2 of Deeds, p. 64 (Dg.Co. Quick Deed). This area, which consisted of 200 acres, still remains a large part of Haskell’s campus, including the powwow grounds, nature walk, and half of the wetlands area that is still in Haskell’s possession. The purchase of the land that encompasses tract 2 marks the beginning of a trend that Haskell went through from 1887 1936. This trend seems to be a policy of land acquisition (Appendix 1). 8 �The first purchase of land, tract 2, was not the only one made that year. Tract 3 was purchased from Oscar E. Learnard and his wife Mary E. Learnard under the Indian Appropriation Act. The tract consists of 10 acres and was sold March 7, 1887, for $4,000. This tract is subject to the right of way claims of the Leavenworth, Lawrence, and Galveston Railroad, and this was approved by the Attorney General on June 3, 1887. The deed is recorded in Misc. Records Vol.2. p.65 (Dg.Co. Quick Deed). This land is still a part of campus and consists of the land on which the Coffin Complex sits, the practice field, and the land on which the Auditorium, Hiawatha, and Tecumseh sit (Appendix 1). The next land purchase was not until about three years later. The land that makes up tract 4 was purchased from Oscar E. Learnard and his wife Mary E. Learnard, under the Indian Appropriation Act, approved August 19, 1890. This tract was sold on December 10, 1890 for $7,600 and consists of 153.60 acres. The deed was approved by the Attorney General February 8, 1891, and it is recorded in Misc. Records, Vol. 2, p. 425 (Dg. Co. Quick Deed). Only a small portion of this tract remains in Haskell’s possession. This entire area is wetlands and sits on the south side of what is now 31 st street (Appendix 1). The next area of land acquired was on the northern side of campus. Tract 5 was purchased from Fred Messenger Lowe and wife under the Indian Appropriation Act, approved August 19, 1891. The tract consisted of 9.64 acres and was sold January 31, 1891, for $1,923. The deed was approved by the Attorney General June 19, 1891. Title is vested in the United States, and the deed is recorded in Misc. Records Vol. 3, p.33 (Dg.Co. Quick Deed). Haskell still remains in possession of most of this plot that holds Stidham Union, Winona, and the Health Center. The land that the Health Center sits on is the only part of that tract that Haskell no longer has control over (Appendix 1). The next area of land added to the campus was on the south side, and it consisted of all wetlands. Tract 6 was purchased from Anna Johnson and her husband Swan Johnson under the Indian Appropriation Act, approved May 27, 1902. The tract consisted of 91 acres and was conveyed to the United States for the amount of $8,000. The title was declared valid by the attorney General on October 6, 1902 (Dg.Co. Quick Deed). This tract of land was the furthest south that the campus has ever gone. None of the land that tract 6 consisted of is under Haskell control. This area was the southeast border of the campus, but it was not the only land that made up the southern border of campus (Appendix 3, Map 1). There was one more tract that was acquired, which makes up the majority of the southern border that runs along the Wakarusa River as well as a small portion of land south of the river, and this would be tract 7. This tract was purchased from William H. Armstrong and his wife Anna H. Armstrong under the Indian Appropriation Act approved May 27, 1902. The tract contains 237.40 acres and was sold to the United States on July 26, 1902 for $21,000. The title was declared valid by the Attorney General on October 27, 1902, and the Secretary authorized the purchase. The deeds were recorded in Vol. 5 of Misc. Records. pp.176-177 (Dg. Co. Quick Deed). The small area of land south of the Wakarusa was no longer in the possession of Haskell when the majority of that tract transferred out of Haskell’s control (Appendix 3, Map 1). 9 �The purchase was made possible by the provisions of the Act of March 4, 1929. The sum of $20,000 was appropriated for the purchase of land at Haskell. The land was purchased from Mary E. Learnard for $19,400. Note how $20,000 was set aside for this purchase, but somehow only $19,400 went toward the purchase. The discrepancy is unaccounted for. The tract consists of 30 acres and was sold to the United States on October 11, 1929. The title was declared valid by the Attorney General on January 6, 1930. The deed is recorded in Deed Book Vol. 28, p. 77 (Dg.Co. Quick Deed). This tract consists of the land on which the Haskell Football Stadium sits, and was the last purchase for about the next seven years (Appendix 3, Map 1). The area of land that tract 9 consists of was the last purchase of land made by the United States for use by Haskell. This tract consisted of 1.84 acres and was purchased in 1936. Information on this tract concerning from whom it was bought, and how much money was exchanged is scarce. This area of land is now the location of the Haskell Cultural Center. The purchase made to obtain the small area of land marks the end of the land acquisition trend at Haskell (Appendix 3, Map 1). Disposals of Land after Public Law 47 Haskell remained in possession of most of this land until 1956. With the exception of 13.65 acres of tract 7, no land was transferred out of Haskell’s control until Public Law 47 was passed on June 4 1953. Public Law 47 provided for land transfers of Federal Indian school real estate: In 1953 the U.S. Congress passed H.R. 1242 (Public Law 47) which provided for the exclusive legal method of transferring "Federal Indian School Property." The law authorized the Secretary of Interior to transfer Federal Indian School Property up to a maximum of 20 acres per recipient. (Hatsu) Under this law, 691.73 Haskell acres were declared surplus and transferred out of Haskell control from 1956 through 1958. In anticipation of P.L. 47 being passed, Haskell began to rent tracts of land in Sunflower, where the former ammunitions factory stands. Sunflower is an area between Eudora and Desoto, Kansas, about 25 miles east on Highway 40. Haskell started to rent these areas of land, approximately 441 acres, in 1952 until about 1958. This issue of Haskell renting tracts of land raises the question, if Haskell had to rent land to accommodate its needs, why was the land in its possession declared as surplus? Although one can speculate, the answer to this question is unknown. One thing to take into consideration is that during this period of time that P.L. 47 was passed, the United States government was acting under a termination of American Indian tribes policy during the Eisenhower era: In 1953, the United States Congress and President Dwight Eisenhower accepted the arguments presented by a small group of members of Congress and approved a new federal Indian policy designed to free the federal government from its unique guardianship role over 10 �Indian tribes and to bring about the dissolution of tribes. Formalized in House Concurrent Resolution108 and Public Law 83-280, the immediate effect of the legislation was to mandate that Nebraska and four other states assume civil and criminal jurisdiction over all "Indian country" within their boundaries. Other states were extended the option of assuming such jurisdiction. (Norgren) This policy may account for the decisions to reduce rather than expand land holdings. No matter what the reason, in 1953 after World War II, this land was declared surplus and ready to be transferred out of Haskell control. All transactions concerning Haskell lands from this point on were sales and are referred to in documentation as “disposals.” These land transaction are the events that have shaped the campus into what it is today. The disposals were made pursuant to provisions of the Act of June 4, 1953 (67 Stat. 41; Public Law 47). As a direct result of the passing of this law, Haskell surplus land was transferred over to various groups and organization around Lawrence. The following information covers where the land was transferred, what tract the land came out of, and what it is being used for as of today. The information is summarized in tables and maps in the appendices. The City of Lawrence was given 20 acres that were used for Broken Arrow School on July 24, 1957. These 20 acres came out of the land that Haskell acquired when tract 2 was purchased in 1887. There was an amount of one dollar attached to this transaction, but was not for the land, but a transaction fee. (Appendix 3, Map 2). The Wakarusa Township obtained 5 acres that are being used for the Fire Department that is located between Broken Arrow Park and the remaining Haskell campus. The land was transfer on July 24, 1957. This area also came out of Haskell tract 2 that was purchased in 1887. (Appendix 3, Map 2). Douglas County also obtained a 20acre plot out of Haskell tract 2. This area is now known as Broken Arrow Park, which is located on the corner of Louisiana and 31st Street. The land was officially transferred on December 23, 1957 (Appendix 3, Map 2). The next transfer was to School District No. 60. The amount of land transferred was 20 acres. These 20 acres came out of Haskell tract 2, and the transfer was made official on February 14, 1958. This land is now being utilized as South Junior High, and this is located between Broken Arrow School and Broken Arrow Park (Appendix 3, Map 2). The next area of Haskell land that was transferred is located on the south side of 31st running adjacent to Haskell Ave. It was transferred to the Kansas Forestry Fish and Game Commission on May 29, 1958 and consisted of 20 acres that came out of the original 280 acres that Haskell was donated in 1883. The land is kept as a wetlands wildlife reserve, under the state of Kansas’ jurisdiction (Appendix 3, Map 2). The University of Kansas also obtained a 20-acre area of land directly north of the plot obtained by the Fish and Game Commission. It is located on the corner of Haskell Ave and 31st Street. The land was officially transferred on November 3, 1958 and was 11 �part of the original campus land donated in 1883. It is a part of the wildlife reserve (Appendix 3, Map 2). The last two transfers that took place are also the biggest and smallest land amounts out of the 691.73 acres that were transferred out of Haskell’s control. The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, a federal agency, received the largest transfer of 572.68 from the Department of Interior. This area includes all of tract 7, all of tract 6, the majority of tract 4, and the remaining wetlands out of tract 1. This is now the area known as the “Baker Wetlands” (Appendix 3, Map 3). The last transfer and also the least went to Public Health Services. The small area consisted of .4 acre and came out of Haskell tract 5. The transfer was made official on June 27, 1958 and is now the Haskell Indian Health Center (Appendix 3, Map 4). Conclusion All these land transfers have shaped Haskell’s campus into what we know today. Over the years Haskell’s land holdings have gone from the original 280 acres to 1,011 acres and then back down to the 319 acres that make up the campus in 2006. Two-thirds of Haskell’s campus was lost in less than two years. More research into archives may reveal changes in government and BIA policies that contributed to this change. This loss of land raises the question, is Haskell important to us as a Native people, and if it is, what steps are we going to take to insure that Haskell will be here for future generations? The information on the purchases and transfers of lands by the United States for the use of Haskell is cut and dried. Through my research, however, I have found out that although the facts on the land acquisitions are clear, other information that I found was not so accurate. I learned just because information is published does not automatically make it one hundred percent reliable, such as the conflicting information concerning the date the school was named Haskell. One conclusion that I have came to by evaluating the facts that surround the Haskell land dealings is that the school itself does not have any real say in the matter. I have come across a lot of information concerning the Haskell land holdings over its 122year history. One thing that I have found is that situations surrounding these transactions lead to questionable business dealings when concerning the buying and transferring of Haskell lands to the community around Lawrence. In conducting this research, I have gained a new understanding and respect for Haskell land. The one thing that made me think—in fact it kind of frightened me—is how quickly and easily Haskell land was taken out of our control. I say “our” in reference to Native people, because I believe that Haskell is Indian Land. We as a Native people know the value of the land that we have lost, and we need to protect and preserve that which we still retain. So in conclusion, I’ll raise the question once again. Is Haskell important to us as a Native people? If it is, what will we do to ensure its survival for our future generations? 12 �Works Cited Aerial map. Haskell campus, 1966. USDA,NRCS, Lawrence Ks. Aerial map. Haskell campus, 1975. USDA,NRCS, Lawrence Ks. Aerial map. Haskell campus, 2005. USDA,NRCS, Lawrence Ks. Crop rotation map. Haskell campus, 1919. Haines Collection, Haskell University. Douglas County Quick Deeds. Courtesy of Dr. Haines. Haskell University: Lawrence Ks. Haines, Dr. Chuck. “Haskell Industrial Labor Institute: An Indian Child Labor School”. Lawrence Ks: Haskell University, 2006. Haskell Celebration. Official Program. Lawrence Ks: October 30, 1926. Haskell Annual Commencement Powwow. Official Program. Lawrence Ks: May 14, 2000. Hatsu, Su. “The Stolen Indian Wetlands.” Accessed 3 May 2006. < http://www.larryville.com/articles/SLT/stolen.htm> Haverty, Thelma D. Buildings on the Haskell Campus: Past and Present. Lawrence Ks: Interior, Haskell Press, 1975. Hawkins, Charlie. Private conversation. 10 Feb 2006. Norgren, Jill. Review of Imperfect Victories: The Legal Tenacity of the Omaha Tribe 1945-1965, by Mark R. Sherer. Vol. 9 No. 11 (November 1999) pp. 476-478. Law & Politics Book Review. <http://www.bsos.umd.edu/gvpt/lpbr/subpages/reviews/scherer.htm> Ogden, Willy. Private conversation. 10 Feb 2006. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, memo of understanding with Department of Interior. Kansas Collection, Spencer Special Collections Library, University of Kansas, 3 Nov. 1958. Original deeds and other documents are courtesy of Dr. Chuck Haines, Haskell Indian Nations University, Lawrence. 13 �Appendix A Haskell Land Transactions This table list the information involved in the obtaining of land by the Federal government for the use by Haskell. Basic information over the transactions that were made laid out in one source is a valuable resource to aid in the understanding of the chain of events that have shaped Haskell into the area that is known today. Having these facts in reference source adds order to the information and allows for quick access to certain dates and facts. Table No. 1 Section No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No.5 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8 No. 9 Totals Previous Owner(s) Total Acreage Amount Paid Oscar and Mary 280 Acres Donated Learnard James and 200 Acres $17,500 Adeline Alderman Oscar and Mary 10 Acres $ 4,000 Learnard Oscar and Mary 153.60 Acres $ 7,680 Learnard Fred Messenger 9.64 Acres $ 1,928 Date of Sale June 7, 1883 May 19, 1887 June 3, 1887 February 6, 1891 June 19, 1891 Anna and Swan Johnson William and Anna Armstrong Mary Learnard 91 Acres $ 6,000 July 16, 1902 237.40 Acres $ 21,000 July 26, 1902 30 Acres $ !9, 400 January 6, 1930 Unknown 1.84 Acres 1,013.48 $ unknown $ 77,508 1936 14 �Appendix B Haskell Land Disposals This table covers the land transfers made between Haskell and the surrounding community. It includes who the land was transferred to, the amount transferred, and the date that the transfer was made official. This will add in quick access of Haskell land disposal information. Table No. 2 Transferred To City of Lawrence Wakarusa Township Douglas County, Kansas School District No. 60 Kansas Forestry Fish and Game Commission University of Kansas Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife Public Health Services Totals: Amount of Land 20.00 Acres 5.00 Acres 20.00 Acres 20.00 Acres 20.00 Acres Date of Transfer July 24, 1957 July 24, 1957 December 23, 1957 February 14, 1958 May 29, 1958 20.0 Acres 572.68 Acres November 3, 1958 November 3, 1958 .4 Acres 678.08 + 13.65 691.73 June 27, 1958 15 �16 �17 �18 �19 �♦♦♦♦ First Students at Haskell: 1884-1889 By Samantha Pete When it comes to history of Native Americans, there is certain history that many people do not know about. Haskell Indian Nations University has a lot of history and has become a historical landmark in Indian country all over the United States. If asked, most Native Americans will have said they have either heard of Haskell, attended Haskell or has had a relative or parent attend. The one thing that most people do not know about is the very first history of the very first students who attended Haskell or how Haskell was even established and why. There is some evidence about what students did in their daily lives or what happened to them while attending Haskell, and after they graduated Haskell, but this evidence has not yet been told to the public. The public may not also know how Haskell was established but may know the fact that it was turning the Indian into the white man. When it comes to the first students at Haskell, those students became a part of history in the Haskell community and Indian country. Evidence will be provided if students participated in any events that went on at Haskell and provide almost daily life activity that each student went through. Also, these students provide the evidence of how Haskell was established and the main reason why. The first students who attended Haskell did not know what they were getting involved in when they attended this training school, and their survival shows how far Haskell has come since it first opened. Students in 1884 did not have the same experience that Haskell students have today. Without having those students who survived the very first years, Haskell would not be what it is today: a university. With the first students at Haskell, the number of enrolled students eventually increased over the five years from 1884 to 1889, but also there also was an increase in students who did not survive while attending Haskell. These students are important, in how they became a part of history. Personal information will be provided for selected students who attended Haskell and also some who died at Haskell. When Haskell was first established, it was because of a bill that was passed by Congress to establish non-reservation boarding schools for Native Americans children. On May 10, 1882, the Congress of the United States passed the Indian Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year of 1883: “This bill, signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur on May 17, 1882, included an amendment that provided for the establishment of three nonreservation boarding schools in the Middle West: Chilocco, Oklahoma; Genoa, Nebraska; and Lawrence, Kansas” (O’Brien 9). The site of one of the boarding schools was Lawrence, home of Dudley C. Haskell, who was the representative of the Second Congressional District and chairman of the House Committee on Indian Affairs. Congressman Haskell had been permitted to select on of the locations in which he wish to 20 �represent and he eventually chose his hometown, Lawrence, Kansas (Granzer 18). The citizens of Lawrence donated two hundred eighty acres of land south of the city for the school site (Granzer 18). Haskell, from the beginning in 1884, was known as an Elementary Boarding School (Self-Study Report). The Committee of Indian Affairs called attention to the location to some of its advantages because it is only “one hundred-fifty miles from Indian Territory, which is Oklahoma, and within forty miles of certain reservations such as Potawatomi reservation and Ottawa reservation” (Granzer 19). It was also close to other reservations: “Other reservations included Kickapoo, Sac and Fox and Iowa and these reservations have access to a large Indian population while keeping transportation costs low” (Vackovic 45). In June 1883, there was a contract made of building three buildings for the school, which were supposed to be done by March 1884, and on July 10, 1884, the buildings were accepted by the government (O’Brien 10). The native limestone buildings occupied the northwest corner of the campus, and each building was three stories high (Haverty 3). The girls’ dormitory was built on the west side of the campus and the boys’ dormitory was built on the west side of the campus (Haverty 3). The girls’ dormitory was later known as Keokuk. This dormitory “consisted of the kitchen, dining room, sewing rooms, the main rooms that women are suppose to be put to work in” (Haverty 3). Then there were also rooms that were built for female employees and students. The boys’ dormitory, later known as Osceola, was not really built for them, at least not the way the girls’ dormitory was built to accommodate women. Inside this dorm was located “the administrative offices, the shoe shop, and the male employees’ rooms as well as the students” (Haverty 3). Each dormitory had “a cistern and sick room, as well as storerooms, bathrooms, and sitting rooms” (O’Brien 11). Eventually, these two dormitories would combine, forming a dormitory for men. Sequoyah was one of the first buildings that was built on campus. It was known as the Academic Building (Haverty 47). Students ranging from five to thirty-five years of age would be taught in the fiveroom building. In early 1884, the school had to prepare for the students’ arrival in the fall (Vackovic 45-46). A farmer, his assistant, a carpenter, and six Indian boys who had been transferred to Lawrence from Chilocco were to prepare the school for its opening in early September (Vackovic 45-46). The group cleared the school ground, “planted 400 fruit trees, seeded the garden with sorghum, oats, millet, and potatoes, cleaned the buildings, and transported materials from the railway station to the school” (Vackovic 46). Before the school had opened its doors, the use of the children’s labor reflected the values of industrial training, as well as the economic philosophy on which Indian boarding schools were founded. Haskell depended on their students labor for the schools’ maintenance and operation. Many of the tasks these students performed did not require a high level of skills training. “Under the cloak of industrial training, students labored at menial jobs, which defrayed operational costs but hardly benefited their educational development” (Vackovic 46). The school was ready to open on September 1, 1884, once the buildings and grounds were readied. In the first report to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in 1885, Dr. Marvin gave a detailed account of the opening of the school: 21 �Twelve Indian boys from the Ponca Agency and two of the Chilocco farm boys made up the initial enrollment. On September 16, 1884, three boys and five girls arrived from the Ottawa reservation in Kansas. That made a total of twenty-two Indian boys and girls at Haskell’s opening ceremonies held on September 17, 1884. (quoted in O’Brien 11) Haskell was operated by the federal government, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and United States Department of Interior (Self-Study Report). Dr. James Marvin, a former Chancellor of Kansas University, was appointed the superintendent of Haskell. The first day was described as: “The school opened with a principal and four assistants with the transfer of Miss Hamilton, and she brought along with her a group of children, from the Cheyenne Agency added a fifth assistant”(Arts 5). A sixth was approved in February, as the rooms became too much crowded for effective work. One change was made by the resignation of Miss Lathrop on account of impaired health, and the appointment of Miss Whitcomb to fill the place (Arts 5). These teachers resided in the buildings, and assisted in the supervision of the students and also in caring for the sick. Teachers also helped in the dining hall. The principal, J.L. DuMars, served as assistant superintendent, in addition to his duties as principal of the school (Arts 6). The opening program for Haskell involved the entire Lawrence community. Chancellor Joshua Lippincott of Kansas University delivered an address for the opening, while other prominent local citizens participated in the ceremonies before an audience of Lawrence residents (Vackovic 46). At the ceremony, Marvin explained to the public the “underlying educational philosophy, and Haskell would guide Indian youths along the road to ‘civilization’” (Vackovic 46). When addressing the audience he emphasized the importance of the English language as well as Christianity, and according to the Lawrence Daily Journal, further states that the school would provide: Instruction to coming farmers and mechanics and housekeepers…Habits of industry and economy have to be inculcated as essentials in right living. The method of instruction and discipline are to promote self-reliance. Obedience to proper authority promotes personal freedom in society. How to be a good citizen is to be constantly enforced. (4) Author Charles A. O’Brien stated below of how many children arrived at Haskell on September 18, 1884 and three days later: Twenty-one Pawnees arrived and three days later, the arrival of a wagon train bringing forty-two Cheyennes and thirty-six Arapahoes created a stir at Haskell. They came with their parents wearing paint and feathers. They spoke no English the parents of these children were quartered in the girls’ building and were a source of great interest and curiosity to the small English-speaking mixed-blood children from the Kansas reservations. Part of the Cheyennes consisted of twenty girls and six small boys who had been transferred with their teachers from Indian Territory to test the possibility of training younger pupils, especially girls, away from camp influences and associations. (12) October 1 came, and there were 124 students who enrolled and by November 1, the number had increased 52 students. A total of 176 students enrolled within these two 22 �months. By January 1, 1888, the student enrollment consisted of “two hundred eighty students, sixty-one of those students were girls’” (O’Brien 12). During this time in 1185, Colonel Arthur Grabowski was superintendent until 1886. Then in 1886 to 1888, Colonel O. E. Learnard was superintendent. He was the final superintendent during the period of 1884 to 1889. Haskell opened with the name Indian Training School in 1884 (Haverty 3). In 1887, the Indian Training School became known as Haskell Institute, re-named by the Secretary of Interior in honor of Dudley C. Haskell. Haskell’s first few months were filled with tragedies, which would have impact on the enrollment figures. Due to a shortage of funds, the boiler house was not completed until late November, leaving students without heat during an unusually cold fall (Vackovic 47). Many children became ill, forcing Superintendent Marvin had to hire a full-time nurse to care for the sick. In the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, during the school year of 1884 to 1886, 587 instances of illness or injury occurred, and one of the first structures added to the campus was a two-story hospital building that could accommodate up to thirty patients at a time (456). In mid-November of 1886, six-month old Harry White Wolf died. He was one of the babies who were part of the Cheyenne/Arapahoe group that had arrived in late September (Vackovic 47). Many deaths occurred after the death of baby Harry White Wolf because that first winter at Haskell, ten more students were buried in a small cemetery. Naturally, parents became anxious about the children’s health, and several asked to have their children sent home and also students who were sick wanted to go home, leave the school and some ran away home (Vackovic 49). The emphasis of the school in the beginning was based on assimilation, having to teach the youth Native boys and girls to become productive members of the dominant society. This meant the society of the white man, growing up and being more like the white man. Students were required to attend boarding schools. They were taken from their homes by agents, and they did not have a choice. A “semi-military system was initiated at Haskell where students wore uniforms and marched to their classes and exercised regularly” (Granzerr 27). This meant students had to take care of themselves and do things on their own such as make their own uniforms, cook their own food, which they grew in the gardens they tended, and build most of the furniture and buildings on campus. The first students were taught to speak English, and their own tribal language was not allowed or they would face consequences such as whippings or isolation from others (O’Brien 14). When it came to students’ education, they studied “math, geography, and other academic subjects, as well as cooking, sewing, carpentry, masonry, and farming” (Arts 1). Having this education among the young Indian children, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs officials: …would serve a dual purpose: first, as an educator of the Indian youth in attendance, and second, as an educational influence among the Indian people. This latter end would be achieved through those students who, instead of fitting themselves for full participation in the non-Indian community, would choose instead to return to their own people and perform missionary work among the in the ideals, institutions, and arts of the dominant civilization. In this way, as 23 �teachers and interpreters they would provide knowledge and examples of farming, mechanics, and other needed industries to the agency Indians. (Granzerr 28) At Haskell, as well as any other off-reservation boarding school, all conversation and communication between students and teachers was in English, and it was like a rule or a law. In addition to students and teachers learning to speak and write English, Bureau officials believed that it was also “necessary to inculcate habits of industry and thrift” (O’Brien 14). The education these students were receiving was to provide them with knowledge in the practical pursuits of life so students would become more self-reliant and be able to earn a living for themselves after they graduated. (O’Brien 15). In July of 1885, Dr. Marvin resigned and was replaced by Colonel Arthur Grabowski. Under Superintendent Colonel Grabowski’s supervision, Haskell did not improve. Superintendent Grabowski had to deal with the health problems and lack of funding left behind by the previous superintendent Dr. Marvin. Grabowski, a military man, quickly wanted to enforce a policy of strict discipline on the students. Grabowski introduced a “military-like system that divided students into five companies of cadet battalions that served to break up tribal groupings and any kind of resistance to school rules” (Vackovic 50). Corporal punishment, as well as the introduction of a school prison, were part of Superintendent Grabowski’s policy. His methods got the attention of others. Even the Lawrence Tribune, for instance, criticized him for “his brutality and general cruelty toward the students.” Many students refused to be treated that way and ran away from school; others wrote letters home, complaining about their treatment (Vackovic 5051). Enrollment during this time dropped because of Grabowski. In Students at Haskell Institute from 1884 to 1889, Mila Capes Altom described any type of off-reservation boarding school as a place of assimilation: The wide spread moral theory of the time period was that it was the “will of God” to remove the savage form the child by means of education. This education became common practice as a way to assimilate the Indians into the mainstream of society. In order to accomplish this plan of assimilation the children were removed from their families, homes, tribes, cultures and histories. Haskell Institute was just one of several educational institutions where these plans were carried out. It was during those first few years of operations by the educational institutes that not only were personal and tribal identities lost, but also those of whole families and tribes. (1) The first students at Haskell survived 1884 to 1889. In 1999, a ledger book was found, all worn and deteriorating, that seemed to be the original enrollment and registry records for the first five years of Haskell Institute, 1884 to 1889 (Altom 2). Bobbi Rahder, Haskell Indian Nations University Archivist, came upon a handwritten listing of students and made it into a new and improved ledger book that shows the first students at Haskell. This ledger book gives the names of the students, both their white and Indian names, their sex, age, date of arrival, location they arrived from and their parents or guardians. When it came to the very first students at Haskell, according to the ledger book, there was a record of 238 students who were enrolled and only ten students will be cited from the logbook as an example. These students were students who have arrived in 24 �September and October of 1884, when Haskell was in its early month of beginning its training school. These students were here at the very beginning when Haskell was being established, so it is best to let people know they were the first ones here. Here is an example of the information that is provided about them in the ledger book: White Name Indian Sex Name Sha pe l F lo Ke wa M koo F Age Arrived Arrived From 19 9/19/1884 23 9/19/1884 15 10/25/1884 Te eet M 13 9/19/1884 13 10/8/1884 15 9/19/1884 16 9/19/1884 8 HumF kah-me Con M socks ae Tsla ha F ta Wilson, Anna F 13 10/25/1884 9 Huffy, Henry M 18 9/17/1884 Pawnee Agen/ Indian Terr. Pawnee Agen/ Indian Terr Shawneetown , Indian Terr. Pawnee Agen/ Indian Terr. Osage Agen, Indian Terr. Pawnee Agen/ Indian Terr. Pawnee Agen/ Indian Terr. Shawneetown , Indian Terr. Oneida, Wisc M 11 10/25/1884 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Baboylle, Emily Brown, John Delaware, Jane Eyre, Willie Pryor, Josephine Richards, John Wilde, Gertie 10 Trumbley, Louis Shawneetown , Indian Terr. Guardian John Brown John Pryor Nicholas Huff Mick Trumbley In early 1886, former Kansas Governor Charles Robinson became Haskell’s third superintendent (Vackovic 53). Robinson gradually succeeded in bringing up the school’s enrollment and kept discipline with less abusive policies two previous superintendents. By the end of the 1886 to 1887 school year, attendance was once again up to about 400 students, leading to overcrowded dormitories and classrooms (Vackovic 53). Life at Haskell became easier to live despite the student’s bad health and the crowded conditions. Students liked Robinson better than the two previous superintendents because Robinson allowed them to interact socially, two evenings a week, and the Haskell band was established. Haskell opened a school library, which included regional newspapers (Anderson 86). Students supported their school because of Robinson as shown by Teresa Tucquinn’s letter to the superintendent in 1888: “I think it’s nice to here. I think it is a better place to be here than at home. You treat us very kind and thank you for your kindly care” (Vackovic 55). During the 1887 to 1888 school year, a three-story building, housing seven industrial departments, was added to Haskell campus. In these departments, “male 25 �students would be able to receive training in blacksmith, tailoring, carpentry, printing, wagon and harness making, tin smithing and shoemaking, as well as in farming, baking and engineering” (Vackovic 55). The girls were taught domestic arts and sciences in the new facilities. New dormitories and new dining hall were under construction and all other land was “utilized for garden, field, meadow, and pasture” (Vackovic 54). Students performed tasks to help keep the cost down on the school’s operational cost. In Robinson’s annual report, he expressed this deeply held belief in Haskell’s mission: When these hundred and fifty children of any tribe and nation demonstrate by actual experiment that they can do all the work, under proper supervision, required for their daily subsistence, all the work necessary to farm almost 500 acres of land to crest several substantial buildings of both wood and stone, and also manufacture a good variety of articles in a neat an satisfactory manner, besides attending school on half of each day, such children are well worthy of the attention, the time, and the money expended on their behalf. (Vackovic 55) Students who attended Haskell often did a summer “outing” program while they were at school (Vackovic 54). Haskell students lived with white families to work either as farm hands, or for the girls, as maids. The purpose of the program was to teach students “Anglo-civilization” firsthand and to immerse them into dominant culture (Vackovic 54). However, white families used the program as a cheap manual labor. Many Indian parents were “reluctant to have their children leave school and especially, feared for their daughters’ safety” when they were part of the outing program (Vackovic 55). The school was highly regulated in military style. In 1887, the Lawrence Gazette described how “bells regulated the behavior in the dining room, indicating when the students were allowed to sit down, and when they were allowed to start eating” (Sears). According to the article, “one boy oversaw the behavior of the whole table, while others waited on the students” (Sears). In the early years, many more boys than girls attended Haskell, requiring boys to perform “female” chores such as serving food and washing dishes. Christianity was also part of the school curriculum. While students were attending school, they were required to attend church. During first Superintendent Marvin’s era, he focused on “Christian morality as the key to knowledge and understanding of American civilization” (Vackovic 254). He introduced “compulsory nondenominational services on Sunday mornings, where he read biblical passages to the students, which the children repeated after him” (Vackovic 254). In the afternoon, students attended Bible classes often conduced at University of Kansas by KU students. The evening was devoted to the children meeting once more to rehearse hymns (Vackovic 255). When Colonel Grabowski was superintendent, he invited ministers from “the local Methodist, Episcopal, Baptist and Congregational churches to hold a two-week series of revival meetings, during which 130 students were baptized” (Vackovic 255). Haskell students were often allowed to attend local churches and Bible classes, one of their few activities off campus, provided that they were in chaperoned groups. Homesickness was an issue for students, so the dorm staff were very important. The matrons were expected to provide “motherly oversight of the boys, large and small, as well as the girls” and she was to be “one of whom they will look for counsel – a 26 �woman of culture of high ideals, of practical wisdom and tact, to exert the best refining womanly influence upon even the oldest of pupils” (Anderson 106). Harriet Kelsey Haskell was one example of a substitute mother for these students, the widow of Congressman Dudley C. Haskell. She was well liked for her kindness and positive influence on the students. Among the first enrollments, there is also the entry of death records. These death records may only show those students who died while they were still here at Haskell, and it does not count those students who went home and possibly died while at home. Some who died at Haskell were not recorded because they may have been running away, and others had no official diagnosis for their deaths (Altom 2). In Students at Haskell Institute from 1884 to 1889, there is listed the record of the known deaths of students. The following five students were students who were diagnosed with illness and died within a year after arriving in the month of September and October during the years of 1884 and 1887. Some students were not diagnosed, so there was not cause of death for some students. Here is an example of the information kept by officials on some of the deaths: Arrived 10/8/1884 2 English Name Wahshehotsa, Thomas Norman, Bradley 10/19/1884 No diagnosis Pawnee 3 Valier, Samuel 9/1/1887 Pneumonia Quapaw 4 Sears, Willie 9/15/1887 Accident Sioux? 5 Walker, Susie 9/19/1884 Consumption Cheyenne 1 Diagnosis No diagnosis Tribe Osage Staff Notations Died Jan. 11, 1885/ 19 yrs old Died Jan. 22, 1884/ 23 yrs old Died May 22, 1888/ 10 yrs old Died May 18, 1888/ 11 yrs old Died Aug. 29, 1886/ 8 yrs old During the period when Dr. Marvin was superintendent, when Harry White Wolf was buried in the cemetery on campus, others were buried there. Altogether, the names on twenty-nine graves did not appear in the school’s records, meaning that some deaths occurred without being properly recorded (Vackovic 49). For example, in 1886, ten new gravesites were marked in the cemetery, even though the annual report of 1886 did not indicated any deaths at Haskell. During the 1887 to 1888 term alone, seventeen students died, may of them as a result of “pneumonia and scrofula (a tubercular affliction)” (Anderson 91-92). Many employees suffered from exactly the same diseases as the students caused by the unhealthy living conditions at the school (Anderson 91-92). After the first years of Haskell education, students spent more time working then actually getting an education (Vackovic 57). Students did almost all the upkeep of the buildings and grounds of the school. Haskell offered academic training only at the primary and grammar school level, with classes focusing on the three R’s, American history, and basic sciences, like biology (Vackovic 57). When Haskell first opened its doors on September 1, 1884, enrollment gradually increased over the years from an initial fourteen students to over a thousand students It 27 �was one of the largest off-reservation boarding schools maintained by the Federal government (O’ Brien 1). Those students who survived their first years at Haskell became a part of history, and if they had not survived Haskell, Haskell Indian Nations University may not even exist today. Haskell has grown up since 1884 into what is now a university, so it shows that Native Americans can succeed. All Native students need is encouragement. That is where those very first students come in, dealing with the hardships and surviving by not giving up their culture. Students in 1884 did not have the same experience that Haskell students have today, and the point is to show the public what these students went through while attending Haskell, starting with their education, enrollment, deaths and their lives while at Haskell. Haskell started out as a training and boarding school, then turned into a junior college, and now is a university. Without having those students who survived those first years, Haskell would not be what it is today. Works Cited Altom, Mila Capes. Students at Haskell Institute from 1884 to 1889. Lawrence: Haskell Indian Nations University Department of Archives, 2000. Anderson, Eric P. An Imperfect Education and American Indians at Haskell Institute, Lawrence, KS: 1884-1894. M.A. Thesis. Department of History, Lawrence: University of Kansas, 1997. Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. 1885 Arts, Bill. Haskell Highlights 1884-1978. Lawrence: Haskell Indian Nations University, 1889. Granzer, Loretta Mary. Education at Haskell Institute: 1888-1937. M.A. Thesis, University of Nebraska, 1937. Haverty, Thelma P. Buildings on Haskell Campus: Past and Present. Haskell Indian Junior College: Interior, Haskell Press, 1975. Lawrence Daily Journal. September 18, 1884. O’Brien, Charles A. The Evolution of Haskell Indian Junior College, 1884-1974. M.A. Thesis, University of Nebraska, 1975. Sears, W.H. “An Evening at Haskell Institute.” Lawrence Gazette. February 2, 1887. Self-Study Report for the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Lawrence: Haskell Indian Junior College, 1978. Vackovic, Myriam. Onward Ever Backward Never: Student Life and Students’ Lives at Haskell Institute, 1888-1920. M.A. Thesis. Lawrence: University of Kansas, 2001. 28 �♦♦♦♦ Haskell Boarding School Era: Transition Years of 1900 to 1902 By Sheila Crawford Haskell Institute is one of the many schools opened during the late 19th century, and this time-period and has a history of its own: Congressman D.C. Haskell, then representing the people of the second congressional district, to locate an Indian Industrial Training school at or near Lawrence provided the citizens would donate a suitable site, a number of the leading business men promptly subscribed the necessary funds, purchased two hundred eighty acres of land and proffered it to the government as a desirable site for the Indian School. (Lawrence 1) The first years of Haskell saw a lot of hardship, but by 1900, student accounts in the Haskell student newspaper showed students were adjusting to the boarding school. The local population believed classes Haskell offered were better than most public school education during this time (Lawrence 1). The education curriculum began with the basic industry instructions. Emphasis was placed upon institutional training, because of the necessity of teaching Indian boys and girls to earn their living in ways similar to their white neighbors (Lawrence 1). The tribes had used their surroundings for agriculture, gathering of foods, and hunting before the Whites arrived, and Native farming was the beginning of land use and stock caring. Students built on this tradition. Indians had educational needs to enable them to convert serious training into a practical and wage earning power (Lawrence 2). Non-Indians would like to think that the Indians were receiving better education because it could help in the future, but in reality, they did not realize the sacrifices many generations had to go through to get there. Transportation costs were high because of food, sleeping arrangements, and the type of transportation used: “The area of the industrial school is so important because the use of transportation will cost more monies. Haskell is the most centrally located school of its type in the United States” (Lawrence 2). This helped with gathering Indians from different areas around the United States, because of the railway system. Farming needs to have certain land to cultivate the foods or cattle that given to the school from the government. Haskell is located directly in the corn, wheat and stock raising section (Lawrence 2). The stock raising helped with the food preparations at Haskell and the crops would become of economic value. The beginnings of Haskell education were the normal school and trade schools. Haskell Indian Nations University is now the first allIndian inter-tribal university in the United States (Background 1). The boarding school era played a major part of the education that uses it presently. Haskell Institute had a local newspaper that was issued to students and families to show the events at the school and other boarding schools during this time. Industrial training equipment for a printing plant that the Haskell publication started the monthly 29 �student paper (Ames 19). The Indian Leader had begun in 1897; the dates and events that have occurred during this time can calculate most of the events that occurred during this time. The new buildings during this era would include Curtis Hall, a new laundry, and bakery (Haskell Growth). After the first years of hardship, from 1884 to 1894, the school became more stable. Students appeared to find benefits in the education, despite the hardships. The focus of Haskell Institute during the 1900 to 1902 in the articles in the Indian Leader show that assimilation to Anglo civilization occurred or did not occur or occurred partly. An example of “civilization” can be viewed from the lessons taught during the boarding school era. On September 28, 1900 an explanation of Sunday school lessons appears in “Story of Samson: Judges 13, 14, 15 and 16. The Golden text- O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee and strengthen me.” One other example would be held on October 14, 1900, with the Story of Saul: I Samuel 9 10:1 and 17-27. This includes the Golden text, “Behold, to obey is better then sacrifice”(Sunday School). The process of assimilation is strong in teachings of religious activities every Sunday and all children had to be present in church. The different activities that occurred in the government were viewed as milestones in Indian issues. Charles Curtis of Kansas, member of the Kaw nation, was the first Indian Congressman (Indian Congressman), and he was also vice president. Curtis helped gain the right awareness about Indians during this era because he was of mixed blood and chose not to harm his body with drugs or alcohol. These next examples involved superintendent perspectives on religious activities, American names, personal letters, and the future of the Indian students. All of these topics cover the main issues that were addressed by Haskell Institute administration in 1900 to 1902. In March 29, 1901 an article of the Industrial Training School mentions the beginning of Indian education from a superintendent’s perspective (Appendix I). In this article, the superintendent stresses the importance of government control over Haskell Institute. He mentions Haskell history along with the enrollment of students being six hundred. The heat was from steam and the light came from the electricity. Supervision of all individuals was important because they have students that will act in their nature to be Indian. Teachers were viewed as leaders in a model school setting because they helped the students become civilized. Classes relied on religious factors as well as the lessons and industrial training. Most commercial courses were studies in a two-year study course. Graduating classes had many different accomplishments because of jobs and other important information taught at Haskell Institute in 1901. Assimilation was being accomplished, but also students had instances of success. An example of the hard teachings of Sunday school would be in February 9, 1900: “Sunday school would be the first step of civilization and the eighth grade entertainment” (Appendix II). In Sunday school, the students studied a topic and the reading of this topic. Then the topic and readings were put together to make the golden text of a prayer. Every Sunday accounted for with a lesson plan or sermon from the priest or head of the church. Mandatory Sunday school was in forced because the Christian religion is important in “civilization.” 30 �The eighth grade entertainment is described as the orchestra plays the music. The actors or students needed to portray themselves as a play would, but the drills were harder and the audience was intense. The class honored Mr. Haskell by announcing all his accomplishments with Haskell Institute. James Marvin was mentioned because he was the superintendent of Haskell Institute in 1884, the first superintendent. The portraits of each male represented in the eighth grade entertainment were the following: Dr. Marvin, Charles Robinson, and Dr. Meserve. All these men had helped with the education of students and the citizens. Another article shows the education of the Indians into American citizens at Haskell in March 16, 1900 (Appendix III). This article proves that it was not only up to the teachers to help with education, but the student as well. If there was no equal relationship or respect for the topics, the students will not become civilized. In the article on Indian Education, it explains the practicing of all knowledge is God’s work. School was not separated from religion. Becoming God fearing individuals was not the traditional way of life for many different tribes or nations. Assimilation was the goal. Ethical training was to help install the civil liberties that were fought for in the Indian education system, according to the superintendent. This article was more of an annual report by Miss Reel, superintendent. While attending boarding schools, the names of Indian children had to be “civilized” as individual family names in English were established on March 14, 1902 (Appendix IV). Students were given Anglo names. Traditionally, Indian names did not just appear; the tribe handed them down periods of your life or the ceremony that the ancestors give you the name. The names were the story of the process this individual had to go through to receive the tribal name. All names have a meaning, including place names, but the one that stood out was the Wakarusa, meaning thigh high (Ames 12). Some names related to places that we are aware of to this day, such as Kansas, named after a resident Indigenous Nation. Wakarusa River and its wetlands, known to traditional people as a spiritual place, were part of the historical Haskell Institute. The land was part of the original campus. Personal letters by students showed their adjustment to the different culture. The personal letters that students wrote for classes were published, like this one: “When I first came to Haskell” and another, “My Home Life” July 27, 1900 (Appendix V). This individual came to Haskell Institute in 1890 and was lonesome. The buildings had increased over time, but are not all still intact. A fourth grade boy had been in the third grade and went home only in June to visit family. This individual wanted to come back to Haskell because it was a good place for him. He talks about having the memory of walking down to the wet lands after Sunday school. The fourth grade boy mentioned “My home life is different because this person had to help in the kitchen or cook.” This individual is from a tribe or nation that lived in teepees or at least had ceremonies in teepees. After graduating from Haskell, one boy would like to impress the non-Indian by his education (May 3, 1901 Appendix VI). Charles Edrick wanted to move forward in his educational goals. He was in the Normal class that prepared students for the basic education levels. He disagreed with the statement that all Indians are savages, and he 31 �wanted the chance to prove that he was honorable. These sources prove that Haskell students wanted to be more educated, but recognized as Native American Indian and not the “savage” stereotype. The young man wanted to be a physician and always remember where he had come from. The encouragement that this young man had would make his dreams to come true; he believed that even if pushed down he must pick himself up and move on. This student shows how Indians are raised with respect for themselves and other members within their nations, as stated: “Indians are proud of their race and its rich heritage of tradition, legend, and story” (Short Sketches). Not only is this true for the boarding school era, but it was important to Haskell Institute because of the interaction of tribal children at the boarding schools. The end of boarding schools started because of the mistreatment that occurred to Indian children. They were “Punished for the practicing of cultural traditions, native dress, and native language” (Archuleta 26). They were violently treated by the schools matrons, teachers, and government officials. This included corporal punishment and imprisonment. This had become the main reason the mistreatment had occurred. Beatings, swats from rulers, having one’s mouth washed with soap or lye, or being locked in the school jail were not uncommon punishments (Highlights 28). Imagine the difference this made on the child that was punished for living the traditional way and trying to communicate the only way he or she knew. The different regulations tied to boarding schools kept the Indian children away from their families. Government policy severely restricted visits home during the early boarding school era, but communication between students and their families was steady and strong (Highlights 27). This encouraged the students to write in English and the parents to learn English as well. Many different health effects and children deaths had brought attention to the mistreatment of Haskell children. They were “Issued government regulated clothing and uniforms, fire- combed for lice, with kerosene, bathed, and had their cut”(Archuleta 26). The health conditions were so bad that the children were stripped down to nothing and scrubbed. “Some students bathed and scrubbed so hard that their skin would be red and irritated.” This cruelty had continued until the Uniform Course of Study for the Indian schools in August 1901 (Ames 14). This caused many different changes in the education of Indian children at Haskell Institute. The end of boarding schools had begun with this study in 1901, because the conditions of boarding schools were not healthy for the Indian children. Later the Merriam Report, 1924, pointed out shocking conditions in boarding schools, during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries and recommended not sending elementary age children to boarding schools, and urged an increase in the number of day schools (Reyhner 102). Day schools or public schools were under the control of the government, but given to the state level for actual observations. States could regulate the funding for all students that attended the education system. Indian children often transferred from federal boarding schools, sometimes to a different area (Coombs 123). This was why the decontamination process was given to new students being transferred, because the ill children were separated from one another: “One danger was disease, especially trachoma, influenza, and tuberculosis” (Short Sketches 38). These three diseases caused many deaths at boarding schools in the early 1900’s. 32 �Boarding schools were designed to obliterate tribal identity, and transform Indian people (Archuleta 116). This is why the government agreed with Pratt in the beginning the immersion of the American way. These issues caused many different children to rebel and run away from the schools: “Rebellion was common feature of government boarding school life during 1900 to 1940” (Child 49). After being mistreated, the students had no other way to run, but home was the only safe place they knew. The choice between the oppression that occurred and the life style forced upon the Indians would not allow them to have a complete Indian culture. Students rebelled: “Running away was the most popular form of protest used by boarding school students, but certainly not the only kind of rebellion” (Child 54). Some Native families encouraged the running away because then they could see them and teach them the traditional life style. Boarding schools had then spread across the United States of America, and all Native children were being forced to attend. If the parents fought the authorities, they were cut off from receiving their rations from the government. The government during this time was paying the agents to gather children to force them into the education system. This system caused many different events to happen to Native children that caused them to shut down. The process was taken lightly by the staff and other officials, but not by parents. Some parents had not seen their children after they were taken away because they had passed away. Many tribes were effected by the loss of children because the traditions were supposed to be passed down from one generation to another. Now the civilization, or colonization, and the Native people become less aware of the loss of traditions that are to return. Indian boarding school era was hard on the Indian population because of the effects it had on the Indians as a whole. Haskell Institute was a big part to the boarding school era because it was one of the first inter-tribal schools. The deep mapping of Haskell Institute during the boarding school era in 1900 to 1902 has proven Indian education valuable as well as oppressive. Through understanding the effects of Indian boarding schools on families, history can help understand life today. Balancing the positive and negative changes of Indian children in boarding schools was difficult to overcome, but provided encouragement to receive an education. Haskell is important to the Indian Education system back in the 1880’s as well as the Indian Education of today in 2006. Works Cited Adams, David. Education for Extinction: American Indians and the Boarding School Experience 18751928. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1995. Altom, Mila. Students At Haskell Institute From 1884 to 1889. Lawrence: Haskell Indian Nations University Department of Archives, 2000. “American Names.” The Indian Leader 14 Mar. 1902: 1. Ames, William. Highlights of Haskell Institute: A Brief Sketch of the Half-Century of Indian Education. Lawrence, Kansas: Haskell Institute, 1936. Archuleta, Margaret; Child, Lommawaima. Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Experiences 1879-2000. Phoenix: Heard Museum, 2000. Child, Brenda. Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1099-1940. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. 33 �Coomds; Kron; Collister; Anderson. The Indian Child Goes to School: A Study of Interracial Differences. Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1958. Cobb, Amanda. Listening to Our Grand-Mothers’ Stories: The Bloomfield Academy for Chickasaw Females, 1825-1949. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. Edick, Charles. “What I Intend to Do After Leaving Haskell.” The Indian Leader 3 May 1901: 1. Dr. Hailmann. “Industrial Training Schools.” The Indian Leader 29 Mar. 1901: 1. Jackson, Curtis. Identification of Unique Features in Education at American Indian Schools. San Francisco, California: R and E Research Associates, 1974. Merriam; Webster. The Merriam-Webster Pocket Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster Inc., 1995. Pearce, Roy. Savagism and Civilization: A Study of the Indian and the American Mind. Baltimore: John Hopkins Press, 1965. Roessel, Robert. Handbook for Indian Education. Los Angeles: Amerindian Publishing Company. Reyhner, Jon. A History of Indian Education. Billings: Eastern Montana College, 1989. “Sunday School Lessons.” The Indian Leader 9 Feb. 1900: 2. “The Moral Status of the Educational Work.” The Indian Leader 16 Mar. 1900: 3. Witmer, Linda. The Indian Industrial School: Carlisle, Pennsylvania 1879-1918. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Cumberland County Historical Society, 1993. “When I First Came To Haskell.” The Indian Leader 27 Jul. 1900: 4. 34 �35 �36 �37 �38 �39 �♦♦♦♦ A Decade of Change: Haskell Activism in the 1970’s by Blaine Wise During the 1970’s, the nations colleges and universities were seeing an increase in politically motivated events on their campuses. But what I am in search of is the events that happened at Haskell Indian Junior College and the issues that sparked local demonstrations. This is a particularly difficult area to explore due to the lack of research done on this topic. To my knowledge, this will be the first time this question has been researched. If this research is successful, I will be able to educate the readers that political activism was not only occurring at major educational institutes but at Haskell as well. Introduction When examining the political activism that occurred here at Haskell Indian Nations University, then known as Haskell Indian Junior College, during the 1970’s, the question that must be answered is what sort of political events took place? This research is vital to the “Deep Map of Haskell” because it will provide original information about the political protests by the student body of Haskell. On today’s college campuses, little is protested or rallied for or against with as much determination as the politically in-tune generation of my parents. It is far too often that when I read about politically motivated events that took place on college campuses, I primarily hear about the African-American and the White activists. But what about the Indians? What did they do to create change? What led me to this topic was an article given to me entitled “1970: The Year That Rocked River City,” by Clark Coan. This article chronologically lays out the political actions that had this town on edge, and sometimes on fire. This article left me wanting to learn more about what went on here in Lawrence, but mainly, what sort of events took place at Haskell? Unfortunately, when I tried to learn more about what went on during the 1970’s, I came to a standstill when exploring Haskell’s demonstrations because of a lack of literature written on this topic. Ultimately, I want to know what went down “the decade that rocked River City?” The main points that I researched are what issues sparked the political demonstrations? What types of strategies did the students use? And how successful or not were their attempts to create change? The design of my research was based upon primary and secondary materials, including books, newspaper articles, and first-hand interviews. There are two subjects that have given me their consent to participate in my research interview: Jerry Tuckwin, a faculty member, athletics coach, and a Vietnam veteran during the time period that I am examining, and also Pat Melody, director of the Thunderbird Theatre during mid and late 1970’s. I created a questionnaire that aimed at revealing the truths and the vivid details that made these events essential to the “deep map of Haskell.” 40 �Coan said that “the month of May witnessed the greatest display of campus dissent and disorder in American history” (5). The most infamous situation was when a student protest turned into a tragic event at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. Students from Kent State had scheduled a noon rally that protested the American invasion of Cambodia, which was put into motion on April 25, nine days before. At noon on Monday “an estimated 2000 people,” nearly double Haskell’s current enrollment, “gathered at the university common” (wikipedia.com) for what began as a peaceful demonstration. Soon after, the Ohio Air National Guard, which was already on campus, made the decision to extinguish the gathering before it became violent, as it had in the previous days. But instead of practicing peace, 29 of the 77 guardsmen fired 67 shots into the crowd of protestors and bystanders (wikipedia.com). From those 67 rounds fired, four students were killed, nine were wounded, and one student was paralyzed. Kent State University suspended classes for six weeks following the tragic May 4th incident. This infamous episode will forever be known as the “Kent State Massacre”( wikipedia.com ). Lawrence also had its violence during this time frame. This Is Lawrence! Even before the Vietnam War erupted, political activism among college students was on a rapid incline. The war was fuel to an already raging fire. The war and other issues sparked rallies, protests, and sit-ins all across the nation. Many times these events would turn into tense situations that often led to arrests, injuries, and or in some instances death to participants or bystanders in these heated environments. Unfortunately, Lawrence, Kansas, was not to be excluded from college towns that par-take in these sort of politically charged affairs. During the decade of 1970, Lawrence was a hotbed for politically motivated events. These events reached their peak from July 16-23, 1970, when the week was dubbed by Coan as the “Second Revolt in River City”(7). This week, the city of Lawrence witnessed their once quiet streets transformed into a political warfront with sniper fire, arson, and bombings brought on by young White and Black activists. Even with a state of emergency declared by the Governor and with Highway Patrol scouting the streets, two KU students, one black and one white, were shot and killed by patrolling law enforcement officers (Coan 7). The deaths of these KU students caused Chancellor Chalmers to suspend Kansas University classes on July 23rd. These politically and racially motivated confrontations were not strictly subjected to KU students, but also influenced the students in the Lawrence Public School system. On April 13, 1970, the KU-Black Student Union members’ issues spilt over to the black students at Lawrence High School where “several black students forced their way into Principal William Medley’s office demanding to speak with him” (Monhollon 149). The students demanded more black representation in courses and social organizations throughout the school. This would be one of the calmer displays of protest. With rumors of a take-over by black students, Lawrence Minutemen, a make-shift vigilante group, armed with submachine guns and other weaponry, displayed their force outside the 41 �school to prevent any such take-over (Monhollon, 151). Throughout the week there were several incidents of vandalism, fire-bombings, and shooting. The Harambee, the Black Student Union newspaper, called events “The week that was” (Monhollon, 151). So with these politically and racially charged events taking place here in Lawrence, it brought me to the question; what types of these actions were seen on the Haskell Indian Junior College campus during the 1970’s? Essentially, I was searching for evidence of protest, sit-ins, rallies, and any other actions taken by Haskell students for political and social change. Also, what were the issues at hand that motivated their demonstrations? And were they successful in their demonstrations? The Low-Down on Haskell During the first semester of 1973, American Indian Movement (AIM) member Russell Means spoke at Kansas University, not Haskell, about the journey of the American Indian Movement and goals that AIM is striving for. In the September 28th, 1973 article, written by Rochelle Johnson and Frank White, they briefly outline the words that Means delivered to Kansas University students. No full text remains of the speech. Johnson and White began their article with Means revealing that AIM members were seeking to raise 1.2 million dollars to adequately fund the defense of some “300 defendants” connected to AIM that were involved in the Wounded Knee takeover and other trials versus the U.S. government (Johnson, White 3). After explaining the motivation behind Mean’s speech, the authors described the current goals of AIM. After a year of being a service provider to Native Americans in Minneapolis, AIM began searching for their spirituality. Means stated that “today Indians lack their spirituality, their traditional religion that once was the only driving force behind the Indian” (Johnson, White 3). So to rekindle their lost spirituality and traditionalism, AIM began their quest to find “holy men” from the various tribes across the nation (Johnson, White 3). From these “holy men,” the members of AIM “learned to have respect for their brothers’ vision because all things are related and have something to say” (Johnson, White 3). This statement made by Means has become cliché in today’s study of the Native Americans perspective on the world that surrounds them. Before closing his speech at KU, Russell Means revealed that the American Indian Movement was “advocating a return to living as one with all; they want liberation, spiritual freedom and to expose the corrupt parties to the public’s attention” (Johnson, White 3). This speech was given towards the end of the Nixon Administration when the corruption of his administration, known as “Watergate,” became the center of attention for the American people and ultimately led to the resignation of Richard Nixon. Even though corruption was taking place at the White House, to many Native Americans President Nixon did more positive for Indians than any previous President. Peter MacDonald, a prominent Navajo leader, called Nixon “the Abraham Lincoln of the Indian people” (Kotlowski 188). The positive effect of the Nixon Administration was felt at Haskell Indian Junior College. Pat Melody, the director of the Thunderbird Theatre at the time, said “during the Nixon presidency all kinds of money was on campus” 42 �(interview 4/8/06). Melody also mentioned that the budget for the Thunderbird Theatre was “$10,000.00 for the 1974 school year” (interview 4/8/06). This level of funding has not been reached since. So what other corruptions was Means speaking of? Johnson and White end their article by telling the readers that Russell Means would be in the area, but not at Haskell specifically, to “investigate the treatment of the Pottawatomie and all the Indians in Kansas, Haskell included” (Johnson, White 3). I was unable to discover what the results of his investigation were. Even if the results showed mistreatment what would Russell Means have done to create change? September 28th,1973 was the first time in my research that the militant AIM group appeared in the campus newspaper, The Indian Leader. Although AIM did advocate change to better the lives of Indians, I figured the ideas and thoughts of the sometimeviolent group would be kept separate from the growing minds of the students at HIJC. The second time AIM made an appearance in The Indian Leader was three months after Means’ appearance, when another AIM front man, Dennis Banks, was in an article entitled “Dennis Banks Urges Boycott.” In the article appearing December 7th,1973, the executive director of the movement, Dennis Banks, insisted that Indians “boycott white man’s bars and sources of his destructive poison” (2). This is the first chronological instance in my research that I have found information regarding Native students taking a specific stance against an issue. Even though it may seem to some individuals as an insignificant cause to boycott, it still displays the idea of trying to create change among the Native American communities. Banks did have the right idea in wanting to boycott the purchase of alcohol, which has for a long time been a major vice in the lives of far too many Native peoples. Once again the American Indian Movement found away to grace the pages of the student newspaper here at Haskell. On March 8, 1974, The Indian Leader ran a column entitled “Trial Newsletter” that asked “for a contribution from HIJC to help publish future Trial News Letters” (2). Because the newsletter would obviously support AIM, the staff of The Indian Leader asked for the thoughts from students and faculty regarding the request to “reprint and/or distribution” and/or “contribution” (“Trial Newsletter” 2). The newsletter sent to Haskell by the Wounded Knee Legal Defense/Offense Committee ended with Aim’s “three point program” that basically listed three primary objectives the movement was striving for, which include: establishing a treaty commission to review the 371 treaties between the U.S. and Indians; repealing or re-examining the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934; and removing the BIA from the Department of Interior (2). During the Fall semester of 1974, a spontaneous sit-in occurred at the President’s office. It was following a Homecoming activity held at the auditorium, when the Student Council President speaking to the student body had “mentioned that there was a Board of Regents meeting in progress at Pushmataha, and if you want to let the Board know your concerns, this would be a good time to get their attention” (Melody, 4/8/06). Melody recalls “nearly 200 students” walking across campus to stand outside of where the meeting was taking place. The student council president politely interrupted the meeting and informed the Regents about the large assembly of students outside the site wanting to state their concerns. Described as a “pushover” by Melody, Haskell President Wallace Galluzzi dismissed himself from to meeting to hear the students’ problems directly. Even 43 �though I was unable to get information on the specific concerns of the students, this still remains as an important instance when the Haskell student body amassed as one to try to create change for the, then, present and future Haskell students. Another interesting piece of correspondence that surfaced during this search was an article written in The Indian Leader by Charles Hare on September 26, 1975. The article titled “Aggression Defeats Purpose” reports that a vehicle carrying explosives and firearms exploded while driving on the Kansas Turnpike heading for Oklahoma. The six occupants of the vehicle, all Sioux Indians, were apprehended by authorities and were held at Sedgwick County Jail awaiting trial, in Wichita. It was reported that “several of them are allegedly associated with the militant Indian group AIM” (Hare 2). This is where the story began to have more significance. While telling a classmate about this incident he quickly related these happenings to the documentary film The Incident at Oglala which chronologically lists the events of the AIM take-over of Wounded Knee during the summer of 1975 and the trials that followed. This friend recalled that the film mentioned that the weapon, which was supposedly used to kill the FBI agents during the stand-off and that landed Leonard Peltier consecutive life sentences, was discovered in the trunk of a car that had exploded on the Kansas Turnpike. So is this the story reported by Charles Hare, about the exploding vehicle, the same story that was told in the documentary film? After listing the facts of the incident, Hare mentioned that these acts of violence and aggression “can only hurt not help the Indian cause in America” (2), which is true in most cases. The article closed by telling the readers that the time is “not to revert to the animalism of the past but to go forward and make the system work for us(Hare, 2).” Animalism? Hare, a student reporter, was, more or less, telling the readers that Native American ancestors acted like animals. And as for trying to “make the system work for us,” unfortunately the system was made to destroy the American Indian through the hundreds of treaties and statues. A question that may come to mind, especially for Natives, is why does Hare refer to Native ancestors as being animalistic? Or maybe this thought was just a product of the Federal education at Haskell Indian Junior College at that time. In March of 1977, the Haskell community had to cope with a more difficult situation than that of previous years mentioned in this research, and it happened that it hit much closer to home. At a downtown saloon, the Longbranch, 1009 Massachusetts St., Lawrence Picotte, a Yankton-Sioux, was shot six times by Lawrence Police officers after he, according to Douglas County Attorney Mike Malone, “pulled a handgun from his back pocket and pointed it at one of the officers”(Postoak 1). The three officers were seeking to question Picotte regarding an armed robbery which occurred on February 24 that year. On March 8, three days after the shooting, an assembly at Haskell was held where Mary West, a student senate member, “announced that on March 9 classes would be excused for a day of mourning”(Postoak 1). Two local self-proclaimed members of the AIM were reported saying at the assembly that “there would be demonstrations”(Postoak 1). Sadly, no information surfaced on whether there were any demonstrations held by AIM or any other organization on the behalf of this matter. Unfortunately, some individuals used the designated day of mourning to vandalize four buildings: the new dormitory, Pontiac, Admissions Office, and the Indian Studies Office. AIM insisted that 44 �the vandalism was not the work of AIM because they “considered these acts as juvenile” (Postoak 1). After discovering the vandalism and hearing testimony from concerned students and parents about the disruption of classes and the safety of the students, President Wallace Galluzzi organized an assembly that assured “extra security measures had been taken to ensure the safety of all students”(Postoak 1). In light of all the circumstances on campus, the student senate began a petition to try to resolve the disruption of campus life. The resolution read: WHEREAS a lack of confidence exists among students and employees due to Haskell Administration’s decisions on the previous and current handling of the American Indian Movement’s involvement with the Lawrence community affecting Haskell students; and WHEREAS the American Indian Movement influenced the Haskell Administration to declare an unprecedented day of mourning which disrupted the classes campus-wide; and WHEREAS the Haskell Administration provided for the unprecedented decision to fly the flag at half-mast on the day of mourning; and WHEREAS the American Indian Movement has created an atmosphere of undue anxiety, stress, and fear among the students and employees of Haskell Indian Junior College; and WHEREAS the American Indian Movement assumes the empathy and acceptance of themselves by the Haskell Indian Junior College student body: Therefore it be RESOLVED, that Haskell Indian Junior College, as an educational institution, disassociate itself from the adverse influence of the American Indian Movement as an outside organization. (The Indian Leader vol.80 no.11) This resolution devised by the student senate wanted to put a halt to the frequent appearances of AIM on campus and in the Haskell paper because the militant group was creating an uneasy learning and social atmosphere for the students and faculty. The opposition of AIM was documented in Monhollons’ This is America?: The Sixties in Lawrence , Kansas that “according to one poll, Haskell students, by a four-to-one margin, opposed the efforts of the American Indian Movement”(14). In the midst of the shooting death of Picotte and the Student Senate’s resolution to disassociate the university from AIM, the Board of Regents released a statement on March 15,1977, which appeared in the March 18 issue of The Indian Leader. In the statement by the Board of Regents, the Regents informed the readers that they had taken certain actions to make sure that the investigation would be carried out thoroughly and without biases. Due to the uncertainty of the incident, it was written, the Regents “have requested the U.S. Justice Department to conduct a full investigation into all aspects of the incident” and also to request the “assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union” to determine if the correct force was applied or whether it was excessive (Postoak 1). 45 �The Regents were also seeking a “more balanced account be presented in the media” because the media coverage was producing biased information about Lawrence Picotte by “characterizing him as a individual with a criminal record”(Postoak 1). The Regents’ statement is closed by urging the Haskell community to “stand together to protect the good name of the school” (Postoak 1), which was possibly being slandered by the local media coverage. Due to the time frame of this project, little investigation was made to clarify what outcomes were produced by the U.S. Justice Department and the American Civil Liberties Union. On February 11, 1978 at Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, the anti-Indian legislation protest called “The Longest Walk” (TLW) began its roughly 3,000 mile journey for Capital Hill. On April 21st,1978, The Indian Leader ran a front page article by Fred Rednest announcing the arrival of the more than 200 Native American representing over 70 tribes to Lawrence and Haskell. Vernon Bellecourt, AIM member and public relations representative for TLW, spoke to Haskell students at the auditorium informing them about TLW’s purpose and what the group would be doing around the Lawrence community. Bellecourt also stated “Haskell administration offered their hospitality to the walkers, they respectfully declined”(Rednest 1) and instead camped out side of town. But though interviews with both Jerry Tuckwin and Pat Melody TWL did not camp outside of town nor did they deny hospitalities offered to them by the Administration. Melody remembers the large group camping at the southwest corner of the Haskell campus, known as the powwow grounds today, and frequently using the bathroom facilities. Melody was also told that when TWL left campus and Lawrence, the group had stolen camping supplies that was offered to them by the Haskell Administration and had abandoned their campsite leaving a large amount of trash behind. Melody understood that TWL justified their stealing of the camping gear as “a knock on the Government since this was a government institute” (Melody 4/8/06). A question that comes to mind is why did Bellecourt tell the Haskell students that TWL had declined the hospitalities of Haskell and turn around and abuse Haskell’s hospitality and disrespect the campus? Also just over a year ago the Student Senate in a resolution petition, asked that “Haskell disassociate itself from the adverse influence of the American Indian Movement”(Postoak 1). Apparently the student petition had no effect on the handling of future circumstances involving the activist group. My Thoughts Before I began searching for information about the political activism by Haskell students during the 1970’s I initially thought the amount of information would be much greater then it is. In my mind I was thinking, okay Indians are always wanting change, especially during the Seventies. So I automatically figured there would be examples of protests, sit-ins, rallies, and other demonstrations that occurred at Haskell Indian Junior College during this time frame. But I quickly found out that issues here at Haskell were much different then other universities across the nation. For example at other universities, many of the student demonstrations where to oppose the Vietnam war and other military 46 �doings, but not at Haskell because of the respect Natives have for their warriors. Jerry Tuckwin, Vietnam veteran and Coach at Haskell, shared with me that when he returned from the war he was always treated with respect by the Native community. This respect of Native warriors is something that is apart of Native American tradition. So to be an Indian fighting in a war they will be considered as a warrior by their community. Another difference between the happenings here at Haskell Indian Junior College and at other educational institutes is that this college is for Native Americans only meaning that there wasn’t racial conflicts because there was only one ethnic group here. I think this fact plays a huge role in that the political displays didn’t have any other ethnic groups opposing what the other was doing. The information that I was in search of to answer my thesis question of what sort of political activism when on here at Haskell during the 1970s came up negative. But I do not think of it as a negative outcome because no information is negative. But I happened to show that there were many issues going on here at Haskell that many people had forgotten or did not even know about them. During the process of this research project I uncovered that Haskell has a variety of intriguing stories that really needed to be researched extensively to create a story from the students prospective on what has happened at this culturally enriched University. Works Cited Hare, Charles. “Aggression Defeats Purpose.” The Indian Leader. Vol. 79 no.2. Haskell Indian Nations University. 26 Sept. 1975. Johnson, Rochelle. White, Frank. “Russell Means Tells AIM Goals.” The Indian Leader. Vol.77 no.1. Haskell Indian Junior College. 28 September 1973. Kotlowski, Dean J. Nixon’s Civil Rights: Politics, Principle, and Policy. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2001. Melody, Pat. Personal Interview. 8 April 2006. Monhollon, Rusty L. “This is America?” The Sixties in Lawrence, Kansas. New York: Palgrave, 2002. Postoak, Keith. “Investigation Continues on Picotte Death.” The Indian Leader. Vol.80 no.11. Haskell Indian Junior College. 18 March 1974. Rednest, Fred. “The Longest Walk Arrives”. The Indian Leader. Vol.81 no.13. Haskell Indian Junior College. 21 April 1978. Tuckwin, Jerry. Personal Interview. 10 April 2006. “Dennis Banks Urges Boycott.” The Indian Leader. Vol.77 no.7. Haskell Indian Junior College. December 7, 1973. “Trial Newsletter.” The Indian Leader. Vol.77 no.12. Haskell Indian Junior College. 8 March 1974. 47 �48 �49 �♦♦♦♦ American Indians in Public Schools: A Continuing Challenge By Joseph L Claunch The purpose of this research is to examine the historical design of Indian education and make connections to the present circumstances of Indian students in Lawrence Public School District 497. Lawrence provides a fertile model to illustrate a substantial gap in education between Indian students and other race/ethnic groups. The outcome of this research will expose explicit biases in federal policy and in the institution of education that have existed ever since the inception of Indian education. Introduction Education in the United States historically has been used as a vehicle for the federal government to further assimilate American Indians as well as perpetuate racial class structure. Although the policy of Indian education does not appear to be as culturally biased as it once was, the methods of instruction, assessing, and evaluating Indian students produce the same results. Policymakers have introduced new initiatives to improve the system of Indian education time and time again, but the fundamental function of the process continues to uphold hegemonic principles. In recent years, decolonizing methods in education have been the focus of Indian scholars and Indian communities, including the community associated with Haskell Indian Nations University. Decolonizing strategies applied to school-age Indian student populations attempt to reverse the effects of a deep history of colonization in Indian education. However, a dilemma remains, that 90% of the total Indian student population attends public school systems, like Lawrence Public School District 497 (Swisher and Tippeconnic 253). Decolonizing ideas are not relevant to these students’ circumstances Due to a long history of assimilative federal policy, more than half of the Indian populations no longer live within their tribal communities (US Census 2000). As a result, Indian children are placed in the public school system where they are likely an isolated minority. Along with being provided with a formal education in the public school system, Indian students are often provided with the philosophy that the dominant society’s priorities are in the students’ best interests. To date, American Indian and Alaska Natives students comprise less than 1% of the total student population in the United States (Characteristics of American Indian and Alaskan Native Education). There are close to 600,000 Indian students enrolled in schools K-12 (Swisher and Tippeconnic 253). Of the approximate 600,000 students, 90% attend public schools (Swisher and Tippeconnic 253). In addition, 53% of the total Indian student populations are in public schools with relatively few Indians (Characteristics of American Indian and Alaskan Native Education). These Indian students are scattered across nearly 79,500 public schools with an average of 0.6% American Indian and 50 �Alaskan Native enrollment (Characteristics of American Indian and Alaskan Native Education). So what rights do these about 600,000 Indian children have to education in the United States? The education of Indian students is not federal law but is a trust responsibility being fulfilled by the United States Government. This is largely due to the unique sovereign status of Indian tribes with reference to their political relationship with the U.S. Government. To appreciate the political relationship between the federal government and Indian populations, there are two key terms that need to be defined. First, the “sovereign” status of Indians can be defined as the exercise of political authority by an Indian person or tribal nation. Next, “treaties” are the agreements between tribal nations and the United States Government. It is important to note that during the treaty negotiating practice between the federal government and tribes, 120 treaties contained educational provisions (Rehyner 23). In many instances, large sums of Indian-occupied lands were relinquished to the U.S. government in return for educational services. According to Executive Order 13096 (U.S. Department of Education) issued by President Clinton in 1998: The Federal Government has a special, historical responsibility for the education of American Indians and Alaskan Native students. Improving educational achievement and academic progress for American Indian students is vital to the national goal of preparing every student for responsible citizenship, continued learning, and productive employment. (1) The premise of the second sentence in President Clinton’s executive order given here is an example of how the federal government has become more politically correct and subtle in their attempt to assimilate Indian students over time, but the mission has always remained the same. These ostensible goals for American Indian students appear admirable on the surface, but what is the student being forced to sacrifice as a result of their progressive association with public school education? Historical Design of Public School Indian Education The design of Indian education began centuries before the initiation of public school systems in the United States. The foundation of Indian education was shaped by colonial strategies that attempted to thoroughly eradicate Indigenous cultures (Wilson and Yellow Bird). In return, Indians were afforded the opportunity to partake in the marvels of modern civilization. Nearly all of the focus would be directed toward the beginning of the twentieth century, when Indian students were initially placed in public school systems. However, it is important to understand how the policy of Indian education has evolved over time. There are three stages of the Indian education process: Christian missionary education, boarding school education, and public school education. This summation roughly covers the objectives of these three stages from the early 1600’s through 1940. There were recurring ideas of U.S. policymakers that brought about the evolution of 51 �Indian education. They are numerous, but a few that are significant for the purpose of this research are: 1) The education of Indians is a means of assimilation, exclusively. 2) Indian students have an inferior place within the system of education. 3) Indian students hinder the progress of the entire education system. 4) The White ethnic group considers itself inherently superior to Indians. The formal education of Indian people began with the work of missionaries in the early 1600’s. The intent of this education was dynamic because of the number of European countries vying for Indian souls, but the overall objective of the Christian missionary education was “assimilation by conversion” (Pewewardy 1). This conditioned Indians to understand their inferior status in the order of Manifest Destiny. As the United States came into its own and broke away from European dominion, the government recognized that missionary education was not assimilating Indian students rapidly enough to keep up with the expansion and progress of the country. The boarding school system was proposed to the federal government in 1820 (Jaimes 377) as a possible solution to assimilating Indians into the mainstream society at a faster rate. The benefits of a boarding school education far exceeded what the missionary schools could accomplish in terms of assimilating Indian students. Boarding schools included a missionary education, but also encompassed more of the values and customs of the American mainstream not necessarily connected with Christianity. Furthermore, boarding schools introduced a form of education that would provide Indian students with the training and skills necessary to make a transition into the mainstream economy. Even though Indian students were offered the prospect of participating in the national economy, it did not indicate that their inferior condition had changed in the minds of White policymakers and in American society. Boarding schools prepared Indian students to be members of an underclass. Indian students were trained to perform domestic labor that had little to no potential for the economic development of Indian people and their communities. The nature of boarding school education was basically a form of “assimilation by capitalism” (Pewewardy 1). The Indians’ natural inferiority within the order of Manifest Destiny, during the missionary school era, was replaced with their inferior place within the United States job market. Early in the 20th century, the federal government began to feel the financial burdens of operating the boarding school institutions (Dee 10). In addition, the boarding school system had proven to be largely unsuccessful in its attempts to assimilate Indian students based on the low number of students that graduated from these institutions. This was largely due to the fact that Indian students actively resisted the education they received in boarding schools and returned to their tribal communities or “returned to the blanket.” At the same time in history, public school systems began to flourish around the country. The federal government saw public schools as a lucrative alternative to boarding schools and as a result, began to appropriate funding into public schools in 1907, for the education of Indian students (Dee 10). From that point forward, the federal government’s 52 �position on Indian education persistently favored placing Indian children in public schools. Dating from 1912 to the present day, more Indians students have been in the public school system than in government and tribally controlled schools (Reyhner 50). The federal government’s logic for placing Indian students in public schools appeared to be strictly financial. However, public schools also presented Indian students with the ultimate representation of citizenry, a White student population. The White student population offered their peer-influence and values to the Indian students as a model, so the Indian student could emulate them. During the first twenty-five years of the twentieth century, the U.S. experienced a boom in industrial manufacturing. For that reason, the organization of the public school system developed and grew to maturity during a time of immense industrial expansion (Charleston 21). The designers of public school education took measures to make certain that the structure, organization, pedagogy, and culture of public schools were governed by industrial ideology (Charleston 21). According to the Indian Nations at Risk Task Force in 1992, “The vertical teacher-principal-superintendent-school board organizational structure was modeled after the worker-foreman-president-board-of-directors pattern of industrial organization” (21). Virtually every aspect of the students’ academic experience was dominated by industrial customs and beliefs. Examples of the industrial dogma in education can be found by surveying the preceding design of schools, rigid class schedules, faculty/student relationships, and most importantly the standardization of students as if they were products (Charleston 21). Bordering on the way factories generated standardized products, the institution of public schools—accreditation standards, teacher certification requirements, and standardized tests—were employed to ensure the standardization of children (Charleston 21). A vast majority of American citizens welcomed industrial ideologies in their children’s education because industry was driving the national economy. One of the principal industrial theories in line with education during this period in history was that students, particularly Indian students, had to “learn to earn” (Haskell Self-Study 1-5). Alternatively, the experiences and circumstances of the average American were completely different from those of American Indians who had been forced to adapt to this philosophy in education. Throughout the first four centuries of colonization in North America, EuroAmericans had been determined to establish a hierarchy by race and ethnicity (Wilson and Yellow Bird 144). A historical account of scientific testing, that allegedly assessed the mental capacities of humans, directly conditioned Indian children to a state of inferiority in the classrooms of public schools. Even as recently as the beginning of the 20th century, “many psychologists had a keen interest in scientifically proving that Indigenous Peoples had low mental capacities” (Wilson and Yellow Bird 144). Although the White perception of Indian people was not solely defined by this record of scientific tests, attitudes of enlightened educators assumed that certain racial types would benefit from education minimally at best (Wilson and Yellow Bird 145). These ideas were widely established in mainstream academia and furthered the subjugation of Indian students by an all-White education system. 53 �The political approach to Indian policy appeared to reverse in 1924 with the passage of the Indian Citizenship Act (Rehyner 50). As a result, measures allegedly were taken by the federal government to improve conditions for Indian populations and amend the blunders of federal policy in years past. In the same year that Indians were granted citizenry, the House of Representatives called together a committee of One Hundred Citizens to discuss how the system of Indian education could be improved. The committee concluded that a “far greater emphasis needed to be placed upon training grassroots Indians to think white” (Jaimes 384). The committee of One Hundred Citizens findings was followed up by a study in 1927, coordinated by Lewis Meriam, which in part analyzed Indian education. The Meriam Report, in 1928, exposed numerous discrepancies in Indian education and was considered to be a turning point in the process. Lewis Meriam reported: Our belief is that it is a sound policy of national economy to make generous expenditure in the next few decades with the object of winding up the national administration of Indian affairs. The fundamental requirement is that the task of the Indian Service be recognized as primarily educational, in the broadest sense of the word, and that it be made an efficient educational agency, devoting its main energies to the social and economical advancement of Indians, so that they may be absorbed into the prevailing civilization or fitted to live in the presence of that civilization. (Jaimes 384) Here, Lewis Meriam sums up the methodical approach typically taken by the United States when administering Indian policies during this period of history. The most prevalent creed in federal policy at the time was to sever all trust responsibilities with Indian people via assimilation, as soon as possible, and at the lowest possible cost. Despite the federal governments conspicuous attempts to hypothetically improve the conditions in Indian education, the outcome of their deceptive initiatives maintained the original design of the practice. However, it is apparent that the federal government was becoming more politically correct and subtle in their approach. The federal government made it a law in 1929, that every Indian child “not under government supervision to attend public schools in accordance with state laws; and state officials were authorized to enter Indian occupied lands to enforce the measure” (Jaimes 384). When Indian students were placed within public school systems, the states assumed the duty of education, thus reducing the federal government’s trust responsibility to education. Consequently, in 1934, around the time of the Indian Reorganization Act, Congress passed the Johnson-O’Malley Act (JOM) to assist Indian children in public school setting. The JOM Act was an assimilative policy in nature that allowed the Secretary of the Interior to enter into contracts with states and pay them for providing public education to Indians. The act attempted to increase Indian enrollment in public schools and alleviate the financial burdens of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (Rehyner 50). Funds provided by the government through JOM were directly transferred into school districts’ general operating fund and as a result, the school districts could do whatever they wanted with the funds without accountability (Swisher and Tippeconnic 70). This unaccountability 54 �lasted for more than 40 years (Swisher and Tippeconnic 70). Schools that received funds from JOM had nothing more than a moral obligation to see that the money was spent with the Indian students’ interests in mind. The history of Indian education up until 1940 illustrates that assimilation alone was incomplete without the Indians and other minorities recognizing their natural inadequacies when compared to the White race. In view of that, Indians and other minorities endured years of oppression and victimization in a system that professed to have their best interests in mind. The political mood in education shifted over time, largely due to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s and 70’s. As a result, multicultural education models were implemented into the pedagogy of the public school system with the intent of making the institutions more consciously aware and sensitive to the needs of students from all races and ethnicities. Public school curriculums were to be more culturally relevant to meet the needs of all students, and educators also assumed the responsibility of being aware of issues that challenge minority students and equipped to deal with them (Reyhner 20). Given the history of Indian education and the successive evolution of the process due to enlightened federal policy, one might presume that perhaps the current state of Indian education has improved over time. However, after investigating the Indian student enrollment in Lawrence Public School District UDS 497, the outcome looks as if the current course of Indian education maintains the hegemonic principles that the system was initially founded upon. American Indians in Public School District USD 497 This section provides a depiction of United School District 497 in Lawrence, Kansas. Conducting interviews with USD 497 employees and acquiring statistics from appropriate officials are the primary method used to achieve the illustration. For privacy concerns, interviewees will be not be referred to by name. When comparing the local Indian residence to other urban communities, the Lawrence Indian population is very unique because of its proximity to Haskell Indian Nations University. Haskell employs a number of local Indian residents that live and raise their children in Lawrence. Haskell’s students, alumni, along with Kansas University’s Center for Indigenous Studies program students and employees, add to the Indian population in Lawrence. The American Indian residents that have school-aged children accordingly place their children in Lawrence USD 497 school district. The most unparalleled statistic about the Indian students in USD 497 is the fact that the students come from a wide range of federally recognized tribes and can be first, second, or even fourth generation students taught in public schools. Also, a significant number of this group, the children of faculty for example, come from college-educated families. Statistics give a fuller view of the demographics. There are 482 Indian students presently enrolled in the Lawrence Public School District, K-12, spring semester of 2006 (Subject C). This represents 4% of the total student population, which is 9,980 (Subject C). The local representation of Indian students is in fact a high percentage when compared to a national average of 0.6% American Indian/Alaskan Native enrollment in 55 �public school districts similar to USD 497 (Characteristics of American Indian/Alaskan Native Education). To appreciate the diversity of Indian students enrolled in USD 497, it significant to understand what percent of the students are acculturated to the public school system or recently off the reservation. Indian students who have been exclusively taught in public school institutions during the course of their academic career are characterized as acculturated. This representation locally is roughly 60% in USD 497 (Subject C). Indian students that come to USD 497 recently off the reservation embody approximately 25% of the Indian enrollment, but that percentage fluctuates from year to year (Subject C). There are 15% of the Indian enrollment in USD 497 that are not represented by these two categories, but these students can be categorized as students that come from rural or other urban school settings. The most notable challenge these Indian students face within USD 497 is collectively they have the lowest standardized test scores of all races/ethnicities. The Lawrence Public School District’s configuration bears a strange resemblance to the historical description of public school design given earlier in the essay. The design of local schools, organizational-structure, rigid class schedules, faculty-student relationships, and the standardization of students through testing are evident in USD 497. Close to the way public schools conditioned students for industrial jobs early in the twentieth century, the present-day “function of public school education is to prepare students for productive employment in the national economy,” according to Subject A. Therefore, the “learn to earn” philosophy is clearly relevant to local students. This philosophy in education has been problematic when applied to Indian student populations in the past. However, contemporary Indian students and their families have been assimilated to the point where they accept this concept as a means of survival. The more valid problem at the present lies in the approach the system takes to accomplish the initiative. According to Mike Charleston, Project Director of Indian Nations at Risk Task Force in 1992: The present American education system is a relic of the industrial age. The educational system is doing poorly for a large number of students of the mainstream society for the simple reason we are no longer living in an industrial age. Native people never were and will not ever be in the industrial age! (20) After all these years of enlightened federal policy, the public school system is still dominated by the industrial principles of the past. Indian students under these circumstances are frequently offered two choices, assimilate or fail. Both decisions can be and are considered failures in Indian communities. While interviewing Subject B, the individual stated that in his/her experience, “Indian culture, more than any other culture is least able to acclimate to the standards of public schools.” Subject B was asked what approach the local district takes to improve the situation for these types of students. Subject B answered, “according to recent education policy, we need to get students from different cultures to buy into the system.” Subject B’s personal views were different from that though; Subject B thought the system of education should “get them to understand what is important to succeed without losing 56 �their culture.” Out of the three faculty members interviewed, Subject B was the most culturally sensitive to the needs of students. Native American Student Services is the school unit that dispenses federal funding into programs that are intended to benefit local Indian students. The program provides basic school supplies, tutoring, and assistance with school-related fees for all Indian students (Dee 22-23). The program also includes a Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), since JOM was amended in 1974 to require this input from families and community. The PAC was attached to the program to allow parental involvement in the implementation of specialized programs. The PAC would seem to be a great initiative, allowing the parents of Indian students to be directly engaged in their child’s education. In contrast, when examining the recent JOM instruction manual, written by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, there was a glaring discrepancy conveyed in the introduction. According to the manual, the JOM Act “has been amended various times, but its main objective has remained the same” and “its basic purpose has also remained the same” (Johnson-O’Malley Handbook 1). Persuasive phrasing makes the programs look as if they have the best of intentions, followed up by these statements, but the assimilationist motives of the federal government have not wavered. In addition, JOM and Title VII are primarily supplemental programs that have no genuine impact on the nature of public school education. Realistically, the only function these two programs serve is to make the transition of assimilation less abrasive for Indian students and their families. Most of the services are economic, not cultural enrichment. Cultural and academic enrichment are possible. Services to assist Indian students academically and culturally are available through Haskell’s Upward Bound Program. Upward Bound provides tutoring, stipends, and a college preparatory program for all Indian students who qualify. Requirements for Upward Bound services are based on the student’s household income and membership in a federally recognized tribe. Upward Bound, a summer program, provides a better service for local Indian students than the two government mandated programs JOM and Title VII. This is largely due to their culturally pertinent summer academy that prepares Indian students to go to college. I have served the capacity as a counselor during the last two summer academies and have personally witnessed affirmative outcomes for Indian students as a result of the culturally appropriate program. In my experience with the Upward Bound program and as a student at Haskell, whenever facilitators of educational initiatives can make the process culturally relevant for Indian students, the results are positive. Local USD 497 Indian high school students do have the additional benefit of a Native American history course. The Native American history course is a step in the right direction as far as the implementation of culturally relevant curriculum for Indian students is concerned. Despite the relevancy of Native American history for local Indian students, the course is strictly considered an elective, and a standard series of social studies courses are first required for graduation. This series of social studies courses in the two local high schools consists of Social Studies in 9th grade, Modern World History in 10th, American History in 11th, and U.S. Government in the 12th (Lawrence Public 57 �Schools). The historical landscape illustrated by these required courses engages students in a misleading interpretation of the past, particularly for students of color. Subject C, in an interview, emphasized that American History poses the greatest challenge for Indian students. Moreover, Subject C believes, “if there was one class the students in the program consistently fail and hinders their ability to graduate, it is American History.” American History courses today provide students with a description of the past that upholds a longstanding tradition of White superiority, which was at the expense of Indian peoples land, culture, and lives. Thus, the curriculum may be in opposition to what students already know about Indian/government relations if Indians are even mentioned at all. As illustrated, there are a series of programs in Lawrence that attempt to support Indian students in the local public school setting, more so than urban locations similar to this town. Alternatively, the fact remains that the programs are supplemental and generally support the process of assimilation. It is an exceptionally complex task to accurately evaluate local Indian students collectively because of the number of Indian families that move to and from Lawrence. Due to this, the total Indian student population in USD 497 can fluctuate vastly from year to year. USD 497 experiences a turnover of at least 25% of the students eligible for Native American Student Services annually (Subject C). The drastic turnover in Indian enrollment is primarily attributable to the number of Indian students that transition on and off the reservation (Subject C). Approximately 25% of the students in the Native American Student Services program come from a reservation location (Dee 90). Indian students that come to Lawrence from a reservation pose the greatest challenge for educators of Indian students in the school district. All, every one of the students that come to USD 497 from reservations, are substandard in terms of: literacy, language proficiency, grade point averages, and standardized test assessments, according to Subject C. Additionally, Subject C declares that students recently off the reservation commonly come into the local school district two grade levels behind. An obvious explanation for these conditions is to blame the reservation schools for their inability to effectively prepare this group of students. On the other hand, when asking all of the subjects interviewed if there was a system set in place to acclimate and reduce the culture shock for this group of students, they all answered “no.” Ralph Nader, when testifying before Special Senate Subcommittee on Indian Education in 1969, stated: The student, bringing with him all the values, attitudes, and beliefs that constitute his “Indianness” is expected to subordinate that Indianness to the general American standards of the school. The fact that he, the student, must do all the modifying, all the compromising, seems to say something to him about the relative value of his own culture as opposed to that of the school. (quoted in Rehyner 53) Almost thirty-six years has passed since Nader made his proclamation on the topic of Indian education. It is obvious in USD 497 that Indian students are still required to subordinate their “Indianess” to the basic customs and beliefs of the local school system. 58 �The challenges Indian students encounter within the institution of public schools are not equally dispersed to all racial/ethnic groups in American schools, but make inexplicable connections to particular students of color. After investigating national patterns in educational figures that parallel race/ethnicity, the results either support a racial class structure or explicit biases in education, depending on personal points of view. These patterns include inequalities in: special education, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement (NCES). All three have been proven to have a profound impact on how students perceive themselves and the subsequent potential for them to do well in school. These characteristics suggest significant implications for Indian and Black student populations locally and nationally. Nationally, American Indian and Black children are more likely than any other racial group to require special education services (Freeman 34). The same statistic holds true in USD 497. Pewewardy alleges, “The major reason why there is an overrepresentation of poor and ethnic minority youth in special education is because there is a lack of appreciation for different cultural learning styles” (Wilson and Yellow Bird 142). The Indian enrollment statistics show that a disproportionate number of Indian students receive special education services in USD 497. Approximately 21.6% of the 482 Indian students in the Lawrence Public School District require special education (Subject C). Two years ago, the percent of Indian students in special education was 24% (Subject C). To give you an idea of how high this representation is, Subject C was asked if this percentage was equivalent to other race/ethnic groups. Subject C stated, “If any subgroup of students reaches 25%, then the system set in place to determine if special education is required is considered to be over-testing students.” This percentage of Indian students is exceedingly high when compared the district average for the total student population. According to Kevin Harrell, assistant director of Special Education Student Data Management, Black students locally are the only group that have a higher percentage of students in special education and have been deemed as overrepresented in USD 497 by the Kansas Board of Education. At this time, the average for the entire student population receiving special education services is 14.64% (Harrell). That average includes Indians, Blacks, and all other race/ethnic groups in USD 497. According to the U.S. Department of Education report “Status and Trends in the Education of American Indian of 2005”: “Poverty poses a serious challenge to children’s access to quality learning opportunities and their potential to succeed in school.” American Indian and Black families are nearly two and a half times more likely to live in poverty than White families in our country (Freeman 16). Again, the socioeconomic status of Indian and Black families in Lawrence draws a parallel to national averages. Of the 482 Indian students enrolled in USD 497, 66% of them meet the criteria for free or reduced breakfast and lunch (Subject C). That indicates that 66% of the total Indian student population is at or below the poverty level in the Lawrence community. This current feature of Indian residency in Lawrence is significant because socioeconomic statuses have been directly linked to achievement levels and standardized test levels of minority students in public schools. 59 �Similar to the way low socioeconomic conditions have been shown to adversely effect academic success, “A considerable amount of data shows that power and status relations between minority and majority groups exert a major influence on school performance” (Reyhner 4). As a result, minority students can be “disempowered educationally much the way that their communities are disempowered by interactions with other social institutions” (Reyhner 4). The Indian community in Lawrence is distinctively different from other Indian communities due to the number of educated Indian people with a higher education. However, this characteristic does not appear to have had a major impact on the local Indian students’ academic performance. There are large discrepancies when studying achievement levels by race/ethnicity in the United States. The federal government breaks race and ethnicity up into six categories consisting of: White, Black, Hispanic, American Indian/Native Alaskan, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Other. Indians, Hispanics, and Blacks are lower than Asians and Whites when comparing achievement levels in reading, writing, science, and math (NCES). Indians, Blacks, and Hispanics when academically compared to with Whites and Asians, constitute what is known as the “achievement gap” in education (Rehyner 3). When examining the history of these race categories within our country, it is not hard to point out that the three lower achieving ethnicities consistently have been the victims of oppression at the hands of the dominant White society (Reyhner 3). This trend in achievement levels is evident in USD 497, but carries over to the more recent fixation with standardized test scores. The current fascination with standardized test scores in education is a result of President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, of 2002. The broad objective of NCLB is to lift achievement levels of every student, particularly underperforming groups, “and to close the achievement gap that parallels race and class distinction” (Meier and Wood 3). Moreover, “the bill intends to change this by focusing schools’ attention on improving test scores,” particularly standardized test scores (Meier et al. 3). Schools that do not meet standards of NCLB are penalized and deemed as failing schools. If parents have children in failing schools, they can transfer their children to passing schools, theoretically reducing the failing schools’ student enrollment and federal funding. The system of penalizing schools for not meeting test standards has been controversial and largely debated. Many educators believe that NCLB is creating an environment that “is pressuring teachers to substitute an inappropriate focus on testtaking skills instead of serving the individual needs of the students in front of them” (Meier et al. 56). Given that Indian students have history of scoring poorly on standardized tests, they have yet again gained the attention of policy makers and school administrators. Subject C explained that with the implementation of NCLB standards in 2002, “for the first time the local administration was concerned with the work of the Native American Student Services department.” It is apparent that pressure on the local school administration to meet NCLB standards triggered the more recent interests in Indian education within USD 497. Presently, NCLB standardized tests are administered to assess academic achievement for every student, but more extensively for students in underperforming groups because of the substantial gap in education that parallels race and ethnicity. These 60 �underperforming groups include Indian students and ultimately “perpetuate a system of institutionalized racism” (Berlak 1). The result of measuring academic success solely on a student’s ability to perform well on standardized tests justifies the labeling and subsequent discrimination of underperforming groups like Indian students. In 1998, Helen Dee, a student writing her masters thesis about Indian students in the Lawrence Public School System, conducted an interview with the coordinator of Native American Student Services. The coordinator told Dee that she “believes the school programs in Lawrence school district are not adequately preparing the Native American students to attend a college or university” (Dee 89). The students, she said, “need extensive educational counseling to be able to prepare for college or to know about their other options, such as vo-tech training” (Dee 89). She did not indicate if students are receiving such counseling. She further stated, “Government grants allocated to the program have assumed all students are going into the academic setting after high school” (Dee 89). However, JOM and Title VII do not provide for post-secondary preparation programs. First and foremost, government allocated grants do not presume that Indian students are going to college. The grants specifically address Indian students enrolled K12 and attempt to meet the “unique and specialized educational needs of Indian children” (JOM Handbook). The goal is very broad and makes no reference to an ensuing transition for Indian students to “an academic setting” after high school. Nevertheless, if the coordinator feels that this might be part of the program then why not provide the students in the program with the prospect of going to college? Especially with opportunities that Haskell Indian Nations has to offer? At present, there is no organized effort to bring USD 497 American Indian or Alaskan Native students to visit Haskell to encourage enrollment after high school graduation. Kickapoo Nation School in Powhattan, Kansas, 83 miles away, is one of several schools that provide organized trips for their students to Haskell to make students aware of their opportunities at this college. Nor does USD 497 organize visits for students during Haskell’s Career Day, when representatives from over fifty businesses, universities, and federal agencies are present. The only official interaction between USD 497 and Haskell is the placement of Haskell’s education students in schools for student teaching assignments. In her interviews with Dee, the USD 497 Native Services coordinator said she was a firm believer in vo-tech training and thought it “could make a difference for those students who needed some maturation time between high school and college or wanted to go to the technical fields” (Dee 89). The philosophy behind placing Indian students in vocational training stems from the boarding school era; in that Indians worked well with their hands and were not capable of performing jobs that required an extensive education. The rich tradition of Haskell and the sum of Indian students striving to achieve a higher education is what makes Lawrence so unique for the local Indian residents. Local Indian students are missing out on valuable support of Haskell and KU Indigenous Studies-related communities. Sensitivity to different family patterns of Indigenous Americans was also lacking in USD 497 employees. During the interview process, Subject C was asked what the number one deterrent to academic success for local Indian students is. Subject C thought, 61 �“The schools should not and can not be responsible for raising the child.” Also, Subject C refers to fact that 85% of the students in her program do not come from homes with both biological parents, and other family members, such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles, have to pick up the responsibility of raising the child. Subject C believes this is “a tragedy and the situation for many African American students is the same.” Once more, Indian and Black students share peculiar tendencies in education as a result of a built in classification system that is rarely in their favor. And both ethnicities have family structures that differ from the nuclear family model, in which grandparents, aunts, and uncles have primary roles. Nonetheless, in Dee’s interview, the coordinator says that “Many of the students who transfer from reservation schools have multiple problems which include not living with the biological parent(s), attendance problems, high poverty level, Social Rehabilitation Services-related problems, and a major gap in education in all subjects” (Dee 89). This makes the parallel between parenting and high poverty adversely affecting academic performance, but does not correlate them into the correct order or context of deterrents to academic success. To gain an additional perspective about Indian students coming from non-nuclear households, Dan Wildcat, an author of a book on Indian education, was asked his opinion about Indigenous students’ families being considered an academic liability. Wildcat felt that it was a “moral value judgment about family; in the dominant society, nuclear families are what constitute a good family.” This is not necessarily the case in Indian homes where kinship can take on distinctively different roles than that of the dominant society. It is perfectly normal and frequently necessary for additional family members, other than the biological parents, to assist in raising the child in Indian homes. Wildcat viewed this as “a good example of blaming the victim.” When asking Subject C why Indian students have collectively the lowest standardized test scores in the district, Subject C gave several explanations. First, Subject C referred to the lack of both biological parents being present in the home. Next, Subject C stated, “Indian students have trouble living in both worlds.” The “living in both worlds” philosophy used to be a popular theory of non-Indians, but over the course of social enlightenment, the model has been considered unworkable. In a recent class held by Dan Wildcat, he expressed that “trying to live in two world’s would create a condition of schizophrenia.” The point Wildcat was trying to get across to the class was that it was impractical to live in two worlds, and if attempted would lead to mental illness. If local Indian students are currently struggling to live in two worlds, the situation for these students can create conditions where they likely would view their world as inferior to that of school system. This is not because this is the truth, but because principles that support a class structure have been rooted into the system of education and justification is readily available, in standardized tests written for dominant society experiences. Indian students should not and cannot be expected suppress their cultural identity just because it may conflict with the mainstream custom and beliefs of public schools. Senator Edward Kennedy was part of a report, Indian Education: National Tragedy, a National Challenge, and wrote that “Indian children more than any other minority group believed themselves to be below average in intelligence” (Reyhner 55). 62 �Nearly all the discouraging educational statistics in relation to Indian students in the report are apparent in USD 497. What is most disturbing about the comparison of the report to local Indian students is that the report was delivered to Congress in 1969. One can presume that Indian students have and will continue to believe they are below average in intelligence, given the institutionalized racism of public school education. To probe further into Subject C’s point of view, the subject was asked how other race/ethnic groups overcome similar adversities to perform well on standardized tests. Subject C uses Hispanic’s as an exemplar race/ethnic group “that has a consistent level of improvement on standardized tests that never waivers.” What's more fascinating is that Subject C alleges the Hispanic students, “come from more stable homes, do not expect to live on welfare, are hard workers, value education, and are more apt buy into the customs and values of the school system.” Subject C places the blame of Indian student failure solely on the students and their families without recognizing the system failures of the school. It is also remarkable that Subject C uses the Hispanic population to draw a comparison to a racial/ethnic group that is overcoming challenges to show improvement on standardized test. It may even be commendable. However, the circumstances of Indians, when compared to Hispanics, are polar opposites. The motivations for immigrants are extremely different from those of Indigenous people in the United States. Immigrants’ generally seek opportunity in America and embrace assimilation; American Indians, currently and over the course of history, are in quest of cultural survival in the face of constant oppression. Conclusion The parents of Indian children acknowledge that education is a necessity; in the same way tribal leaders in the past negotiated treaties that contained educational provisions. This is undeniable, but education continues to be the supreme tool exercised by the federal government to further assimilation and maintain a racial class structure. All too often, Indian children have been subjugated to the customs and beliefs of an educational system that is supposed to act in the students’ best interests. On the other hand, it is only appropriate to state that the faculty and specialized programs in USD 497 are not consciously attempting fail Indian students. The local district and faculty, for the most part, are trying to provide Indian students with an education that will allow them to succeed academically and, for the future, economically. However, the institutions of education and conditioned faculty maintain an absolute point of view that is intolerant of customs and beliefs from cultures that may differ from Western thought. As a result, Indian students under these circumstances are left with two basic choices, assimilate or fail. I argue that if assimilation, by definition, is the process whereby a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture, the government’s assimilation policies of the past have been in a constant continuum by means of the public school system. The basic assimilation of Indian people by way of education has and continues to be only a part of the undertaking of public school education. The other 63 �part of the function makes certain that Indians and other minorities recognize their inherent inferiority in relation to the White race. Dictatorial instruction, culturally biased curriculums, culturally biased assessments, and the subsequent labeling of underperforming groups accomplish this dual mission of public school education. These conditions pose immense challenges for contemporary Indian students, but these challenges should not lie solely on the shoulders of Indian students. When educational failure is placed exclusively on the students and their families, a racial social structure in education is perpetuated and even institutionalized. Time continues to go by and the parents of Indian children today would like to believe that their children go to school under more promising circumstances than previous generations of Indian students. It is a fact that contemporary Indian students, when compared to previous generations, demonstrate higher levels of educational achievement. This is a clear indication of progress for the policymakers of Indian education, but progress always arrives with a price. The reality of the existing conditions in Indian education is that Indian students today are more culturally assimilated into the mainstream society than ever before. However, these conditions in Indian education did not occur naturally over time. The process of public school education has and continues to be a self-serving machine that promotes assimilation and preserves a racial social structure. These two concepts have been implanted into the foundation and function of public schools, creating a progression of indoctrination to every new generation of Indian students taught within the system. Once Indian students are placed in public schools, the systematic function of the school carries out the complete process. Works Cited Berlack, Harold. Race and the Achievement Gap. Rethinking Schools. Online Volume 15. Summer 2004. <http://www.rethinkingschools.org> March 2006. Charleston, Mike G. Toward True Native Education: A Treaty of 1992. Final Report of the Indian Nations at Risk Task Force, 1991. Dee, Helen K., The Urban Native American Student: The Success of Native American Junior and High School Students in Lawrence School District 497 Lawrence, KS. Kansas University, Masters Thesis, 1998. Fredrick, Joseph. Personal Interview. 22 Feb. 2006. Freeman, C. and Fox, M. “Status and Trends in the Education of American Indians and Alaskan Natives.” U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2005. Harrell, Kevin. Telephone Conversation. 4 Apr. 2006. Haskell Indian Nations University. Self-Study: Haskell Looks To The Future To Reclaim A Past. 2005. www.haskell.edu/haskell/selfstudy. April 2006. Jaimes, Annette, ed The State of Native America: Genocide, Colonization and Resistance. Boston: South End Press, 1992. Lawrence Public Schools USD 497. 2006-2007 High School Course Description Catalogue. Student Services. February 2006. http://lhs.usd497.org/lhs%20page/pages/Student%20Services/course%20descrip/HSCourseDescB k.htm April 2006. 64 �Meier, Deborah, and George Wood, eds. Many Children Left Behind: How the No Child Left Behind Act is Damaging our Children and our Schools. Boston: Beacon Press, 2004. Pewewardy, Cornel. “From Subhuman to Superhuman: Images of First Nations Peoples in Comic Books.” Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education 2.2. (2002). http://www.utpress.utoronto.ca/journal/ejournals/simile March 2006. Rehyner, Jon, ed Teaching American Indian Students. 2nd ed. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1994. Subject A. Personal Interview, Lawrence Public Schools, Feb. 2006. Subject B. Personal Interview. Lawrence Public Schools, Feb. 2006. Subject C. Personal Interview. Lawrence Public Schools, 22 Mar. 2006. Swisher, Karen G., and John W. Tippecconic, eds Next Steps: Research and Practice To Advance Indian Education. Charleston, WV: Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools, 2001. United States Census Bureau. US Census 2000 Demographics Profile. The American Indian and Alaskan Native Population: 2000. Issued February 2002. www.census.gov March 2006. United States Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Characteristics of American Indian/Native Alaskan Education. 1997-2004. www.nces.ed.gov March 2006. United States Government. U.S. Department of Education. American Indian Education 1998-2005. www.ed.gov March 2006. Wildcat, Daniel. Personal Interview. Haskell Indian Nations University, April 2004. Wilson, Waziyatawin Angela, and Michael Yellow Bird eds. For Indigenous Eyes Only: A Decolonizing Handbook. Santa Fe: School of American Research Press, 2005. 65 �♦♦♦♦ Spirits Residing on Haskell Campus By Aaron Edenshaw Historical Background of Haskell Haskell Institute was established in 1884 as a tool geared to assimilate Native Americans into overall American society. Students at Haskell Institute varied in age, from infancy to early twenties and adulthood. Over the years many Native Americans have lived and died on Haskell campus. It is important to understand the complexities of the spirits here at Haskell to fully appreciate the life of the school. The Native American spirits residing here at Haskell have various reasons for spiritual residency. There are spirits here who are trapped at Haskell, and then there are those who found sanctuary here and wish to remain. Whatever the reason, most people who have been at Haskell for an extended period of time have experienced their presence. I myself have had amazing and often frightening experiences with the spirits here at Haskell within the past five years. I have conducted research into this unseen population of the Haskell campus. At Haskell there have been many fatalities. In regards to those that have passed away at Haskell, here is an example of the severity in child deaths in the early years from 1884 to 1889. The student death record during those years limits the full understanding and range of numbers. However, it is a good representation of just how much and how of often death occurred in short period of time: The one thing that must be remembered about the death record is that those deaths are the only ones that were documented and does not count the students who were sent home due to severe illness, nor the ones that were not recorded. In some cases there is no diagnosis (Capes-Altom). How many of these were documented and how many remain unsolved? There were thirty-five entries total: 1 dead in accident, 1 dead of malaria, 6 deaths from pneumonia, 6 deaths from consumption, and 21 deaths with no diagnosis (Capes-Altom). As you can see from “no diagnosis, deaths” records in the early years at Haskell were not well documented. There remains a good possibility that many more deaths were undocumented and remain that way today. This record of death suggests sorrow and premature loss. Through my research, I hope to get a better understanding of the overall picture in relation to spirits residing on Haskell campus and the reasoning behind the mystery. Many people have perished at Haskell, so have those deaths all been ill fated? Are there past employees or their family members who may have found spiritual sanctuary here at Haskell in the after life? Many Native American deaths have occurred off the Haskell campus in Lawrence, Kansas. Yet there are stories of how these spirits now occupy Haskell campus. Where did some of these deaths occur, and how did these deaths 66 �occur—tragically, accidentally, or naturally? So who will my research project benefit? I believe my project will service those who have experienced spirits, those who may eventually deal with spirits at Haskell. Background Information and Stories Background information is essential in understanding the true complexities and realities of the paranormal experiences that have occurred in my lifetime. I want to provide further insight into who I am and where I am from. It might help explain some of the occurrences that since became a major part of my existence. I was born in Anchorage, Alaska on March 3, 1981. My parents are Darryl Edenshaw, a Haida from Hydaburg, Alaska and Sharon Quiver, a mixed Arapaho and Cheyenne from Wind River, Wyoming. My mother helped raise me until the age of five. After a custody battle she no longer was permitted visitation rights. It was difficult as a youth being raised without a mother. The loss of cultural identity in the wake of her departure seemed miniscule during those years as a youth. My father raised me and my siblings in Hydaburg, Alaska. He worked often and left us under the care of our grandmother for extended periods of time. I grew up since then as Haida and nothing else. However, I always felt as though a part of my eternal makeup was missing or lay dormant deep inside of me. It was as if something was there without me being able to grasp the full context of its meaning. It was at this point, that I realized a difference in my reality. I am not only Haida, I am also part Cheyenne and Arapaho. I needed to find out more about that side of me. I tried tracking down my mother through her relatives. I was able to locate her whereabouts but was not able to reach her. In the end my search proved unsuccessful. Not many years later after my extended search, I was notified that my mother had perished. I attended the funeral and became partially acquainted with her side of the family, primarily my older brother John Quiver (Beep John). The younger siblings from my mother's side were not able to attend the funeral, which was a decision made by their grandmother, her husband's mother. Intervention by opposing family members has been the biggest barrier in search of my Cheyenne and Arapaho cultural identity. My primary culture, then, is Haida. There is a complex cultural belief system that encompasses the realm of the Haida people. The Haida people are divided into clans, the two most prominent being the Eagle and the Raven. Ts'laanas in translation means Eagle clan. Yak' laanas in translation means Raven clan. All other clans (Wolf, Bear, Frog, Killer Whale, etc) are a derivative of the two main clan moieties mentioned above. Every Haida born naturally follows their mother’s clan. This tradition has been followed to ensure that our people do not intermarry. The clan system for the Haida people is very strict. Only members of opposing clans can marry. There can be no intermarrying; it would result in catastrophic events causing disruption of the gene pool (Marlene Edenshaw). The Haida people are Potlatch people (sharing of wealth ceremony) who commend their good efforts by gift giving. It is believed that if a person is generous in this lifetime, then in the next they shall be rewards for their efforts towards helping 67 �people in good faith. Some Haida wish to be reincarnated as an animal such as their clan symbol or be born again into wealth or good fortune. Other Haida would much rather leave it up to the Creator to decide their next beginning (Claude Morrison). Through the oral passages handed down from generation to generation, it is safe to say that my people the Haida are believers in reincarnation. Haida people rely on trial and error and good faith as predominant factors contributing to their placement in a new beginning. This way of life is still prevalent in Haida society and is exonerated in day to day interactions among those living in my community. The effects of civilization have masked or buried some of these old life ways. However, if you look deeply into societal structure, you recognize the commitment and respect people have for one another (Alice Kitkoon). Haida people have the utmost respect for their dead, in part because of the belief in reincarnation, as this Haida elder shows: At a meeting with the non-Haida citizens of Sandspit, the forest industry town in Haida Gwaii, loggers insisted on their legitimate right to jobs and to their way of life on the islands. Finally, a Haida elder rose and said, Most of you have lived here for only five or ten years. Our people have been here for thousands of years. How many graves of your people are there in Sandspit? After a stunned silence, the Answer came back. None. (Suzuki/Knudtson). As a Haida person, I have this respect for the afterlife. Haskell Indian Nations University I heard about Haskell as an adolescent and planned on attending college in Lawrence, Kansas. I was accepted to attend the spring semester of 2000. I had never been to the plains area before; the experience was shocking yet very exciting. My first semester here was when the stories began, I heard of spirits roaming the halls on the third floor in Blalock Hall. After hearing the story I feared looking out my second floor window up to third floor, thinking that I might see the spirit students talked about. For reasons unknown to my person, I felt as though it was a bad spirit trapped on the third floor. Later in the semester I was assigned to clean rooms on the third floor. As I cleaned room 313, I heard a loud crash come from room 315.These two dorm rooms were linked together by a bathroom; I instantly ran out of the room as if I was being chased. I have only been to the third floor in Blalock Hall a few times after that incident and remain uneasy and extremely alert whenever visitation to that eerie place occurs. During that same semester, I heard multiple stories about Pocahontas Hall and the haunting that occurs there. The first story I heard about Pocahontas Hall was that a girl was thrown, jumped, or got pushed out of a window on the second floor and fell to her death inside the four corner confinement that was built to hose the students down in the most inhumane hygienic fashion. Well, as the story goes, she can be seen there sometimes in the middle of the night looking up at the window. Also, she is sometimes seen staring out of the window in which the incident occurred. Another story about Pocahontas Hall is that girl was hung in 68 �the basement and can be seen en route to what is now the laundry room. My girlfriend at the time said, “I always felt creepy doing my laundry, even during the day” (Heather Larsen). This was before she had ever heard the story. Even to this day, Pocahontas Hall residents would rather do laundry with a friend whether it is day or night. I eventually moved into to Roe Cloud Hall, as do all students continuing on at Haskell. Roe Cloud is one of Haskell’s finest dorm residencies. Roe Cloud appeared to serve as a type of sanctuary in comparison to Blalock Hall. My first encounter there began during an evening nap in room 312. I heard two men having a mild conversation during a song sung in a Native tongue not my own. I tried desperately to open my eyes so that I could vacate the room. At one point I couldn't even move. My eyes were stuck staring upward as far into my eye socket as they would go. It must have looked as though I was having a seizure. Then when I had just about given up, the spirit or spirits released me. I immediately left the room; it was so strange and unbelievable that I could not bring myself to tell anyone. I slept at my friend’s apartment that night. I moved out of that room eventually and was placed in various rooms located in Roe Cloud. I decided to move back into room 312 upon chance, noting that it provides its occupants with a luxurious balcony. This time however, my roommate was almost never present. The haunting started in the beginning of the semester, and it was strong. Almost every night I felt a spirit or some type of existence standing beside my bed staring at me. This spirit was definitely creepy and left me terrified at times, leaving me awake all night on the edge of suspense. I slept with my back towards it and my face staring directly at a white concrete wall. I talked to a friend of mine, and she referred me to a person who carried medicine for these types of occurrences. By this person I was given tobacco, which had been blessed by a medicine man in Montana. Also, I was given sweet grass. I was told to sprinkle the tobacco in every corner of the room that was bothering me, and then I was to make prayers, asking the Great Spirit to lift the harm from my room. During the prayer I was to use the sweet grass to smudge away the bad feeling into a new beginning. After this was complete, I felt confident my troubles were alleviated, and they were for awhile. This is when I found out that drinking alcohol allows for bad spirits to enter our lives and our homes. The disturbances went off and on for the remainder of the semester, in pretty much the same way. At one time, later in the semester, I felt as though my mother was watching out for me in that room some nights from the other side. If nothing else, it was a comforting thought, a thought that got me through some of those horrible nights. Personal Interviews My own experiences are not uncommon. Others have experienced Haskell spirits. Selma John is a College Residential Assistant at Roe Cloud Hall. She has been employed at Haskell for seven going on eight years. Selma claims that she has never physically experienced spiritual activity at Haskell campus herself but has had students complain over the years about spirits on Haskell campus. She worked at Pocahontas Hall for four 69 �years; during her time there she heard a story about a girl who committed suicide by hanging herself. The girl's spirit is now referred to as "Ms. Pocahontas" by many Haskell CRA employees. Selma remembers one recent occurrence within the last year where a student from Alaska was staying at Pocahontas Hall. The student came to her in the middle of the night with a pale face, scared as ever. She told Selma, she was lying in her room asleep when she felt someone jump on her, holding her down in bed. All the sudden, that person jumped off her. By then she realized there was no one else in the room with her. The student just lay there in shock, scared to look and see what or who it was that just attacked her. The girl told Selma that she felt the spirit staring at her, but when she finally worked up enough courage to look in that direction, there was nothing to be seen. This is when the girl bolted out of her room to tell Selma about the occurrence. Selma checked the room and found no evidence of an intruder. Selma had a discussion with the student and tried to assure her that the spirits were not there to hurt her. Luckily it was a one-time experience, and Selma never heard any more complaints from the Alaskan girl. Selma told me that she once got a complaint in Winona Hall about a basketball being bounced in the middle of the night on the second floor. Selma told the complaining student that there was not anyone on the second floor in that wing because everyone had checked out for Thanksgiving. Selma went to investigate the noise anyway, about half way up the stairs she heard the basketball bouncing. She hurried up the stairs to catch the perpetrator, but when she got around the corner all she saw was a basketball rolling towards the upstairs exit. No one was present in that wing; she turned right around and made her way down stairs quickly. Tom Spotted Horse is a Kiowa and a College Residential Assistant at Minoka Hall. Tom grew up on the Haskell campus during the 1960's. He has fond childhood memories of Haskell. However, he makes it very clear that he never experienced spirits during his younger years. Tom later returned to Haskell and has been employed here for fourteen years. Almost immediately after our introduction, Tom explained that he had some very revealing photographs and asked if I wanted to check them out. I replied yes of course, and then he pulled up the photos on the computer. Astonishing. There were various pictures of a face that, seemingly, had been pressed up against a window. The impression was so well defined that you could see the individual wrinkles upon the face. The eye socket, nose, and cheek were prominent throughout the photographs. Tom then explained how the facial impression got there. It happened to Ed Simpson, a College Residential Assistant at Osceola Keokuk Hall. This occurred during the middle of the night. Haskell was not in session at the time, and he was said to be the only one occupying the building. Ed was sitting in the front office when he heard someone rattling the door handle, as if they were trying desperately, to leave the building. Startled, he got up at once to see what all the commotion at the door was, but when he got there nothing except an impression was evident. Apparently he decided it needed to be recorded, and so he and another staff member took photographs. Tom said he knew who 70 �made the facial impression. It was the face of a man who used to work at Haskell, a College Residential Assistant that died in 1996. Tom said he had a more recent spiritual encounter. One night during the fall semester of 2005, he heard foot steps come down the stairs from the common area at Minoka Hall. The foot steps walked towards his office located at the western most edge of the building. Those footsteps passed his room and proceeded down the hallway where student housing was once provided. Tom got up to inspect the noise and to his amazement, no one was there, not a trace. The next night it happened again in the same fashion and again, no one. This time, Tom decided to turn the lights in that hallway. The disturbance stopped, so Tom left the lights on every night thereon for the remainder of the semester. Tom shared an even more recent occurrence, which happened only a few months ago. Tom sat at his desk typing when he heard someone trying to get into his office. He saw the spirit’s footsteps draped under the door; however, when he got up and answered the door, Tom did not see anyone. Every so often Tom brings his dog with him to work. He said on various occasions his dog would bark and growl at spirits that Tom himself could not see. One day the dog was getting on Tom's nerves by barking, He told the spirit to leave the dog alone and assured the spirit that the dog did not want its company. All the sudden the dog stopped barking and all was well. In closing, Tom said that as a youth he and friends heard of a girl who hung herself in Pocahontas Hall and of a boy who did the same at Powhatten Hall. The other story was about a girl who drowned beneath Hiawatha, in a swimming pool. Henry Collins is a Ponca and CRA at Blalock Hall. Henry seemed reluctant to talk with me at first, since I brought up the term “ghost.” The Ponca believe that once a person dies, the spirit leaves unto another place other than earth. Henry says that Ponca believe spirits travel through the mind. He believes that a person's spirit can travel to another place through envisioning this occurrence. He said people often do this by day dreaming and envisioning better times in their lives. Henry said that for many people Haskell has been a happy place and people like to remember it in that fashion. So, their spirits often travel here for sanctuary, and remembrance: Real Indians know about spirits, they’re comfortable and accept them. They don't fear them. Non-Indians don't know about spirits. They’re not taught about them, and so when they reveal themselves, it’s scary to them (Collins). This was an interesting concept, and I began to realize what he was saying. Henry used alcoholics as an example. He said that they often envision themselves during a better era in their lives and they use alcohol to bring them back to these happier times. It all began to make sense; he then began to explain the complexities of our distinct societies. Tom Spotted Horse recommended that I see Ed Simpson, the CRA on duty at Osceola Keokuk Hall. Ed could tell me first hand what he experienced the night he found the facial impression on the window. When Ed and I sat down, he paused and began going into full detail of what took place that night. He said it happened in the winter months around Christmas. Ed decided to curve the conversation at that moment and told 71 �me about how the door at the main entrance seems to open around powwow time like clock work. “It wasn’t the first time it opened like that,” he said. “It does it every so often, mainly around powwow time” (Edward Simpson). He got back to his story; he explained to me that there had been a little traffic before that with staff coming in and out prior to its happening. Ed said things slowed down two hours prior, and the building was awfully quite by then. All the sudden, he heard the door handle rattling as if someone were trying to leave. At the time Ed was positioned where he was fully capable of seeing people leaving or entering. This struck him as somewhat strange. He got up to check it out, and as he walked toward the door where the noise originated, he felt an extremely eerie feeling come over him. “It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up,” he said. ”That never happened before”(Edward Simpson). Ed went out side to check the perimeter, but he did not see anything unusual, and no one was around. He turned to go back inside and he saw it, the facial impression. He got spooked and called security over to investigate, Ernie Wilson came over, and he and Ed took multiple photographs of the impression using Ernie’s camera phone. Ed has since then wondered why something of that nature would reveal itself to him at that particular time. He remained skeptical and alert for any more supernatural phenomena to occur on his watch. Ed remembered a student who lived on the second floor of Osceola Keokuk Hall. The student complained that children would wake him in the middle of the night by playing in his room. The student said that when he arose to turn on the lights, the children seemed to scatter and then follow each other out the window at an alarming rate. The student said it happened on more than one occasion. He was obviously scared; his body trembled as he rehashed the story to Ed. It had gone on long enough to where the student did not even want to stay in the dormitory at all. So, he packed up and moved from Osceola Keokuk Hall over to Roe Cloud Hall. I ran into Ernie Wilson as I was leaving. He is now campus security. Ernie agreed to an interview with me. He has worked at Haskell for fourteen years. He has served various positions at Haskell throughout his many years, most importantly as a CRA. I was excited to meet with Ernie, since all of my other interviewees said he was the main man to talk to about spirits at Haskell. We finally got a chance to sit down; I asked him if he ever experienced spirits on Haskell campus. He chuckled and remarked, “So what do you want to hear? Where should we start?” I replied, “Wherever you feel comfortable.” His first story was a follow up of what had happened at Osceola Keokuk with the facial impression. I had heard from Tom that Ernie had seen something at Osceola Keokuk. It seemed as if I had reminded him of something that he had stored fresh in his memory the whole time, as if it happened yesterday. He said he was working at Osceola Keokuk before renovations had been done. It was roughly ten years ago. He was working during the summer when no one was around. He was sitting in his office when he heard tiny little foot steps running down the hallway away from his office. He got up to see who it was and heard more tiny footsteps; he followed those footsteps, and heard more. It began to freak him out, so he went back to his office. Not long after that, he saw a child’s face peek around the corner at him, and 72 �the face was smiling. The child took off again as if he wanted to play with Ernie, so Ernie got up and went out to the hallway and saw the first child and a second child at the end of the hallway. Ernie admitted to being semi-scared but then figured that the children must have just wanted someone to play with. At the end of shift the secretary came in. Ernie asked her about the children, and she said she saw them from time to time also. Then she explained to Ernie that Osceola Keokuk Hall was built over the original Haskell cemetery. And there was a good chance that the excavators did not remove all the bodies. After awhile Ernie said he got used to it and learned to accept spirits at Haskell. Ernie remembers a student at Blalock Hall who had a spiritual encounter. The student came screaming out of his room on the second floor all the way down the stairs to the CRA office. He was pale in the face; Ernie asked the student what happened, hoping to be of some assistance. The student just shook his head no. After hours of persistence with no answer, Ernie began losing his patience and gave up trying to get answers from the student. That night the student slept on a couch in the down stairs lobby. The next day went by fine and all was forgotten, until the following night. Again, the student came screaming out of his room like the night before. And still the student did not comply with Ernie’s request for information. The student then asked if Ernie could assign him to another room in the dormitory. Ernie then explained that it would be impossible for him to do that without a valid explanation. The student paused and then began to tell Ernie what he had seen. He said he was sleeping fine and awoke out of a dead sleep to find that he had a visitor; he described it as a white figure with gray hair. The figure was seated with its back towards him and its face fixated staring out of the window. The student began towards the light switch, and then the figure slowly turned around. With a persistent gaze, the figure slowly moved closer. It eventually began passing through the student. The student said he endured an indescribable chilling numbness residue from within reaching outward throughout the whole of his body. This is when he was finally able to break from his room. It happened identically two nights in a row. Ernie felt like it was a valid reason to reassign the student another room. Ernie told another story about Osceola Keokuk, where a student was involved in devil worship. In the late nineties Ernie worked over at that dormitory. One week in between room checks the satanic student painted the whole of his room black except for a white pentagram on one wall and what appeared to be a devilish goat. Eventually they got rid of the student and repainted the room and replaced the vandalized door. However, the CRA on duty recognized the replaced door had the face of a devil engrained into the outside of it. That door was replaced and again a devil appeared engrained on the outside of the door. So, the room was smudged and prayed for, and a third door was installed. The room remained all right for the moment; eventually they moved a student into the room. His name was Michael, a Comanche boy from Oklahoma. All was well until a fellow student complained of loud noises and what sounded like appliances crashing into the walls. So, Ernie and staff went up to Michael’s room. They heard him cussing and screaming for staff to let him out. 73 �They all took turns trying their keys, none of them worked: “the tumblers in the lock just kept spinning round and round nothing was catching” (Ernest Wilson). They asked Michael to let them in since the door was capable of opening from the inside also. He tried and staff heard it, but still no luck. Michael threatened to jump out the window if staff didn’t think of something quick. He said that there was definitely something in there with him, and it was either jump or open the door. Ernie told him to hang tight that there was a ladder on the way, and then he radioed in a latter from facilities. Just as the latter were arriving, staff members were able to get the door open. Michael came out of the room in complete hysteria; he swung punches violently at staff. Eventually they were able to calm him down and reason with him. After the discussion, he realized that they had sincerely tried to help him. He couldn’t stay there another night and immediately moved off campus with friends and family. Two weeks after this incident Michael and two other Haskell students died violently in car accident in the late hours of the night, close to the same hours of the occurrence at Osceola Keokuk two weeks prior. One story Ernie had involved a Lawrence Police Officer. His name was Robert Heffel a non-Indian man. The police were making routine checks at Haskell campus during the summer months. School was not in session, and the cops were doing random checks in regards to vandalism. As they rounded the circle drive in front of Pocahontas Hall, one officer noticed a girl in a window on the second floor. The girl was banging on the window as if she were trapped and needed help. The officers tried desperately to enter the building but could not. Eventually they were able to notify facilities and someone came to let the officers in. One went bolting up to where he had seen the girl, but the door was locked. He had facilities open the door to the room. No one was in there. The officer was stunned, as were his counterparts. They began poking fun at the officer who had seen the woman banging on the window. The Haskell facilities worker stopped them short. He explained that a girl once hung herself in the room where Heffel saw a girl pounding on the window. The officers looked terrified, and the man from facilities escorted them out of the dormitory. Conclusion It is highly evident that many spirits reside on Haskell campus. Those spirits consist of children from early boarding school days. There are past students who have perished and remain on campus by choice. Past employees have passsed on and returned to the Haskell campus for the sanctuary they once found when alive. Then there are those whose spirits might be condemned or confined to Haskell because of the tragic nature of death. The bottom line is that there are spirits on the Haskell campus, and the reasons for them being here could just as well be as complex as the reasons for those living beings that reside on the campus. Being Native American and having so many different belief systems in one area, it is impossible to bundle together the whole spiritual presence and determine a valid explanation. It is just too diverse of a subject. We should, as Native people, be able to 74 �share cultures with one another comfortably. The creator gave our nations individual belief systems for a reason, and each should be equally respected. I believe even more sensitivity needs be applied to each other at Haskell, because inevitably we are our own community. In the short time I have been here Haskell, I experienced a bond among students that quite possibly does not exist anywhere else on the planet. At powwows away from school Haskell, students always seem to find each other for comfort. With this knowledge the spirits residing here I believe find comfort in one another. This may be the case for spirits at Haskell. Maybe they in some way comfort each other and look out for one another. The Haida believe that if you exert good energy in life, then there is a good chance it will be matched in the afterlife. We believe that everything is set in place, and that this is the chosen way and it should not be contested by human beings. Our spirits serve as guidance in our journey. They help us by reminding us of who we are and where we ought to be. My spiritual encounters have helped me realize that I am mortal and that there is another world after this one. It is partially up to me to determine my after life. In closing, the experience has been spiritually enlightening and has helped broaden my understanding of spiritual presence. Works Cited Beck, Peggy V. Walters, Anna Lee. Francisco, Nia. The Sacred. Tsaile, Arizona: Navajo Community College Press, 1992. Capes-Altom, Mila. Students at Haskell Institute from 1884 to 1889. Lawrence: Haskell Indian Nations University, August 2000. Collins, Henery. Personal Interview. Lawrence. 25 Apr 2006. Deloria, Vine Jr. God is Red. Golden, Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing, 1994. Deloria, Vine Jr. Spirit & Reason. Golden, Colorado: Fulcrum Publishing, 1999. Eakins, Paul. "Haunted: Many Haskell Students Accept Spirits on Historic University Campus." Topeka Capitol Journal 4 Nov 2001. Edenshaw, Marlene. Personal Interview. Hydaburg, Alaska. Irwin, Lee. The Dream Seekers. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1994. John, Selma. Personal Interview. Lawrence, Kansas. 24 Apr 2006. Kitkoon, Alice. Personal Interview. Hydaburg, Alaska. Larsen, Heather. Personal Interview. Sisseton, South Dakota. Morrison, Claude. Personal Interview. Hydaburg, Alaska. Simpson, Edward. Personal Interview. Lawrence, Kansas. 25 Apr 2006. Spotted Horse, Thomas. Personal Interview. Lawrence, Kansas. 25 Apr 2006. Suzuki, David. Knudtson, Peter. Wisdom of the Elders. New York: Bantam, 1993. Wilson, Ernest. Personal Interview. Lawrence, Kansas. 25 Apr. 2006 75 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Deep Map of Haskell Indian Nations University Subject The topic of the resource Haskell Indian Nations University (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource A collection of essays, written by seniors enrolled in Denise Low's American Indian Literature Seminar, exploring the multi-faceted history of Haskell Indian Nations University. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Claunch, Joseph Crawford, Sheila Edenshaw, Aaron Lary, Richard Low, Denise Pete, Samantha Wise, Blaine Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Haskell Indian Nations University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 2006 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Relation A related resource Associated videotaped interviews are on deposit in the Haskell Cultural Center archives. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DeepMapHaskellIndianNationsUniversity_2006.pdf Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) 1884 - 2006 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 75 pages https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/460fd1223fc1888c0315633ffa397d98.png cbdf906b2072473f41981360322d8ce7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of the Lawrence Public Library Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) History -- Kansas Biography -- Kansas Description An account of the resource Resources related to the history of the Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, Kansas. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Linda Clay Oral History Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Oral Histories -- Kansas -- Douglas County Description An account of the resource Oral history with Linda Clay, of the Lawrence Public Library's children's department, where she talks about her time in the library and the way the children's department has changed throughout the years. Access it <a href="https://archive.org/details/LindayClayLPLOralHistory2017" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HERE</a> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Clay, Linda Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-07-06 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Encarnacion, Gibette Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published with the permission of Linda Clay. This work is the intellectual property of the Lawrence Public Library, Lawrence, Kansas. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP3 Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LindaClayLPLOralHistory2017 Extent The size or duration of the resource. 21:34.0 Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Lawrence, Kan. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) World War, 1939-1945. Veterans. Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource In 2003, the Lawrence Public Library partnered with the Dole Institute of Politics and Haskell University to capture the histories of Douglas County’s World War II veterans in the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. From 2005 to 2007, the Lawrence Public Library, the Watkins Museum of History, and the Kansas State Historical Society also embarked on a similar endeavor, the Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project, which was funded by the Kansas State Legislature. This collection contains many of the video recordings and more information about the interviews conducted for these projects. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Johnston, Pattie Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Clifford, John Location The location of the interview Douglas County (Kan.) Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/214315">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/214315</a> Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 0:50:25 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 127 kbit/s (audio) 1626 kbit/s (video) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Clifford World War II Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Clifford, John Description An account of the resource John Clifford served in the United States Army from 1941 to 1946. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on August 28, 2007, Clifford talked about his experiences during and after the Second World War. Clifford was born in Springfield, Illinois, on October 19, 1918. He was drafted into the Army in 1941. He was first assigned to a film school at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and then worked as a clerk in the battalion headquarters at Camp Crowder, Missouri. He later joined a hospital company at Fort Leonard Wood. After going overseas, his company built a hospital in Hollandia. Clifford then went to Manila Bay in the Philippines. Following the war, he attended Marian Elwood’s Hollywood School for Writing to continue his writing career that began before he was drafted. After completing the school, he moved back to Kansas and attended Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas. Clifford taught high school journalism in Lawrence and worked as a copy editor for the Topeka Daily Capital. He then got a job at Centron Films, where he worked for the next twenty-three years. While there, he wrote the horror film, Carnival of Souls. He also authored a novel, The Shooting of Storey James. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Johnston, Pattie Kansas State Historical Society Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant New Guinea 1941 - 2007 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-08-28 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP4 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Clifford_John WWII Interview 20070828 Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: <a href="https://archive.org/details/clifford-john-wwii-interview-20070828">https://archive.org/details/clifford-john-wwii-interview-20070828</a> The Watkins Museum of History also holds items related to this collection. Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/214315">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/214315</a> Other resources for interviews with World War II veterans are available through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project: <a href="https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html">https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.htm</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society also have interviews associated with this project, which was funded through a grant program passed by the Kansas State Legislature in 2005. This interview can be used freely for purposes beyond educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- United States United States -- History, Military. World War, 1939-1945 -- Veterans -- Interviews. United States. Army. Lawrence (Kan.) -- Oral history. World War, 1939-1945 -- Pacific Area. Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/5784279aea53940503b329d0d5e7aa03.pdf a870312a3715da3f50d47b7b982b2376 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Selected Chronology of Political Protests and Events in Lawrence, 1960-1973 Subject The topic of the resource Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Protest movements Student movements Civil rights movements Activism Environmentalism Peace movements Description An account of the resource A chronology of national and local political protests and events, with a focus on events that occurred in Lawrence, Kansas, between 1960 and 1973. Compiled by Clark H. Coan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Coan, Clark H. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Coan, Clark H. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2001 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright, Clark H. Coan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CoanClark_SelectedChronologyPoliticalProtestsEvents_1960-1973 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1960 - 1973 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/a39279e26fe39cec2e6033b3e40563cb.pdf bc22b67c3cc323794931793a1bc7bf1a PDF Text Text SELECTED CHRONOLOGY OF POLITICAL PROTESTS AND EVENTS IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS 1974-2000 By Clark H. Coan Feb. 18, 1974 Vietnam Veterans Against the War Peace Vigil in Leavenworth. Members of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War caravan from Lawrence to Leavenworth where a peace vigil is held against continued US involvement in Vietnam plus partly in support of those soldiers in the US Disciplinary Barracks who refused to fight and those in the federal penitentiary who violated draft laws. The War College at Ft. Leavenworth trains US and international officers in counterinsurgency methods which result in human rights abuses. Noted peace activist Phil Berrigan speaks at a public forum at United Ministries in Higher Education at 1200 Oread Ave. Feb., 1974 Obiji Farm Forms. An informal intentional community is created north of Lawrence. It originally consists of tipis, tents and a little cabin. At its peak it has 13 members (including children). It is part of the “Back to the Land Movement” which during the late 1960s and early 1970s consisted of nearly one million people throughout the United States who left urbanized areas for rural settings, intent on establishing themselves as “back-to-the-landers.” Many of the “back-to-the-landers” were collegeeducated young people who were part of the Counterculture. At Obiji, the land is held communally, but the several dwellings are owned individually. One of their biggest achievements is learning how to build their own dwellings. At one point they also have two large vegetable gardens and goats which produce enough food for members for two summers. Drinking water is obtained from a spring-fed pond. Some dwellings use firewood for heating. The community becomes one of the longest-lasting intentional communities in the Midwest. May 7, 1974 Impeachment Hearings Begin Against President Nixon. Many Lawrence residents, especially those opposed to Nixon’s policies, listen to the live impeachment hearings broadcasts held by the House Judiciary Committee in the Watergate affair. The Watergate incident was essentially an attempt by Nixon to subvert the U.S. Constitution by approving the plan by the Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP) to send agents to unlawfully enter the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in 1972 for the purpose of securing political intelligence to use against the George McGovern, the Democratic Party candidate. Plus, Nixon subsequently participated in the cover-up of the illegal operation. Kansas Senator Bob Dole was called “Nixon’s Hatchet Man” because he vigorously defended Nixon during the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal. When senators from �both parties questioned Nixon's "Vietnamization" program in the late 1960s, Dole "would chase departing senators off the floor and into the cloakroom or hallway, where he would yell at them for opposing Nixon." Dole grew so contentious in the Senate, he developed a reputation as "Nixon's Doberman pinscher". June, 1974 Haskell Loop Opposition Forms. The four-lane road would link a proposed eastern US 59 bypass with downtown Lawrence, but would cut through the heart of East Lawrence resulting in the destruction of several houses and essentially the neighborhood itself. Ray Dryz starts questioning the project and soon Richard Kershenbaum starts campaigning against the project and recruits Mark Kaplan who joins in the opposition and starts organizing. By April, 1976, there is an elected a president of the organization. The group and the East Lawrence Improvement Assn. are able to kill the project. August 9, 1974 President Richard M. Nixon Resigns. Many Lawrence residents celebrate the resignation of President Nixon who wants to avoid the impeachment process and admitting his role in the Watergate affair. He is replaced by Vice President Gerald R. Ford, who, on September 8, 1974, pardons Nixon for his role. Many perceive the pardon as a quid pro quo deal (in exchange for being appointed Vice President just eight months before Nixon’s resignation, Ford promises to pardon Nixon if it becomes necessary) and thus, it costs President Ford the election in 1976. Nixon is the first president ever to resign from office. Nov. 5, 1974 Reactionary Loses Election for Governor. Flamboyant conservative Democrat Vern Miller loses the election for governor partly due to Lawrence voters. During the counting of the votes on election night, moderate Republican Robert Bennett is behind until late into the night when the returns from Douglas County come in and put Bennett over the top. Many Lawrence voters are against Miller because as attorney general he sent undercover agents to Lawrence to try to entrap students, hippies and radicals to get them on drug charges. He previously announced he would “jump into Lawrence with both feet” in order to wipe out the hippie communes. One time he jumps out of the trunk of a car in a drug raid in a media photo op which opponents call grandstanding (getting publicity for a run for governor). He raids Lawrence three times and rounds up dozens of people who are mostly charged with selling marijuana. 1975 Clinton Parkway Opposed. Opposition appears against the proposed Clinton Parkway which would give Lawrencians ready access to Clinton Lake (the dam is finished in 1975 whenthe lake begins filling). Opponents warn that it would result in an extension of 23rd Street with all of its fast food restaurants, etc. City planners agree to limit commercial development to intersections and highway engineers agree to put in bike paths in an attempt to mollify opponents. Jan. 2, 1975 Community Mercantile Natural Food Cooperative Opens. The consumer cooperative is created to provide healthful, natural food to Lawrence residents. It first focuses on bulk items such a brown rice and is first located at 728 Mass. St. In June it moves to 615 Mass where Nan Renbarger founds her Venbena Bakery in the backroom. �In 1977 it moves to 700 Maine St. where it remains until 1993 when it relocates to 901 Miss. It moves to 901 Iowa in 2001. In addition to members working two hours per month at the store, there was initially a paid manager. Later there was a worker collective consisting of Molly Van Hee, Sue Bryant and Chuck Magerl. Vebena Bakery became Amazing Grains Bakery which was a women’s work collective. The Community Credit Union (a financial consumer cooperative) is formed and is located within the Merc. It later becomes a branch of Mainstreet Credit Union. April 17, 1975 The Capture of Phnom Penh by Khmer Rouge. The hardline Communist Khmer Rouge capture the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, and launch a genocidal campaign in which they kill over an estimated 2 million people in executions and enforced hardships. The Khmer Rouge Killing Fields refer to a broad state-sponsored campaign of crimes against humanity and genocide (the Cambodian genocide or Cambodian Holocaust) by the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot and the sites in which their victims are buried. Some of those responsible are tried for crimes against humanity. Some say the invasion of Cambodia in April, 1970, by US troops destabilized the “neutral” government King Sihanouk which allowed for the rise of the Khmer Rouge. College campuses (including KU) erupted in May, 1970, in protest of the invasion ordered by President Nixon. April 30, 1975 The Fall of Saigon. Communist North Vietnamese troops capture Saigon ending the 20-year war in South Vietnam. Perhaps as many as 2 million Vietnamese are killed in the war (with most being civilians) and 58,000 US troops. This is the first war the US loses. Lawrence residents held many protests against the war in the 1960s and early 1970s. It is thought that the nationwide protests were responsible for keeping Nixon from ratcheting up the war (though he did bomb Hanoi in North Vietnam and invade Cambodia) and for his Vietnamization Program of gradual withdrawal of us troops over four years. May, 1975 Benefit held for Anti-war Activist Scott Camil. A benefit concert for Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) activist Scott Camil’s legal defense fund is held at the United Ministries in Higher Education. After receiving a Purple Heart in Vietnam as a marine sergeant, Scott Camil became active in VVAW, and a chapter leader of that organization. Supposedly, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover considered Camil to be one of the nation’s most dangerous activists. Reportedly, as Camil and the organization became more powerful and effective, the FBI ordered his “neutralization”. He was shot in the back by a Drug Enforcement Agency agent during a drug bust when he resisted arrest (allegedly he sold 2.5 ounces of cocaine to an agent). The foreman of the federal jury which acquitted him of resisting arrest and selling drugs, later said that he thought that the shooting was an attempt on Camil’s life. April, 1976 Free University Heyday. The Kansas Free University began operating in April, 1968, and continues until 1980. Its heyday is in the mid and late 1970s. Courses include “Esperanto”, “Creative Capitalism”, “Edible Kansas Plants”, “Introduction to Bicycle Repair”, “Introduction to Zen Meditation”, “Organic Cooking and Gardening”, and “Hatha Yoga”. Many classes are held at the United Ministries in Higher Education �building. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, a free university is an “unaccredited autonomous free institution established within a university by students to present and discuss subjects not usually dealt with in the academic curriculum.” April 29, 1976. Gov’t Surveillance of Activists Confirmed. The US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence chaired by Senator Frank Church releases it report on domestic spying. It concludes that the Central Intelligence Agency (Operation CHAOS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (COINTELPRO) National Security Agency (Project MINARET) and military intelligence agencies spied on law-abiding organizations and citizens in the 1960s and early 1970s. It is highly probable that peace, justice and civil rights organizations based in Lawrence were infiltrated by government informants and that perhaps hundreds of Lawrence activists were spied upon contrary to the First and Fourth Amendments. Organizations most likely to have been infiltrated include Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Black Student Union (BSU). Agents would employ a variety of “dirty tricks” including coercing advertisers (often record companies) in Underground newspapers to stop advertising; using agents provocateur to get activists to commit crimes; entrapping leaders in crimes such as selling marijuana; and creating interpersonal dissensions within groups. Of course, they also monitored phone conversations and opened mail. Jan. 21, 1977 Draft Resisters Receive Full Pardon. Perhaps hundreds of current and former Lawrence residents who went Underground or to Canada to escape the draft or were prosecuted by the US Justice Department for draft law violations during the Viet Nam War, celebrate their complete and full pardon by President Jimmy Carter. Ironically, Carter resumes draft registration three years later in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Jan., 1977 Sister Kettle Cafe Opens. Sister Kettle Cafe opens at 1347 Mass. St. in the former Bob’s Our Place Cafe building. It is run by a work collective composed primarily of radical feminists (including men). It files as a nonprofit in August, 1976, and serves affordable, high-quality, healthful vegetarian food to mostly people with alternative lifestyles. The restaurant closes in 1979. Some of those involved include KE Edminton, Sue Bryant, Val Kelly, Anne Burgess, Chris Mechem, Candida Howard, Retta Hendricks, and Jaime Grow. It is Lawrence’s first vegetarian restaurant. 1977 Martin L. Roberts: Activist Extraordinaire. Whenever a pro-neighborhood or pro-downtown activist wants to submit a controversial letter-to-the-editor to the Lawrence Journal-World and remain anonymous, s/he signs it Martin L. Roberts. Roger Martin creates this technique. At this time, the editorial page editor does not call to verify the author of letters. 1978 Cornfield Mall Opposed. A Cleveland developer proposes to build a shopping mall in a cornfield on South Iowa St. Opposition surfaces immediately because many think it would harm downtown by siphoning away business. Downtown businessmen Jack Arensberg, Win Campbell and Bob Schumm and the Downtown Lawrence �Association campaign against the project. Candidates opposed to the mall win a majority of seats on the City Commission in April 1979, thereby killing the project. Feb. 1978 Latin America Solidarity Organizes. Latin America Solidarity (LAS) is founded by five to eight people at KU, but is open to the general public as well. The principals are university librarians Shelly Miller and Rhonda Neugebaer. The first event, held in March, 1978, features a film on Chile followed up by Kansas City Chileans who had escaped the Pinoche regime. LAS holds a weekly rice and beans dinner and features speakers on Latin American issues. The organization opposes the illegal Contra War against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua, the genocide against native peoples in Guatemala and the civil war in El Salvador. The International Court of Justice rules in 1986 that the US had violated international law by supporting the Contras in their war against the Nicaraguan government and by mining Nicaragua’s harbors. President Reagan ordered the CIA to mine the harbors and the agency provided broad training and equipment to the Contras in violation of a ban on such action by Congress. LAS obtains an FBI file which shows that it had been investigated by the agency contrary to First Amendment rights and in violation of a 1970s FBI guideline that blocked its agents from spying on groups and individuals unless they were investigating a crime (this is rescinded after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and passage of the Patriot Act). Mar., 1978 Radioactive-Free Kansas (RFK) forms. A group of Lawrence residents and others form Radioactive-Free Kansas, an organization dedicated to opposing the construction of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Station near Burlington, Kansas. Founders include Jeanne Green and Bill Beems. Later Anne Moore and graduate student Clark H. Coan become organizers. RFK is primarily an educational organization, but also holds protests near the site of the plant into the 1980s. It is part of the Sunflower Alliance an umbrella of anti-nuclear groups which includes Kansas City People’s Energy Project (KCPEP) and the Kansas Natural Guard. April, 1978 Radioactive Waste Repository Proposed. The Rickano Corporation files for a license to put so-called low-level nuclear waste in a salt mine in Lyons, Kansas. The site was studied by the federal government for a repository for high-level waste but was abandoned in the early 1970s after the Kansas Geological Survey found that there was too much potential for groundwater intrusion into the mine, mostly because of old oil wells drilled into it. Low-level waste includes highly-radioactive parts from reactors. Due to extensive opposition (including from Radioactive-Free Kansas) the license is never granted. Journalist Max McDowell is instrumental in making the public aware of the proposal and the potential problems. April 16, 1978 Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice Begins Lecture Series. The LCPJ begins its International Peace and Justice Lecture series by notable peace and justice advocates. These include Kenneth Boulding (1978); Richard Barnet (1979); Frances Moore Lappe (1980); Roger Fisher (1981), and Richard Rhodes (1986). Founders include Oread Friends Meeting members Anne Moore and KU psychology professor Howard Baumgartel. The Coalition forms in the winter of 1976-77. At a planning meeting held in October, 1977, attended by representatives from nine local churches �and organizations, the name is chosen. LCPC publishes a newsletter called Peace Monitor which is mailed to hundreds of Lawrence residents for over 30 years. The Tom and Anne Moore Peace and Justice Award is given to a peace or justice advocate annually. After the Moores leave town, Allan and Louise Hanson become the de facto leaders of Lawrence’s most effective peace organization. June 25, 1978 Sunflower Alliance Protest Rally. A rally is held in protest against construction of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant near Burlington. Both the Lawrence-based Radioactive-Free Kansas and the Kansas Natural Guard participate. A study commissioned by Nuclear Regulatory Commission released in 1982 illustrates the potential damage from a catastrophe at a reactor. Within the first year of a worst-case accident, the death toll could exceed 100,000, injuries could amount to 610,000 and damage could top $300 billion ($750 billion in 2016 dollars) near certain reactors. Further, another NRC-commissioned study estimated in 1985 that the chance of a meltdown at a nuclear reactor somewhere in America in the next 20 years it could be almost 50 percent. Aug. 12, 1978 O-Keet-Sha Trail Hike-In Held. An estimated 150 supporters of the OKeet-Sha Trail turn out for a “Hike-In” on a Sunday afternoon in Tonganoxie. The group meets at the Tonganoxie City Hall and from there hike their way to Lawrence. The HikeIn is scheduled to show support for turning the abandoned Union Pacific Railroad rightof-way into a nature trail for hikers and bicycles. Kansas rails-to-trails pioneers envision a route between Lawrence, Tonganoxie and Leavenworth. It was to be known as the “OKeet-Sha Trail”, and would be the first rails-to-trails conversion in Kansas. Sadly, it is not meant to be, but it laid the groundwork for today’s growing rail-trail network. “O-KeetSha” is the Kansas Indian word for “stranger” (for Stranger Creek, the most substantial waterway along the route). An educational campaign is begun and a bill is introduced in the legislature to allow the trail to be built (normally abandoned railroad land reverts to the adjacent landowners under Kansas law). The Leavenworth County Commission asks a Kansas Legislature committee to kill the bill for the proposed trail. The Kansas Farm Bureau is able to kill the bill despite extensive lobbying by trail supporters. Those involved in the trail effort include Kansas Trails Council Secretary George Latham (owner of Gran Sport in Lawrence), KTC director Richard Douthit and Harriet J Hughes, Secretary/Treasurer of the O-Keet-Sha Trail Conservation Committee. Despite continued opposition by the Kansas Farm Bureau, by 2016 there are more than 200 miles of developed rail-trails in the Sunflower State and two short rail-trails in Lawrence. Jan. 12, 1979 Nonviolent Action at Wolf Creek. Approximately 36 people are arrested for blocking a rail line transporting the reactor vessel for the plant. The primary sponsoring organization is Lawrence-based Kansas Natural Guard. On March 28, 1979, there is a partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. This galvanizes the anti-nuclear movement in the state and nation. The mass Seabrook Nuclear Station protests in New Hampshire also inspire Kansas activists. On May 6, an estimated 65,000-125,000 people demonstrate in New York City and call for a nonnuclear world. �Jan. 16, 1979 Conflict between KU Iranian Students Grows. Conflict between three factions of KU Iranian students breaks out before and after the fall of the Shah of Iran on January 16, 1979. One faction supports Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who was installed by the CIA in 1953. Another faction supports conservative Muslin cleric Ayatollah Khomeini and the smallest faction is the leftist People Mujahideen. Many protests are held and there are physical clashes between factions. Leading up to the revolution, the Shah’s secret police, SAVAK, places informers on the KU campus to spy on anti-Shah students. Reportedly, the CIA also has informants on campus to spy on the Iranian students. During the Iranian hostage crisis in which 52 Americans are held hostage (Nov. 4, 1979 to Jan. 20, 1981), KU social welfare professor Norm Forer (who had served as a US Dept. of Justice mediator) travels to Iran in Dec. 1979 as a mediator with KU instructor Clarence Dillingham to gather information and open a dialogue between the American people and the Iranian students seeking democracy in Iran. When they return, Chancellor Archie Dyches and some state legislators denounce them for meddling in foreign affairs which they thought was seditious or traitorous. Forer is initially suspended without pay, but sine he has tenure and there is no question about his teaching ability, so it would be hard to fire him. Thus, KU makes him move to a smaller office and cuts his salary. Dillingham doesn’t have tenure and his teaching contract is not renewed. Reportedly, after returning from Iran he is entrapped by the KBI for selling cocaine several times to an agent in late 1980 and he ends up in prison. March 16, 1979 “China Syndrome” Moviegoers Leafleted. When the anti-nuclear power Hollywood film, “China Syndrome” staring Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas and Jack Lemmon, is shown in Lawrence, moviegoers are leafleted with anti-nuclear power brochures by members of Radioactive-Free Kansas and the Kansas Natural Guard. In the film a news reporter and her cameraman are witnesses to an emergency core shutdown at a nuclear plant in California. In December, 1983, activists hand out leaflets at showings of the film “Silkwood” starring Meryl Streep in which Karen Silkwood, a worker at a plutonium processing plant in Oklahoma is purposefully contaminated and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant. June, 1979 Downtown Mall Opposed. A proposed mall which would destroy the north end of downtown Lawrence is opposed by a group called Citizens for a Better Downtown which is led by Barbara Waggoner, Ed Boles, and Myles Schachtner. The April, 1981, City Commission election results in a majority opposed to the project, thereby killing the project. June 9, 1979 Protest Rally at Wolf Creek. Partly in response to the accident at Three Mile Island, over 1,500 people attend a protest rally sponsored by the Sunflower Alliance near the construction site of the Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant. Both the Lawrencebased Radioactive-Free Kansas and the Kansas Natural Guard help organize the rally. Smaller rallies continue into the 1980s. Anti-nuclear activists in Oklahoma are able to block construction of the Black Fox Nuclear Plant, but they start before actual construction. Kansas activists wait until it was too late, so the plant goes online in 1985. �Aug., 1979 Appropriate Technology (AT) Resource Center opens. The AT Center opens in a storefront at 1101 1/2 Mass. St. This happens after a several-month-long organizational effort by the Appropriate Technology Collective which was formed from an initial class in the Free University. The organization promotes self-reliance in energy, food and health. It features the Neighborhood Solar Project, Project Save Energy Around Lawrence (SEAL), the Organic Gardening Project and many events. It maintains a resource library and reading room which operates until about 1985. This 501(c)(3) organization later became KAW Council. Some of those involved include Dan Bentley, Kat Greene, Michael Almon and Ken Lassman. Oct. 21, 1979 Balloons Released near Wolf Creek. The Radioactive-Free Kansas and the Kansas Natural Guard release 425 balloons next to the plant. A major radioactive release could result in radioactivity blowing to Lawrence since prevailing winds are southwesterly and the city lies about 50 miles downwind from the plant. In 2008 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission extends the plant’s license from 40 to 60 years. The risk of an accident continues to grow as the aging plant’s reactor vessel becomes embrittled and the cooling pipes become corroded. Many expensive parts have to be replaced to keep the plant safe. Meanwhile, sine no permanent repository for spent fuel currently exists in the United States, the reactor owners have kept the highly-radioactive spent fuel rods at the reactor site where they pose a dangerous hazard to Kansans and Lawrencians if there is a malfunction, a natural disaster, or a terrorist attack cause the cooling pools to lose water thereby triggering the high-level waste to explode spewing radioactivity into the atmosphere. Each 1,000 MW reactor produces 33 tons of hot, extremely radioactive waste each year. Also, each reactor also releases millions of curries of radioactive isotopes such as Krypton, Xenon and Argon in to the air and water each year. April, 1980 Anti-Draft Registration Rally. After President Carter re-imposes draft registration for young men in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, there is significant resistance. A protest rally is held in the park adjacent to Watkins Museum and public lectures by prominent activists are also held in Lawrence. Thousands of 18year-old men refuse or fail to register (including some in Lawrence). On Saturday, March 22, in Washington, D.C., nearly 20,000 march against the draft sponsored by M.A.D.– Movement Against the Draft. In response to those refusing to register, Congress passes a law denying federal benefits (such as federal student aid) to nonregistrants. Even though the Soviets withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989, President George H.W. Bush continues the program. Women never are included even though female recruits begin to serve in combat beginning in 2013. May 18, 1980 Anti-apartheid Protest at KU Commencement. KU student Ron Kuby and about 30 other people bring signs and banners to KU commencement in Memorial Stadium calling on the KU Endowment Assn. to divest from companies doing business in South Africa which has apartheid, a rigid policy of segregating and economically and politically oppressing the nonwhite population. Kuby’s arm is broken when a KU police officer grabs the banner Kuby is holding. Kuby later becomes a noted civil liberties attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights. �Aug., 1980 Kansas Energy Fair at Burlington. An energy fair is held in Burlington and is co-sponsored by Lawrence-based Radioactive-Free Kansas. Booths promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living. By 1890 Lawrence had one major source of renewable energy: Bowersock Mills located below the dam on the Kaw River was producing electricity from hydropower. By 1916 it was producing enough electricity to power downtown. A north powerhouse with additional turbines was added in 2012 with total electricity output sufficient to power 5,400 households when operating at normal capacity. Other forms of renewable energy such as solar panels for heating and electricity don’t become popular in Lawrence until after 2010. Kansas’ first large-scale wind farm was erected near the town of Montezuma in 2001 and by 2017, 28% of electricity in the state is generated by wind. In 2016, about 85 percent of electricity for households in Lawrence is generated by the carbon dioxide-producing coal-fired plant north of the city. Nov. 17, 1980 Women’s Pentagon Action. About 2,000 women encircle the Pentagon and over 140 women are arrested for blocking the doors to two entrances. It is organized by Women and Life on Earth. The event is also held the following November. It is likely that some Lawrence women attend the event. Dec. 9, 1980 John Lennon Candlelight Peace Vigil Held. A candlelight vigil is held in South Park in memory of John Lennon who was assassinated on Dec. 8, 1980, in New York City. Lennon was the political Beatle and was banned from entering the US by the Nixon Administration because he advocated for world peace and opposed US involvement in the Vietnam War. His song, “Give Peace a Chance” released in 1969, hit a chord in the hearts of millions of young people worldwide and gave them hope for the world. It became an anthem of the American anti-war movement during the early 1970s. Nov. 14, 1981 Nonviolent Direct Action at Wolf Creek. Members of the Kansas Natural Guard plant wheat and cottonwood trees next to Wolf Creek. Eleven commit civil disobedience by trespassing and are arrested. This is one of the last nonviolent direct actions at the plant. Security guards hired by Kansas Gas & Electric surveil and photograph activists even when not near the plant but in the town of Burlington and they possibly monitor phone conversations of activists. At some point KG&E seeks an injunction in Douglas County District Court against the Kansas Natural Guard to keep members from committing civil disobedience in the future. KG&E seeks a membership list of the organization but the judge denies this request due to a US Supreme Court decision. The injunction against future civil disobedience involving trespassing is granted, however. The plant goes on line four years later. The meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear station in Ukraine in 1985 results in a vast area of 1,000 square miles (the size of Rhode Island) that is made uninhabitable due to radioactive contamination. Over 50,000 people are forced to evacuate permanently. In 2017, a new protective shield to contain the radiation and decontaminate the site is installed over the crippled reactor which has 200 tons of deteriorating nuclear fuel. There are 68 confirmed deaths by 2008 with an �unknown number dying prematurely from cancer in the future. Despite claims to the contrary, nuclear power does result in the release of gases that cause global warming. Studies have concluded that nuclear plants actually are responsible for Greenhouse gas emissions amounting to about one-third of a natural gas plant. Jan. 12, 1982 Transport of Radioactive Materials Banned. The Lawrence City Commission bans the transport of certain radioactive materials associated with nuclear power plants (such as spent fuel rods and uranium-235) through the city. It doesn’t apply to nuclear weapons. The ordinance is essentially symbolic but increases public awareness about the hazards of transporting radioactive materials. Radioactive-Free Kansas and other groups push for adoption of this ordinance. Not long after the City Commission declares Lawrence to be a Nuclear-Free Zone which bans nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. March 28, 1982 Three Mile Island Day Rally. A rally is held at Wolf Creek in remembrance of the partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island (TMI) reactor three years earlier. Participants are surveilled, videotaped and otherwise harassed by security guards hired by Kansas Gas & Electric. In the county where TMI is located, infant mortality (deaths of kids under one) soared 53.7% in the first month after the accident; the rate rose 27% in the first year after the accident. As originally published, the federal government’s own Monthly Vital Statistics Report shows a statistically significant rise in infant and over-all mortality rates shortly after the accident. Penn State Professor Winston Richards reported, "Infant mortality for Dauphin County, while average in 1978, becomes significantly above average in 1980.”In 1984 the first Voluntary Community Health Study was undertaken by a group of local residents trained by Marjorie Aamodt. That study found a 600 percent cancer death rate increase for three locations on the west shore of TMI directly in the plumes' pathway. The data were independently verified by experts from the TMI Public Health Fund. In February, 1981, a $20 million fund is set up to pay over 15,000 claims for affected area residents and business within the 25-mile radius of Three Mile Island. By 1985, TMI's owners and builders paid more than $14 million for out-of-court settlements of personal injury lawsuits. April 4-10, 1982 Ground Zero Week. The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice sponsors a Ground Zero Week which features workshops, and other events concerning the dangers posed by continued possession of nuclear weapons. During the week hundreds of signatures are gathered on a petition calling for a Nuclear Freeze. The petitions are presented to US senators and others. At a Ground Zero Peace Rally in South Park on April 10, participants tie peace messages on helium-filled balloons which are released into the air. Ground Zero Week is sponsored nationally by Ground Zero which is an advocacy and education organization devoted to raising awareness of the nuclear threat. Ground Zero Week consists of nationwide events to demonstrate that US cities have no defenses in the event of a nuclear war. Some have suggested that these events helped build the momentum for the huge UN March and Rally for Disarmament in New York City that took place two months later on June 12, 1982. �May 1, 1982 Kansas Area Watershed Council Forms. A group of bioregionalists found the Kansas Area Watershed (KAW) Council to promote bioregionalism. The story is that some members of the AT Center — a not-for-profit focused on self-reliance in energy, food, health and housing — attend the second Ozark Area Community Congress (OACC) in the fall of 1981, and come home inspired to begin bioregional congresses of and on the prairie. The first KAW Council is held May Day weekend in 1982 at Camp Hammond (located between Lawrence and Topeka). “Bioregionalism calls for human society to be more closely related to nature, and to be more conscious of its locale, or region, of life-place. It is a proposal to ground human cultures within natural systems, to get to know one's place intimately in order to fit human communities to the Earth, not distort the Earth to our demands.” KAW Council aims to cultivate community around issues relating to sustainability. It is one of the oldest such groups in America and is a primary organizer in the continental bioregional movement. It publishes the journal Konza for two decades and later there is an on-line Konza Journal (konzajournal.com). The group also continues to hold occasional spring camps and occasional monthly walkabouts. The official website of KAW Council is kawcouncil.wordpress.com. Some of those involved initially include Ken Lassman, Joy deMaranville, Dan Bentley, and Mark Larson. June 12, 1982 UN Rally and March for Disarmament. Hundreds of Kansans including many Lawrence residents participate in the UN Rally and March for Disarmament held in New York City while the UN holds a special session on nuclear disarmament. An estimated 750,000 to 1 million people march and attend the rally calling for the end to the nuclear arms race. The famous event—at the time the largest political demonstration in American history—is widely heralded as the high point of the antinuclear movement of the 1970s and 1980s. Two days later, 1,600 demonstrators are involved in acts of civil disobedience. The march and rally are organized by the June 12 Coordinating Committee which is created by the Mobilization for Survival (MOBE). The revolutionary anarchist MOBE was founded in 1977 and was an umbrella coalition, acting as the anti-nuclear (both power and weapons) coordinating activities around the country. Although President Reagan later says it is time for peace protesters to take their signs and go home, he agrees to begin the START talks with the Soviet Union which ultimately lead to the 1991 treaty reducing nuclear warheads to 6,000 on both sides. Speakers include Randall Forsberg, originator of the nuclear weapons freeze proposal, and Rev. William Sloane Coffin, senior pastor at the Riverside Church. June 30, 1982 Equal Rights Amendment Fails to Pass. The deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment expires. The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was designed to grant equal rights to women, was passed by Congress on March 22, 1972, and sent to state legislatures for ratification by three-fourths of the states. But the ERA falls three states short of ratification. Kansas was the seventh state to ratify the ERA (in 1972), partly due to lobbying by feminists from Lawrence. Despite the failure to amend the constitution, the adoption of laws and court decisions gradually extend equal rights to women over time though as late as 2016 women are often not paid the same as men doing the same or comparable job. �Aug. 16, 1982 Filming begins for “The Day After” near Lawrence. The film “The Day After” is filmed in and around Lawrence and Kansas City. Over 2,500 KU students and townspeople serve as extras in the filming. According to Athletes United for Peace cofounder Bob Swan, “Hundreds of townspeople and students act as extras and get fictionalized glimpses of what a nuclear war would do their community. Sets depicting the aftermath of a nuclear war are so realistic, many extras and actors are moved to tears. The filming creates an awakening determination among a number of Lawrence residents that this ‘future’ for their city is not to be allowed. Thus, it is no coincidence that Lawrence, with its special awareness and concern, becomes the center of citizen diplomacy and peace initiatives.” Among the most memorable scenes involving KU students was one in Allen Field House, which had been transformed into a makeshift hospital following the nuclear explosion. There, 1,200 students were “caked in mud and grease, dressed in rags, and bathed in blood” in order to resemble fallout victims. Another Lawrence scene took place under the Kansas River Bridge, where survivors had built a pitiful, dilapidated tent city and dug a giant burial pit. Some dub it “Reaganville” (similar to shantytown Hoovervilles in the Great Depression). Reportedly, the Reagan Administration attempts to pressure ABC not to show the controversial film and perhaps that is why ABC tones it down for the television showing. The director of the ABC movie is Nicholas Meyer and the most famous movie star is Jason Robards. Nov. 2, 1982 Nuclear Freeze Wins in Referendum. After a colorful and vibrant eightmonth campaign by hundreds of Lawrence residents, the Nuclear Freeze is approved by a remarkable 74 percent of participating Lawrence voters in a City-sponsored polling held concurrently with state elections. About 53 % of those who vote in the general election take part in the official polling which is officially sponsored by the City of Lawrence and administered by the Lawrence League of Women Voters. People from all walks of life, from businessmen to carpenters, participate in this campaign to end the nuclear arms race. Under the guidance of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice, virtually every household is canvassed and purple yard signs supporting the Freeze sprout throughout the city. Organizers of these events include Quaker Anne Moore, Mennonite pastor John Linscheid, and former regional planner Clark H. Coan. Voters representing one-third of the national electorate vote overwhelmingly for the Nuclear Freeze and this has a major impact on public awareness of the threat of nuclear war and puts additional pressure on the Reagan Administration to pursue a reduction in the world’s nuclear arsenals. April 23, 1983 Soviet Athletes at the Kansas Relays. In early 1983, Athletes United for Peace (AUP) invites a world-class Soviet track and field team to the Kansas Relays. According to co-founder Bob Swan, “A letter-campaign by hundreds of Lawrence school children overcomes two initial ‘Nyets’ by the Soviets resulting in a ‘Friendship Relays’ carried by American and Soviet prime television to some 250 million viewers. This ‘fairy tale’ week of events, included a ‘Country Welcome’ barn dance, American Indian PowWow, ‘Relay for Peace’, and a farewell banquet.” Primary organizers of these events include businessman Bob Swan and Dr. Mark Scott. The whole city welcomes the Soviets with open arms. Media coverage includes ABC News, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Sovetski Sport, and Soviet national television. �April, 1983 First Meeting for Peace/Sunflower Summit Initiative. At the opening ceremony of the 1983 Kansas Relays attended by the world-class Soviet track and field team, Lawrence Mayor David Longhurst invites President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Yuri Andropov to come to his city for a “Meeting for Peace” in the “Heart of America.” This invitation for a “Sunflower Summit” is later extended to General Secretaries Cherenko and Gorbachev. The Meeting for Peace initiative receives widespread support, including letters of endorsement from Governors John Carlin and Mike Hayden, and Senators Bob Dole and Nancy Kassebaum. Media coverage includes the San Diego Union, Christian Science Monitor, and CBS Morning News. April 30, 1983 Feminist Sonia Johnson Speaks at KU. Prominent feminist and author Sonia Johnson speaks in the Kansas Union Ballroom. The title of her talk is “The Crisis of Conscience: Women and the Quest for Justice.” She was excommunicated from the Mormon Church for speaking on behalf of the Equal Rights Amendment. Over her lifetime, she is author of seven books. The former English professor was a candidate for US president in 1984 for both the Citizens Party and Peace and Freedom Party. The Seneca Women’s Peace Encampment located adjacent to the Seneca Army Depot (repository of nuclear warheads) in New York is established on July 4, 1983, and lasts until 1990. Protests, including nonviolent civil disobedience, are regularly held at the depot using the encampment as a base. June 1, 1983 Nuclear Awareness Network is Established. The Nuclear Awareness Network (NAN) is incorporated on June 1, 1983. Principals are Stevi Stephens (who is elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1990) and environmental attorney Bob Eye. The office is located at 1347 1/2 Mass. St. The organization files petitions with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Kansas Corporation Commission and Kansas Supreme Court concerning nuclear safety and rate issues. Wolf Creek cost $3 billion ($6.75 billion in 2016 dollars) to build and it will cost more than $1 billion to decommission it. Ratepayers, including electricity consumers in Lawrence, will have to absorb all of these costs. Plus, since 1983, electricity consumers have paid into a federal Nuclear Waste Fund one-tenth of a cent for every kilowatt-hour of electricity produced at nuclear power plants. High-level radioactive waste must be isolated from the environment for at least 250,000 years. The United States, as yet, has no disposal facilities for high-level nuclear waste. The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository project in Nevada was canceled due to political pressure and after scientists discovered that water was infiltrating the facility far faster than they thought possible. Instead, waste is stored on an ad-hoc basis. Commercial nuclear plants and governmental reactors store their own waste, typically in pools of water in concrete basins or in dry storage in steel or concrete chambers. There are 121 such storage facilities across the country. These solutions are temporary, and existing storage space is rapidly being exhausted. Meanwhile, the radwaste continues to accumulate at the rate of about 2,000 - 2,300 metric tons each year. �Aug., 27, 1983 “Jobs, Peace & Freedom” March. A march is held in downtown Lawrence in conjunction with a national march in Washington on the 20th anniversary of the famous “March on Washington” for Civil Rights where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. It is organized by the Lawrence Chapter of a New Coalition of Conscience. About 300,000 attend the multi-racial march in Washington. This is a continuation of city’s historic concern for justice for ordinary people—farmers, laborers and teachers. In the 1890s the People’s (Populist) Party was fairly strong in Douglas County. A Populist was elected to the city council. The populist Jeffersonian newspaper was published in Lawrence and “Little” Annie Diggs, perhaps the best known woman orator for the national People’s Party after 1893, lived in Lawrence. Diggs, a People’s Party journalist, wrote a Farmers’ Alliance column for the Lawrence Journal and later edited the Advocate, the official state Populist newspaper. The Populists believed in getting the influence of Wall Street out of government. Famous Kansas Populist orator Mary Elizabeth “Yellin” Lease said, "Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street.” Reporters claimed she also said, “Raise less corn and more hell.” The Populists called for direct election of US senators, the initiative and referendum, women’s suffrage, an eight-hour workday, supervision of the banks, establishment of national forests, a graduated income tax, and regulation of the railroads. Oct. 12, 1983 Premiere of “The Day After” Held at KU. Over 2,000 people, many of whom are KU students, fill the Kansas Union’s Woodruff Auditorium to see one of four special showings of the original film that are held on campus. A “sanitized” version of the film is shown on television the following month. The film’s director, Nicholas Meyer, attends the Lawrence premiere and the national media covers the premiere. Reporters from Time, Newsweek, USA Today, and ABC News and many others are anxious to hear local reaction to the film. Oct. 25, 1983 NATO Supreme Allied Commander Protested. One of the largest demonstrations for peace at KU since the Vietnam War era is held in front of the Kansas Union. Nearly 300 people peacefully chant and hand out information to those attending the speech by General Bernard Rogers, Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, for his role in for preparing for the deployment and use of nuclear-tipped Pershing II and Tomahawk Cruise missiles in Europe. A mock replica of a cruise missile is displayed at the protest. About 25 protesters attend the Rogers’ talk and silently but symbolically protest his actions and statements by putting on skeleton masks and pointing at him. He is visibly disturbed by the action. Since the response to General Rogers is silent, it does not interfere with his freedom of speech, nor does it block the view of others since most of the masked people stand in the aisles. A primary organizer is Dr. Anita Chan, a research associate at KU’s Center for East Asian Studies. Oct., 1983 TownCenter Mall Proposed and Opposed. A TownCenter Mall in the northern end of Mass. St. is proposed, but is immediately opposed by a group led by Pat Khede and Phil Minken. The April, 1987, election results in a majority opposed to the �project, thereby killing the project. The efforts by Lawrencians to protect their downtown from redevelopment, downtown malls and cornfield malls, permitted the downtown to grow organically into one of the most beautiful and vibrant historic downtowns in America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation ranked Lawrence among its “Dozen Most Distinctive Destinations,” touting it as one of the best-preserved and unique communities in America. Parade magazine named downtown “the most popular tourist destination in Kansas.” The American Planning Association named Massachusetts Street as one of the ten best streets in the nation for 2010. Nov. 13, 1983 Protest March Against the CIA-sponsored Contra War. A march by hundreds of Lawrencians in downtown Lawrence is held in protest against the illegal Contra War. Latin America Solidarity sponsors the event. Signs with Nicaraguan victims’ names and their dates of death are planted in South Park around the Band Stand. LAS was part of a national anti-interventionist campaign involving more than 1,000 peace and justice organizations. Also, the invasion of Grenada by the US began just three weeks prior to the protest march. Lawrence Police Dept. members videotape the marchers. A complaint is filed against the LPD because such activity can have a chilling effect on free speech and the right to peacefully assemble. Later the LPD adopts a weak policy on videotaping political events which the Lawrence City Commission approves. Nov. 20, 1983 Let Lawrence Live. “The Day After”, a made-for-television film depicting the aftermath of a nuclear war and filmed in and around Lawrence, is seen by over 100 million Americans plus millions of Europeans and Soviets. In response to the destruction of Lawrence on the silver screen, the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice, a sister KU group and members of Athletes United for Peace, create a series of events under the title, “Let Lawrence Live.” These events include a town meeting on nuclear war, “Day After Photo Exhibit”, a candlelight vigil on Campanile Hill with nearly 1,000, held immediately after the showing, and a forum on the consequences of nuclear war which features noted biologist Paul Erlich (a KU graduate) and psychologist Robert Jay Lifton and is carried on ABC’s Nightline. “Let Lawrence Live” is mentioned in the LA Times, Washington Post, Time and People. Some parents decide that the film would be too disturbing for their children to watch. Reportedly, President Ronald Reagan watches the film at the behest of his daughter. A primary organizer of the events is KU anthropology professor Allan Hanson. As Athletes United for Peace co-founder Bob Swan so aptly summarized, “There is a striking historical coincidence that the city of Lawrence which suffered one of the largest civilian massacres in U.S. history (Quantrill’s Raid in 1863), was chosen to be the setting of a nuclear massacre portrayed so powerfully in ‘The Day After.’ The filming created an awakening determination among a number of Lawrence people that this ‘future’ for their city was not be allowed, must never happen. Thus, it is no coincidence that Lawrence, with its special awareness and concern, has been a center of citizen diplomacy and peace initiatives beginning in 1982.” March, 1984 Taxes for Peace Workshop Held. A workshop is held on resisting war taxes. Information is provided on how to withhold war taxes. About one-half of the �personal income tax dollar goes toward the military and the telephone excise tax is dedicated totally for military expenditures. Some Lawrencians withhold a portion of their income taxes or excise taxes. Many send the amounts withheld to the Conscience and Military Tax Campaign Escrow Account to prove they are not personally benefiting from withholding the taxes. March, 1984 The Gentle Anarchist is Published. The League of Non-Violent Resistance begins publishing The Gentle Anarchist. The goal of the anarchist street newspaper is either the “disbanding of all governments or the recognition of all governments of the right of anarchists to form communities free from State control.” Articles describe ways people can resist the government nonviolently (such as war tax resistance). It is published periodically until 1987. It is started by Ed Stamm and then Mark Parker and Dennis “Boog” Highberger join. Later Chuck Munson joins the group. March 24, 1984 Local Jesse Jackson Campaign A Success. Thanks to advanced organizing by progressive activists, presidential candidate Jesse Jackson secures a delegate in the Douglas County Democratic Caucus to send to the state convention in Topeka. Jackson, an associate of Martin Luther King, Jr., is the second Black candidate to seek the nomination of a major political party. Jackson declares he wants to create a “Rainbow Coalition” of various minority groups, including African Americans, Latinos, family farmers, the poor and working class, gays and lesbians, and white progressives. He proposes the creation of a Works Progress Administration-style program to rebuild America’s infrastructure and secure full employment; reversing Reaganomics-inspired tax cuts for the richest ten percent to finance social welfare programs; instituting an immediate nuclear freeze and beginning disarmament negotiations with the Soviet Union; creating a single-payer system of universal health care; and, providing free community college for all. His main opposition is former Vice President Walter Mondale who loses to President Reagan in a landslide in the November general election. It takes another 24 years before a Black man is nominated and elected president (Barrack Obama in 2008). Jackson campaigns again in 1988 and more than doubles his results nationally. April, 1984 Costume Party Wins KU Student Senate. An unusual political party wins the presidency and vice presidency of the KU Student Senate in a colorful campaign. Carla Vogel (President) and Dennis “Boog” Highberger (Vice President) use anarchism and street theatre to win the election. They appeal to disenchanted students, including international students. Boog, a self-proclaimed anarchist, calls for a university revolution and says he wants to be the last student body vice-president. Ironically, Boog goes on and becomes an attorney, works for the State of Kansas, and becomes a city commissioner and a state representative. July, 1984 White Train Actions. Conceived by the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, the White Train Campaign involves a national network of protesters who gather along railroad tracks to demonstrate against and attract attention to trains carrying arms shipments from the Pantex Corp. plant in Amarillo, Tex., where nearly all of the nation's nuclear warheads are assembled. The founder of the Ground Zero Center, �Catholic theologian Jim Douglass gives a talk in Lawrence. White Train vigils are held in Lawrence and Topeka. More than 150 people, many of whom are members of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice (LCPJ), protest a White Train in Topeka on Feb. 19, 1985. About 22 are arrested after committing civil disobedience. In 1988-89, LCPJ endorses a series of vigils in witness to the passage of trains carrying highly explosive Class A fuel and motors for Trident missiles through Lawrence. This campaign is sponsored by Nukewatch. Some members of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice commit civil disobedience at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site and the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in Omaha in the 1980s. Plowshares actions are held at various nuclear missile silos including near Warrensburg, Missouri. Noted peace activist Phil Berrigan undertakes several Plowshares actions and spends years in the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Oct., 1984 Disorientation Guide Published. The “Disorientation Guide” is published to supplement the official KU orientation guide (and also it is like the old People’s Yellow Pages), but with a little more political content, and information about KU that the administration probably wouldn’t provide. It is published by a shifting group of people once a year and funded by the KU Student Senate. One of the occasional features is a “Brief and Incomplete History of Radical Action at KU”. Issues are put out in 1984-87 and 1989-90. Dennis “Boog” Highberger is a regular member of the shifting group. 1984 Impeach Reagan Rally Held. An “Impeach Reagan” rally is held at KU and features a boom box parade with radios tuned to Gil Scott Heron's "Re-Ron" on student radio KJHK, and a urine test booth set up on KU’s Wescoe Beach. Many are opposed to Reagan for his massive budget cuts, tax cuts for the rich, War on Drugs (“Just Say No”), the Contra War against Nicaragua, and the nuclear arms buildup. Reagan undertakes many reactionary actions such as to de-fund the enforcement division of the Environmental Protection Agency. Kansas Senator Bob Dole as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee helped shepherd Reagan’s massive budget and tax cuts through Congress. April, 1985 KU South Africa Divestment Campaign. Starting in April, there is series of actions including an eight-day sit-in in Strong Hall, demonstrations and a three-week camp-in on the KU Endowment Association building grounds on West Campus which culminates in a sit-in by students and Lawrence residents and results in the arrests of 50 nonviolent civil resisters. The protesters call on KUEA to end investments in companies doing business in South Africa which has the racially discriminatory system of apartheid. After KUEA announces they had previously adopted a selective divestment policy, the protesters declare victory even though they had demanded full divestment. The actions are part of a broad-based international divestment campaign. South African Embassy (in Washington, DC) protests and civil disobedience take place every day for an entire year in 1984-5, inspiring similar protests in 26 other US cities. In all, between three and six thousand people are arrested including 23 members of Congress. This leads to Congress passing the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 (over President Reagan’s veto) which imposes economic sanctions against South Africa. The blow to the South African economy and continued resistance by the Black majority in that country, leads to the �dismantling of apartheid through a series of negotiations that culminate in the elections of 1994, the first in South Africa with universal suffrage, in which Nelson Mandela is elected president. The KU Committee on South Africa is the local organizing body and those involved include Dr. Anita Chan; Ron Kubie, a KU student; Ed Dutton, professor of social welfare; Ben Zimmerman, professor of social welfare; Laird Okie, a British history Ph.D. candidate; and Keenan Gentry, a KU student. April, 1985 Meeting at the Elbe. Athletes United for Peace organizes the “Meeting at the Elbe,” held in April-May, 1985, in which a delegation of 50 Americans (including Lawrence residents) returns to the Elbe River to commemorate the US-USSR wartime alliance. In April, 1945, WWII American and Soviet soldiers met in peace at the Elbe River in Germany and celebrated the end of the war in Europe and victory over the Nazis. This remarkable reunion of American and Soviet veterans in Torgau, German Democratic Republic, a meeting first proposed in August, 1983, by Lawrence residents Bob Swan and Dr. Mark Scott, is seen by an estimated one billion citizens in 60 nations. Time, The Guardian, LA Times, New York Times, and the Washington Post all cover this historic event. April, 1986 Hermes Peace and Justice Library Opens. The Hermes Peace and Justice Library is an outgrowth of the Community Peace House, a short-lived Catholic Workerstyle experiment. Catholic social service volunteer Michael Hermes, several area churches, community activists and members of the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice initiate the project in the fall of 1985. By the end of April, 1986, the peace house is open and it has a small but growing peace and justice library. When Hermes leaves Lawrence in late spring of that year, the library is named in his honor. When the peace house closes by the end of the year, the library moves to Plymouth Congregational Church. The library grows over time and eventually finds a permanent home in the Moore Reading Room in KU’s Smith Hall which houses the Religious Studies Department. Initial founders of the library are librarian Cheryl Musch, former librarian Susan Clark, and Clark H. Coan. Marvin Voth, and librarians Joyce Steiner and Barb Michener later become involve in the library. April 13, 1986 Anti-Contra Rally at KU. About 200 people attend a rally in front of Strong Hall in opposition to US aid to the Contras fighting the Sandanistas in Nicaragua. The hour-long event is sponsored by Latin America Solidarity (LAS). Most peace groups joined the anti-Contra war campaign as the Contra war heated up in 1983 and 1984, but some were involved in the Central America movement from the start. There are widespread protests nationwide 1986-87 (like the KU rally) after Congress passes nonlethal aid to the Contras in 1985. April, 1986 Walk for Peace. A Walk for Peace is held in downtown Lawrence as part of the Soviet Veterans Journey for Peace. Soviet World War II veterans, most from the historic Elbe River link-up with Americans in 1945, make an exciting “Journey for Peace” to eight American cities to rekindle the “Spirit of the Elbe”. On April 25, 1945, forward patrols of the First Army’s 69th Division encountered the vanguard of Marshal Koniev’s First Ukrainian Army on the Elbe River near the town of Torgau in what is now East �Germany. The patrols celebrated the ending of the war in Europe and the victory over Facism. Participants include American Elbe veteran Buck Kotzebue and Soviet veteran Major Gen. Aleksandr Olshanski who remarked, “We hope very much that the Spirit of the Elbe in international relations...would contribute to the cessation of nuclear testing, the destruction of all nuclear weapons, both on Earth and in space.” This historic journey, organized by The Elbe Alliance, is covered by CNN, Associated Press and Newsweek. April 29, 1986 Anti-Nuclear Die-in at KU. About 50 KU students and Lawrence residents attend a “No Business as Usual” protest in front of Flint-Stauffer Hall. At 1:30 p.m. about 30 people fall to the ground after a countdown to the impact of a Soviet nuclear warhead hitting campus. The Lawrence Chapter of NBAU Action Network sponsors the event. A flier posted on campus states: “The threat of nuclear war now casts its shadow over the lives of all the people of the world. As students, we are preparing to take our place in the world that might not be there when we get out of school! So, on Monday, April 29, we are calling on our fellow students to look at the ways our institutions, our lifestyles, and many other things we take for granted that contribute to the escalating threat of nuclear destruction...Obviously, ‘Business as Usual’ on campus means preparing for nuclear war and our own destruction. That is why we are calling for NO BUSINESS AS USUAL on Monday April 29. Join us in demanding 1) an end to all military research (on campus), 2) total nuclear divestment by the Kansas University Endowment Association, and, 3) a complete phase-out of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program.” Similar events are held around the country and are sponsored by No Business As Usual Action Network which calls for direct action at key installations involved in researching and testing Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars). The group hopes to temporarily shut down the facilities using mass civil disobedience. July 15, 1986 Test Ban Treaty Resolution Passes City Commission. Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice proposes to the Lawrence City Commission a resolution calling upon the US to join the Soviet Union in a moratorium on nuclear weapons tests and asks the two countries to conclude a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. A petition with 442 signatures is submitted to the Commission. The resolution passes. Substantive negotiations for the Comprehensive Test Ban begin in 1994 and a final treaty is adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1996, but does not enter into force because eight countries including the US have not ratified it (however, the US did sign it in 1996). Even though it has not officially entered into force, it is generally being adhered to by all nations except for North Korea. Organizers include Ph.D. candidate Erik Kilgren, peace activist Clark H. Coan, and KU professors Cliff Ketzel and Allan Hanson. Sept., 1986 Meeting for Peace Postcard Campaign. At the beginning of the 1986-87 school year, students of the KU Coalition for Peace and Justice launch a campaign to support the idea of a “Sunflower Summit” in Lawrence by securing the signatures of thousands of KU students on postcards addressed to Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev inviting them to meet in Lawrence, the “Heart of America,” to achieve arms control and better relations. The Meeting for Peace Committee, chaired by businessman Bob Swan, and the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice pick up on the idea and gather signed �postcards from townspeople. Finally, a delegation of 11 KU students and townspeople personally deliver 12,000 postcards to the Soviet Embassy and the White House. The New York Times and Newsweek cover the postcard campaign for a “Meeting for Peace.” Bob Swan later remarks, “While the past of Lawrence includes its actual destruction in 1863 and 1856 and its fictionalized holocaust in 1983, the people of this friendly and tranquil community have great hope in the future, great hope for US-Russia relations, and great hope that Langston Hughes’ ‘tomorrow, bright before us like a flame’ is a beacon of peace and freedom and brotherhood of all of the peoples of the world.“ The quotation from Hughes, who lived in Lawrence as a child, is the official motto of the City of Lawrence. Oct. 6, 1986 Kansans Fast for Life in Central America. About 15 KU students and Lawrence residents fast in front of the federal building in Topeka to protest aid to the Contras fighting to overthrow the Sandanista government in Nicaragua. The protesters are also worried that the US is preparing to invade that country. Congressman Jim Slattery has an office in the building. The fast is part of Central America Pledge of Resistance which created a coordinated movement that was successful in preventing an all-out U.S. war in Nicaragua and El Salvador. The Central America Pledge of Resistance began in 1984 in response to the threat of U.S. invasion into Nicaragua. The national structure grew as people signed the pledge resisting the U.S. government's policies toward Central America. Calls for actions were sent out from the national center to the local groups whose members committed civil disobedience and protested U.S. policies in Central America. Oct. 8, 1986 Protest Against Showing of “Hail Mary” Film. About 150 fundamentalist Catholics kneel and pray in front of the Kansas Union in protest of the showing of the Jean-Luc Godard’s 1985 film “Hail Mary” in Woodruff Auditorium. The film is a modern retelling of the story of the virgin birth of Jesus and shows Mary giving birth in the nude. About 100 of the protesters are from St. Marys, Kansas, perhaps the most conservative town in the state and home to fundamentalist, ultraconservative, Catholic Saint Mary's Academy and College (not sanctioned by the Vatican). Oct. 12, 1986 Total Nuclear Disarmament Treaty Nearly Concluded in Reykjavik. President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev nearly conclude an agreement to completely phase out nuclear weapons. The talks collapse at the last minute ostensibly because Reagan wants to continue the Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) research and development, but Gorbachev wants to restrict it. Some contend that the proposed Soviet provision would have had little effect on research that was still in its very early stages. Many Lawrence residents are disappointed that the Superpowers came so close to concluding a treaty eliminating nuclear weapons from the face of the Earth. Still, the progress that had been achieved eventually results in the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Meanwhile, Reagan approves deployment of the M-X missile, some of which are deployed later that year. The missiles originally were to be on mobile launchers so that the Soviets could not target them. This would have given the US more of a first strike advantage. �Nov. 4, 1986 Agnes the Frog wins 27% of Vote in County Election. A fictitious frog, Agnes T. Frog, representing the elusive northern crawfish frog listed on the state threatened species register and once observed in the Baker Wetlands south of Lawrence, wins 27.5% of the vote in a colorful write-in campaign which is reported internationally. Stevie Stephens, wearing a frog costume, appears at public events, and an airplane pulls a “Vote for Agnes T. Frog” banner over Memorial Stadium during a football game. The write-in campaign is in opposition to County Commissioner Nancy Heibert who runs unopposed and is the South Lawrence Trafficway’s chief cheerleader. The trafficway would destroy part of the Baker Wetlands National Natural Landmark which contains 50 acres of virgin wetland prairie. Primary organizers included former attorney and political strategist Richard Larimore and biologist John Simmons. Eventually, the road is built through the wetlands and opens in November, 2016. June 27, 1987 Douglas County Bank Massacre. Locally-owned Douglas County Bank proposes to raze eight Victorian houses in Old West Lawrence in order to make way for a parking lot and bank drive-through. The Old West Lawrence Association tries to negotiate with the bank to save some of the houses, but the bank breaks off abruptly negotiations and orders the razing of the houses in an “early morning raid”. This is reportedly the biggest destruction of structures in Lawrence since the 1863 Quantrill’s Raid. Out of this destruction comes the Lawrence Preservation Alliance, a Historic Preservation Ordinance, a Lawrence Historic Resources Commission and a 30-day waiting period after issuance of demolition permits. Sept. 7-13, 1987 River City Reunion Celebration Held. A reunion celebration of Lawrence’s special contribution to the arts in the Midwest is held in a week of poetry and fiction readings, noontime book-signings, a five-day film series, and six evenings of music. The festival focuses on national and locally known Beat and Counterculture figures such as Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, Beat writer William Burroughs (a Lawrence resident), Beat writer Michael McClure (originally from Marysville, KS), Beat writer Diane DiPrima, experimental poet Anne Waldman, poet John Giorno, countercultural poet and singer Ed Sanders, and former Harvard psychologist and promoter of LSD Timothy Leary. Oct. 1, 1987 Lawrence Neighborhood Association Forms. By the late 1970s, Lawrencians were beginning to question the value of virtually uncontrolled growth. Residents in older neighborhoods organized to protect their neighborhoods from incompatible development and to ensure that new suburbs didn’t divert resources away from older neighborhoods. Others began to question the value of permitting development on sensitive lands such as prime farmland and floodplains. So, in 1987 an association of Lawrence neighborhood groups is created to strengthen the power of neighborhood groups by uniting them. The organization is issue-oriented and nonpartisan politically. According to an article in the Lawrence Journal-World, “The Lawrence Association of Neighborhoods serves as an umbrella group for more than 20 individual neighborhood associations across the community, helping those associations advocate neighborhood goals at City Hall and other venues.” �1988 People with Disabilities March for Self-determination. According to Mike Mikesic, Executive Director of Independence, Inc., the agency “organizes and leads a protest march of people with disabilities and friends that goes from Mass. Street to the Kansas Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) in east Lawrence to protest the lack of reliable personal care attendant services that people with disabilities covered by Kansas Medicaid were determined eligible by SRS eligible to receive. This is one of many statewide advocacy efforts in the 1980s and decades that follow that led to more adequate funding for Home and Community Based Services, including the rights to selfdirect one’s attendant care services.” It is part of the nationwide independent living movement. According to Wikipedia the disability rights movement is “a global movement to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for all people with disabilities. It is made up of organizations of disability activists around the world working together with similar goals and demands, such as: accessibility and safety in transportation, architecture, and the physical environment; equal opportunities in independent living, employment equity, education, and housing; and freedom from discrimination, abuse, neglect, and other violations. Disability activists are working to break social, physical and institutional barriers that prevent them from living their life to the full.” April 25, 1988 Soviet Elbe Veterans Visit America. A delegation of three Soviet Elbe veterans visits several American cities including Lawrence which holds an Elbe Day Commemoration and Elbe Banquet. Participant Lt. Gen. Vladimir Orlov remarks, “We have visited several cities in America, but Lawrence in our opinion is the warmest city. I would like to say part of our heart will be remaining in Lawrence forever.” The delegation also lays a wreath on the grave of Dwight D. Eisenhower in Abilene, who was the Supreme Allied Commander when the Elbe link-up occurred in 1945. March, 1989 Protest at Riverfront Plaza Along River. A small protest is held at the site of the proposed Riverfront Plaza, a factory outlet mall on the south banks of the Kansas River east of City Hall. The protesters are concerned that bald eagle roost trees will be removed for the project. Some trees are saved and others are cut to make way for the mall. State and federal agencies impose certain restrictions on the operation of the mall to help mitigate the impact upon the eagle population (i.e., the promenade is closed during prime eagle visitation season). Bald eagles, which are protected by a special federal law because it is the national symbol, perch in trees below the Kansas River Dam in the winter because the open waters are a prime fishing site. At the time the bird was on the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (it was de-listed in 2007). April 5-7, 1989 Environmental Awareness Fair. KU Environs holds an environmental awareness fair in front of Strong Hall. There are informational tables on commercial whaling, the environmental harm caused by plastic and Styrofoam containers, and the dangers of Ozone-depleting chemicals. There is a petition protesting the production and use of Chlorofluorocarbons at two plants in Wichita. Other participating organizations include Greenpeace and Audubon. �April 9, 1989 March for Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week. About 50 people march down Mass. St. to inaugurate Gay and Lesbian Awareness Week. The event is sponsored by Gay and Lesbian Services, the third oldest such university organization in the country. Discrimination against gays and lesbians in employment, housing, marriage, public programs and public accommodations continues to be considerable. Overt hostility to gays and lesbians is illustrated by Topeka pastor Rev. Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church congregation who regularly protest at public events around the country and hold signs like “God Hates Fags”. They hold more than one picket in Lawrence over the years. April 9, 1989 Marches for Women’s Equality, Women’s Lives. About 17 KU students ride in one of 17 buses (holding 75 each) from Kansas City to the March for Women’s Equality, Women’s Lives in Washington, DC which has 500,000 participants. Supporting rallies are held in Topeka (200 participants) and Kansas City, Missouri (400 participants). Lawrence feminists and supporters attend all three events. The marches call for equal rights for women, reproductive rights and the right to choose. It is interesting to note that Kansas legalized abortion in 1969, well before the Roe v. Wade decision by the US Supreme Court legalizing abortion nationwide. Also, Kansas was the eighth state to grant women full suffrage (in 1912). April 22, 1989. Large Protest Against Ozone-Depleting Chemicals. On Earth Day 1989, more than 1,100 people, including about 100 KU students and many Lawrence residents, march and protest outside of the Vulcan Chemical Plant and Racon Plant in Wichita. About 22 are arrested for committing nonviolent civil disobedience. Racon is one of the country’s top five largest producers of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are a major cause of the shrinking of the Ozone layer. The Ozone layer prevents ultraviolet light from reaching Earth’s surface which can cause sunburn and skin cancer. There are simultaneous rallies against CFCs at major producers located in Kansas, Texas, California, New York, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Sweden and Italy. This event is the first-ever environmental protest to be held around the world at the same time. A group calling itself Kansas Save the Earth Campaign carpools in a caravan from Lawrence to Wichita. A few years later Vulcan begins phasing out CFCs. The Montreal Protocol treaty required the phasing out of the production of chemicals responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed to on Aug. 27, 1987, and entered into force on Aug. 26, 1989 (the US ratified it). The treaty was a remarkable success because by 2012 it phased out 98 percent of ozone-depleting substances resulting in the smallest hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica in ten years. Nov. 9, 1989 Fall of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall which symbolizes the Communist Iron Curtain comes crashing down as East German citizens demand freedom and democracy. The fall of the Berlin Wall also symbolizes the ending of the Cold War. Two years later Soviet citizens overthrow the Communist dictatorship of the USSR and the Soviet Union’s constitute republics declare independence. The events indicate the end of communism as a viable political and economic system. Many Lawrence residents, especially those who were involved in US-Soviet citizen diplomacy initiatives and peace projects, celebrate the end of communism and the Cold War. �Dec. 20, 1989 US Invasion of Panama. The US invades Panama ostensibly to oust notorious dictator and drug lord Manuel Noriega. Perhaps the real reason is the George H.W. Bush Administration wants to be sure that when the Panama Canal Zone is transferred to Panama in 1999, the country is stable and democratic. Noriega surrenders on Jan. 3, 1990. Some Lawrence residents are concerned that this war is also a way to get US citizens used to wars again. The Vietnam Syndrome, which had been in effect since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, is the public’s aversion to American overseas military involvements, following the Vietnam War which had eventually become unpopular with the American people. The Vietnam Syndrome seems to disappear after the 9-11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Feb. 24, 1990 Gulf War Peace Vigils Held. US ground troops push Iraqi soldiers out of Kuwait beginning Feb. 24 in Operation Desert Storm. The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice organizes 19 Sunday vigils for peace in the Middle East, drawing 700 participants on one Sunday in South Park. It sponsors a public forum with Representative Jim Slattery on the Persian Gulf Crisis as well as a public forum on the roots of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. It mounts a vigil at the Lawrence Holidome in connection with a visit of Senator Robert Dole to Lawrence and meets with him to discuss the Gulf Crisis. The US ambassador to Iraq either wittingly or unwittingly gave the green light to Saddam Hussein and didn’t make it clear to him what would happen if he used force against Kuwait. So, he went ahead and invaded Kuwait in order to control its oil fields. April 21, 1990 Earth Day Parade and Fair. Hundreds turn out for the Earth Day Parade downtown and the Earth Day Fair in South Park because it is the 20 th anniversary of the first Earth Day held on April 22, 1970, in which millions of Americans participated and which paved the way for the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Environmental Protection Agency and other landmark legislation. According to Wikepedia, “Mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting the status of environmental issues onto the world stage, Earth Day activities in 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.” Earth Day parades and fairs continue annually in Lawrence. EPA data show that Douglas County is in the top 10 percent of counties in terms of polluted air (esp. toxic emissions). July 26, 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Signed into Law. The groundbreaking Americans with Disabilities Act is the nation's first comprehensive civil rights law addressing the needs of people with disabilities, prohibiting discrimination in employment, public services, transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications. It has had a broad impact upon American society. The promise of the ADA is that all Americans should have equal access and equal opportunity, including Americans with disabilities. Since its enactment, the ADA has opened many doors and sought to level the playing field for employment of Americans with disabilities. In Lawrence it has allowed people with disabilities to access facilities and programs, gain employment and use public transportation. Organizations such as �Independence, Inc. have advocated for the disabled and taught self-advocacy to people with disabilities. However, barriers continue to exist for those with disabilities. According to Bob Mikesic, “throughout the 1990s in Lawrence there are various individual and small group protests expressing objection to discriminatory or unfair practices or treatment of individuals with disabilities. They approach Independence, Inc. staff and the Access Task Force takes action to address the issues through education and advocacy for the needed change using applicable nondiscrimination laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, Kansas Act Against Discrimination, Chapter X of the City Code of Lawrence Kansas and any other law that applies.” Oct., 1990 Meeting for Peace. According to Meeting for Peace founder Bob Swan, “American and Soviet citizens, in order to celebrate common historical and cultural ties and to co-create a common future, gather in Lawrence in the ‘Heart of America’ for an historic Meeting for Peace. More than 325 ordinary Soviet citizens from all 15 republics and more than one thousand Americans from Kansas and other states attend this historic event. The Soviet delegation is the largest ever to visit the United States. The event is comprised of Soviet home stays with American host families, colorful and symbolic special events, and a conference with eight task forces on subjects of mutual concern such as market economies, science, the environment, health and global security. The home stays with American families result in the bonding of more than 500 American host family members and their Soviet guests. Highlights of the week include an Eisenhower 100th Birthday Anniversary Celebration, and a Soviet-American Arts Festival.” This and previous citizen diplomacy or people-to-people efforts in the 1980s help defuse the tensions of the Cold War. Media coverage includes the New York Times and many Kansas newspapers and television stations. The Meeting for Peace Foundation which is founded by Bob Swan in 1989, sponsors the events. Karen Brashears becomes executive director of the organization. A primary funder is Paul Fisher, the founder of the Fisher Space Pen. Nov. 18, 1990 Elkins Prairie Destruction Protest. The largest remnant of tallgrass prairie in Northeast Kansas is lost forever when Jack Graham, a Wichita land speculator, has the 80-acre Elkins Prairie plowed under. About a dozen environmentalist gather at the prairie and protest the plowing. This unique virgin prairie was home to over 150 species of plants including two federally-threatened species. It was located on the Northeast corner of Sixth Street & the South Lawrence Trafficway. The prairie was a community natural landmark for over 40 years where schoolchildren, biologists, and nature lovers would explore this natural area. A 2005 survey by Kansas Biological Survey found that only 0.5 percent of the county’s vast pre-settlement natural grasslands had survived. Douglas County loses about 40,000 acres of land to sprawl and other development every decade. The Save the Elkins Prairie group attempts to preserve the prairie. Persons active in the organization included biologist Kelly Kindscher, environmentalist Ken Lassman, artist Stan Herd, and environmentalist Clark H. Coan. The Final Environmental Impact �Statement for the South Lawrence Trafficway supposedly contained safeguards that would protect the prairie. However, they were insufficient and the land speculator demanded that potential buyers (Douglas County, The Nature Conservancy and KU Endowment Assn.) pay far more than fair market value. The loss of the prairie is reported in The New York Times. Partly in response to the loss of habitat, Kelly Kindscher starts an initiative to establish the Kansas Land Trust. By 2017, the trust has conserved nearly 38,000 acres of natural lands and farmland in Kansas primarily though conservation easements, including over 800 acres in Douglas County. Also, as a result of the destruction KU architecture professor Dennis Domer creates the Douglas County Preservation Alliance. Nov. 6, 1990 Save the Baker Wetlands Campaign. The bonds for the South Lawrence Trafficway are approved in a countywide referendum by 55.8% to 44.2%. Vastly outspent, the Save the Baker Wetlands organization manages to heighten awareness of the importance of the wetlands through a door-to-door canvass, yard signs and advertising. With objective ballot wording and an extra push by the organization, it is likely that the SLT bonds could have been defeated at the polls. Over the next decade federal lawsuits by environmentalists and Haskell University students (Wetlands Preservation Committee) with Bob Eye as the lead attorney keep the trafficway from being built, but a decision in final lawsuit allows the project to move forward. Due to the intense and persistent opposition by environmentalists and Haskell Uni. students and faculty, KDOT undertakes mitigation measures which include establishment of recreated wetlands, a Baker Wetlands Discovery Center and a bike path along the trafficway. Howeve mitigation didn’t include building a wildlife bridge which would allow wildlife to travel from the Haskell Wetlands to the Baker Wetlands. The eight lanes of traffic (four lanes for the new 31 st St. an four lanes for the SLT) prevent wildlife from traveling between the two wetlands. The trafficway opens in November, 2016. Primary organizers of the campaign are entomologist Hank Guarisco and environmental activist Clark H. Coan with former attorney Richard Larimore providing advice on political strategy. Less than half of the nation's original wetlands remain. Activities resulting in wetlands loss and degradation include: agriculture; commercial and residential development; road construction; impoundment; resource extraction; industrial siting, processes, and waste; dredge disposal; silviculture; and mosquito control. Originally the Wakarusa River Bottoms contained 17,80 acres of wetlands. Today there are fewer than 700 acres, mostly in the Haskell-Baker Wetlands (excluding re-created wetlands). March, 1991 Haskell Rail Trail Opens. The Rails-to-Trails Coalition of Kansas (RTCK) and the Lawrence Bike Club convince the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department and Lawrence City Commission in 1988 to pursue the railbanking/conservation under the National Trails Act of the out-of-service Santa Fe Railroad rail spur which stretches from 23rd St. to 29th on the eastern boundary of Haskell Indian Nations University and convert it into a recreational trail. The trail is built primarily using funds obtained from the proceeds from selling the rails and ties. The trail opens in 1991 and is the first operational rail-trail in Kansas. The trail is extended north in to 11th St. in 2010 (that section is called the Burroughs Creek Trail) and will become a section of a planned 22mile trail loop around the city. The co-chairs of the Coalition are Clark H. Coan of Lawrence and Larry Ross of Wichita. �April 21, 1991 Native American Shot and Killed by LPD Officer. Gregg Sevier, a 22year-old Creek/Choctaw Native American is killed by Lawrence police on April 21, 1991. Sevier’s parents call 911 to have a professional come help Sevier because he is depressed and not responding to them. Instead of sending a trained professional police arrive and in a matter four minutes Gregg is dead. The 911 dispatcher was advised that Gregory Sevier had a knife and that the Seviers wanted someone to check on him. Officer Ted Bordman is the first officer to arrive at the Sevier home. Without consulting the Sevier family, Officer Bordman makes contact with Gregory Sevier by shouting orders and acting in a confrontational manner. Officers Phillips and Wheeler subsequently arrive at the Sevier home. Although Gregory Sevier poses no significant threat of death or serious injury, Officers Bordman and Phillips fire their service revolvers at Sevier who is struck with six bullets and is killed. The family files a federal lawsuit in 1992 and after many appeals, the lawsuit is settled with the City for an undisclosed amount. There is extensive agitation in Lawrence for holding the officers accountable and for ensuring that officers receive crisis intervention training. A petition drive is launched and more than one protest is held in South Park concerning this tragedy. June-August, 1991 Summer of Mercy in Wichita. Thousands of anti-abortion protesters flock to Wichita and about 2,600 are arrested for committing civil disobedience in front of three abortion clinics. Many pro-life supporters from Lawrence attend the events. These events galvanize pro-life, conservative Republicans who take over the Kansas Republican Party in the primary of the following year. Dr. George Tiller, the owner of one clinic which provides late-term abortions, is killed by an anti-abortion fanatic in 2009. Aug., 1991 Friends of the Kaw forms. The organization forms partly in response to proposed dredging operations between Lecompton and Lawrence. It incorporates and receives 501(c)(3) status in 1997. The organization’s mission is to protect and preserve the Kaw for present and future generations. This involves protecting it from water pollution and other threats such as dredging and development. In 2000 it hires a Kansas Riverkeeper whose primary duty is to be the eyes, ears and voice for the Kaw which entails monitoring regulations affecting surface water and responding to pollution reports. FOK also hosts float trips down the river in an effort to enhance public awareness of this natural resource. In 2012 the US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar designates the Kansas River as a National Water Trail. Some of those involved over the years are Lance Burr, Mike Calwell, Eileen Larson, and Laura Calwell. Water pollution in the river continues to be a problem due to periodic releases of raw sewage in Topeka; feedlot runoff; and agricultural chemical runoff. A fish consumption advisory remains in the effect for the river in Lawrence. Dec. 24, 1992 Bush Pardons Iran-Contra Figures. As one of his last acts in office, George H.W. Bush pardons Elliott Abrams, Robert McFarland, Caspar Weinberger and three others for their role in the Iran-Contra affair. After Congress banned federal funding for assisting the CIA-sponsored Contras who were waging an illegal war against the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua, President Reagan tacitly authorized �former CIA director and Vice President Bush to run the Iran-Contra operation out of the Office of the Vice President. Funds received from the sale of arms to Iran are used to fund the Contras in violation of the Congressional ban. Since the operation was run out of Bush’s office, it is a clear conflict of interest for him to pardon those involved. The pardoning of Weinberger eliminates the chance of prosecutors to explore the role in the affair of senior Reagan officials, including Bush’s own actions as Vice President. Many Lawrence residents who want the truth to be revealed are upset with the pardon. Aug. 6, 1993 Annual Hiroshima Day Vigil. The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice holds annual peace vigils at 9th & Mass. Streets in remembrance of the victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 which killed up to 230,000 Japanese, mostly civilians. Some say that that the US knew (the Japanese code had been broken in 1940) that the Japanese emperor was ready to surrender unconditionally, but President Truman wanted to ward off the Soviet Union from its imminent invasion of Japan. Others say that Truman could have demonstrated the power of the nuclear bomb by bombing a virtually unpopulated island near a Japanese city and this would have convinced the emperor to surrender unconditionally. The official line is that the two bombings were necessary in order to prevent the loss of thousands of American GIs who would have been killed in an invasion. Aug. 17, 1993 Simply Equal Campaign launched. Simply Equal, a grassroots coalition, forms and launches an extensive campaign and petition drive. It is led by the Freedom Coalition which was co-founded by Diane Silver in the fall of 1993. Lynne Green and KU social welfare professor Ben Zimmerman are co-chairs of Simply Equal. The petition calls on the City Commission to prohibit discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation. It should be noted that the city of Lawrence has had an historical concern for freedom. It was called the Abolitionist Capital of the West because of its extensive anti-slavery activities in the 1850s and 1860s (this was why Confederate guerrilla leader William C. Quantrill targeted it for his deadly attack). Thus, it is no coincidence that Lawrence, with its special awareness and concern for freedom, has been at forefront in Kansas of granting equal rights to all citizens including gays and lesbians. (That said, the community did impose de facto Jim Crow Segregation and racially discriminatory policies and practices around 1910 which lasted until the late 1960s). March, 1994 Community Garden Established. A community garden is created behind the Community Mercantile located at 901 Miss. St. Individuals garden on individual plots. Dave Loewenstein is involved in creating the garden and it is still operating in 2016. The benefits of community gardens include (1) allowing people without land to produce food; (2) enabling low-income residents to provide some of their food needs and eat more healthful food; (3) increasing a sense of community ownership and stewardship; (4) fostering the development of community identity and spirit; and, (5) bringing people together from a wide variety of backgrounds (age, race, culture, social class). �Sept., 1994 Lawrence-El Papaturro Sister City Relationship Established. The Lawrence-El Papaturro Friendship Committee (LEPFC) is operating by September, 1994 and establishes its sister relationship with El Papaturro through U.S.- El Salvador Sister Cities. LEPFC, functions mostly as moral support to El Papaturro, a community of 80 families, with financial assistance given toward projects selected by them as they adjust to post-civil war establishment of their little village after returning to their country from Honduras where they had fled for safety during the El Salavador Civil War. The group helps purchase a used truck to fix up and send to the community collecting medical supplies, etc., to send down on the truck which is delivered by Pastors for Peace. According to Barbara Schaible, “initially the concentration of the Lawrence group is on raising funds to help with the infra-structure of the fledgling community, especially in support of their effort to establish schooling up to 6th grade for their children, and in the area of needed medical supplies.” Some of those involved initially are Liz Maggard, Barbara Schaible, Emily Bono, Rosina Aguirre Kalusha, Ellie Pedersen, and Mark Larson. El Papaturro is not an official sister city under the auspices of the City of Lawrence’s sister city program. Jan. 25, 1995 Accidental Nuclear War Averted. Both the US and Russia have their strategic nuclear forces on hair-trigger, launch-on-warning alert. A team of Norwegian and American scientists launch a rocket from the northwestern coast of Norway loaded with scientific equipment to study the aurora borealis. Either they fail to notify the Russians of the launch or the Russians fail to transmit the notice to their strategic command. During its flight, the rocket resembles a U.S. Navy submarine-launched Trident missile. As a result, fearing a high-altitude nuclear attack that could blind Russian radar through ElectroMagnetic Pulsing (EMP) thereby allowing the US to launch a pre-emptive first strike, Russian nuclear forces are put on high alert, and the nuclear weapons command suitcase (containing the launch codes) is brought to Russian president Boris Yeltsin, who then has to decide whether to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike against the United States. Reportedly, it is the only time that the so-called nuclear briefcases are broken out and opened up. Fortunately, President Yeltsin is sober when the event occurs. The event confirms previous concerns of Lawrencians about the possibility of an accidental nuclear war. May 8, 1995 Simply Equal Amendment Adopted by City Commission. The City Commission adds “sexual orientation” to the Human Relations Ordinance which protects different classes of individuals from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations. Lawrence is the only city in Kansas to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. In 2015, the US Supreme Court rules that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry. It is estimated that eight percent of Lawrence residents are gay or lesbian which is double that of the national figure of 3.8 percent. Nov., 1995 Haskell Students Protest Trafficway. More than 40 students from Haskell Indian Nations University and KU line 31st Street with signs and flags drawing media attention from Kansas City and Topeka. The protest is organized by Haskell’s Wetlands �Preservation Committee which is formed in October, 1993. Protests began in April 1994. Haskell students are concerned that the trafficway would destroy the Baker Wetlands which was once owned by HINU and it would disturb possible unmarked graves of students in the wetlands. The 573-acre Baker Wetlands were “stolen” in a modern-day land grab from Haskell Institute in 1958 and eventually transferred to Baker University in 1968. A federal law required that no more than 20 acres (later changed to 40 acres) could be transferred to any one single entity. That is why a transfer to KU was aborted at the last minute. The Bureau of Indian Affairs apparently did not consult with the Haskell administration, faculty, students or the constituent tribes about the transfer in 1958 and when given a chance to reclaim the wetlands in 1966, the BIA said it wasn’t interested. The Baker Wetlands was designated by the National Park Service as a National Natural Landmark in 1969. Sept., 1996 Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Established. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is established near Strong City. The preserve conserves 11,000 acres of the rapidly-disappearing virgin tallgrass prairie. It is Kansas’ first “national park”. A previous attempt by Rep. Larry Winn, Jr. and Save the Tallgrass Prairie to create a 300,000-acre tallgrass prairie national park east of Matfield Green was unsuccessful due to intense opposition. Due to the size of this proposed park, it would have been a viable prairie ecosystem (which the preserve is not). Only one-tenth of one percent of the original tallgrass prairie remains in the world, and most of that is in the Flint Hills. Even the prairie in the Flint Hills is disappearing due to subdivisions, highways, lakes, lack of burning, and energy development. Due to opposition by ranchers (Kansas Livestock Assn. and Kansas Farm Bureau), the enabling legislation for the preserve (1) creates a multiuse preserve instead of a protected park; (2) bans federal ownership beyond 180 acres; and, (3) continues cattle grazing and oil production. Kansas Audubon, the Kansas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and Grasslands Heritage Foundation are among the organizations pushing for the preserve. Key players are Sen. Nancy Kassebaum and Ron Klataske of Kansas Audubon. Oct., 1996 Coalition for Homeless Concerns forms. A grassroots group composed of homeless and formerly homeless people, activists and professionals is created to advocate for the homeless which has been a growing problem in Lawrence. In the 1970s there were only two visibly homeless individuals but by 1990 there are dozens. The group both educates the public and advocates for solutions. Perhaps as an outgrowth of the coalition’s activities, the Lawrence Community Shelter is established. A street paper called “Change of Heart” begins publication in January, 1997, and is published under the auspices of the Coalition (for many years Craig Sweets is the editor). Those involved initially include Hilda Enoch, Saunny Scott, Phil Mansfield, Ed Dutton, Marilyn Roy, and Keith Staples. March, 1997 KAW-FM Community Radio Goes on Air. The unlicensed, low-power KAW-FM (88.9 FM) goes on the air and broadcasts out of the station in the basement of Liberty Hall. This grassroots community radio station features alternative music shows and public affairs programs such as “Peace Train” (peace issues) and “Wild Earth” (environmental issues). The FCC issues a “cease and desist” order but the station �continues to operate until June, 1998. The station closes down after the FCC assigns the frequency to an out-of-state translator station which results in reception interference. April, 1997 Food Not Bombs. A small group of mostly high school students serves vegetarian food in South Park once a week to anyone who is hungry, not just the homeless and poor. The national Food Not Bombs movement spawned into hundreds of autonomous chapters that collect surplus food that would otherwise go to waste from grocery stores, bakeries, markets, gardens, and generous people, and then prepares it into community meals which are then served for free to anyone who is hungry. The central beliefs behind FNB is that: (1) If governments and corporations around the world spent as much time and energy on feeding people as they do on war, no one would go hungry. (2) There is enough food in the world to feed everyone, but so much of it goes to waste needlessly, as a direct result of capitalism and militarism. (3) Vegetarian food is both healthful and nonviolent. Food Not Bombs calls attention to poverty and homelessness in society by sharing food in public places and facilitating gatherings of poor, homeless and other disenfranchised people. There are four tenets to the Food Not Bombs philosophy: food recycling, consensus decision-making, nonviolence, and vegetarianism. FNB, Lawrence evolves over the years and at times becomes inactive until a new group re-starts it. Melissa Tacke and Jesse Heckman are involved in the founding and operation of the organization founded in 1997. Dec. 11, 1997 Kyoto Agreement on Climate Change. The Kyoto Protocol agreement on greenhouse gases is adopted, but doesn’t go into effect until Feb. 16, 2005. A total of 192 countries are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As of 2016, the USA is the only signatory that has not ratified the Protocol. The US was supposed to reduce greenhouse gases seven percent below 1990 levels, but by 2012 they were projected to be 26 percent above 1990 levels. Lawrence residents are concerned about the lack of progress by the US and they are concerned about Climate Change impacts such as higher land and ocean temperatures; extreme weather events; altered ecosystems and habitats causing an acceleration of the extinction of species; coastal flooding caused by rising sea levels; and reduced agricultural productivity. June, 1999 Public Transportation Campaign Initiated. The Public Transportation Committee is formed to promote establishment of a citywide bus system. The extensive campaign involves a float in a parade, petition drive and more. The City Commission approves establishment of the public transit department and advisory committee on Jan., 11, 2000. Initially funded with federal transit grants, the City sets aside 3 mills of property taxes to provide the required local match. The system starts operating in December, 2000. In 2008 voters approve a ¼ cent sales tax to expand operations. That same year it consolidates with KU on Wheels. By 2015 the combined systems provide 3 million rides annually. The system primarily benefits those who do not or cannot afford to drive; seniors who can no longer drive; and those with disabilities. Some of those involved include Mary Michener, Pat Slick, Vashti Winterburg, Hilda Enoch, and Clark H. Coan. �Nov. 21, 1999 School of the Americas Protest. About 20 KU students and Lawrence residents caravan in two vans to Ft. Benning, Georgia to protest the US Army School of the Americas. The school trains international officers in counterinsurgency techniques. Many graduates have gone on to commit grievous human rights abuses, particularly in Central and South America. About 12,000 attend the protest and over 4,400 “cross the line” and commit civil disobedience and are arrested. The protests have been going on for ten years and continue to be held annually. Due to the opposition the name of the school is changed to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation in 2001, but it continues to train international officers in counterinsurgency techniques. Dec. 1, 1999 Solidarity! Collective Forms. The Solidarity! Collective, which has also been known by other names, including the Mother Earth and Black Cat collectives, since its inception, is an anarchist group which forms during the Battle for Seattle antiglobalization protests against the World Trade Organization. Throughout its history it organizes demonstrations, maintains a Food Not Bombs (feeding the homeless) chapter, hosts a women’s health peer education group, and is involved in other activist projects. The Solidarity! Library (which once was in a storefront in 1100 block of Mass. St.) remains active, free, and open to the public, retaining its circulating book collection of more than 4,000 books on topics such as anarchism, environmentalism, feminism, and vegan cooking at the Ecumenical Campus Ministries. Sept. 2000 Local Currency Debuts. A local currency called REAL Dollars debuts in Lawrence. REAL stands for Realizing Economic Alternatives in Lawrence. It is accepted in several dozen stores. The purpose of a local currency is to keep the money flowing in the community. American dollars allow money to be sucked out of the community. A local currency is supposed to enable people who are marginal economically to have more purchasing power. The Ithaca HOUR is a local currency used in Ithaca, New York and is the oldest and largest local currency system in the United States that is still operating. One Ithaca HOUR is valued at US $10 and is generally recommended to be used as payment for one hour's work, although the rate is negotiable. It inspires Lawrence’s local currency initiative which is started by Dennis “Boog” Highberger, John Cougher and Kris Olsen. Mike Pagano designs the bills. Cougher leaves town within a year leaving it in the hands of city commissioner Dennis “Boog” Highberger who doesn’t have enough time to devote to it. By the end of 2003, the initiative had fizzled. Sept. 2000 Living Wage Campaign Launched. The Kaw Valley Living Wage Alliance forms to promote the adoption of a Living Wage for companies receiving certain tax benefits from the City of Lawrence. Those companies that want to receive such tax benefits have to agree to pay their employees a living wage. A lengthy campaign is held by KVLWA which includes Labor Day picnics and a petition drive. After the organization secures a grant, graduate student Mark Horowitz is hired to lead the campaign. The City Commission adopts the ordinance in October, 2003. The Living Wage level is set at 130 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of three. However, median wages remain low in Lawrence compared to university cities such as Ames and Iowa City, Iowa. The ordinance has limited effect as it doesn’t apply to City employees, City contractors or to organizations receiving City funds. �Author’s Note: Since the author has a progressive point of view and participated in several of the protests and events listed, it cannot be assumed that his summaries are completely objective. Further, the author was generally unaware of political protests and events sponsored by conservatives, and thus, only two are mentioned. SOURCES “Embattled Lawrence” Dennis Domer and Barbara Watkins (eds), 2001. “American Anti-Nuclear Action, 1975-1990: The Challenge of Peace”, by Kyle Harvey, 2014 Dan Bentley Correspondence, October, 2016 Mark Kaplan Correspondence, October, 2016 Clark H. Coan Personal Papers Clark H. Coan Papers, Spencer Research Library “Major Peace Initiatives from Lawrence” by Robert A. Swan, Jr., 1992 LCPJ history, May 31, 2008, www.lcpj.org Merc News, Community Mercantile Rhonda Neugebaur Correspondence, October 2016 Anita Chan, Ph.D. correspondence, October, 2016 Marvin Voth interview, November, 2016 Lawrence Journal-World University Daily Kansan “A Birth of a Movement to Take Back Kansas” by Diane Silver, Jan. 27, 2006. “In This Movement” Blog. Craig Sweets Interview, October, 2016 “The REAL World” Lawrence Journal-World, Nov. 3, 2003. Dennis “Boog” Highberger Correspondence, November, 2016. �Anne Burgess Interview, November, 2016. Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice papers, Spencer Research Library Free University papers, Spencer Research Library Disorientation Guide, Spencer Research Library Mark Larson Papers, Spencer Research Library Steve Stemmerman Correspondence, December, 2016 The Gentle Anarchist, Spencer Research Library Bob Mikesic Correspondence, November, 2016 Barbara Schaible Correspondence, November, 2016 “The Yucca Mountain Nuclear Controversy”, Environmental Studies, Macalester College, 2010 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Selected Chronology of Political Protests and Events in Lawrence, Kansas, 1974-2000 Subject The topic of the resource Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Protest movements Student movements Civil rights movements Activism Environmentalism Peace movements Haskell Loop (Lawrence, Kan.) Cornfield Mall (Lawrence, Kan.) South Lawrence Trafficway (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource A chronology of national and local political protests and events, with a focus on events that occurred in Lawrence, Kansas, between 1974 and 2000. Compiled by Clark H. Coan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Coan, Clark H. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Coan, Clark H. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright, Clark H. Coan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CoanClark_SelectedChronologyPoliticalProtestsEvents_1974-2000.pdf Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 1974 - 2000 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/aeb6fff50a60401bf3085ebf354cd6d7.pdf 74f87296e36ada3947c8f11cf6165eff PDF Text Text SELECTED CHRONOLOGY OF POLITICAL PROTESTS AND EVENTS IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS 2001-2020 By Clark H. Coan Jan. 20, 2001 Inauguration of George Bush. Many Lawrence residents are dismayed that ultra conservative George W. Bush is inaugurated as the 43rd president of the United States. They are appalled that the Republican-dominated US Supreme Court stopped the vote counting in Florida thereby throwing the election to George W. Bush, the most conservative president since the 1920s. Bush didn’t even receive a majority of the popular vote. Green Party candidate and famous consumer advocate Ralph Nader receives 10% of the vote in Douglas County (even higher in Lawrence proper) and nearly three percent of the vote nationally. There is a counter- inaugural march in Washington, DC which results in the inaugural parade being halted temporarily. Sept. 13, 2001 Candlelight Vigil Held at Campanile Hill. An estimated 1,000 students and residents hold a candlelight vigil on KU’s Campanile Hill in remembrance of those killed by the Terrorist Attack on World Trade Center and Pentagon four days earlier. Lawrence residents are stunned and shocked by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon which results in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people. Yellow ribbons are tied on trees and blood donations soar. The US invades Afghanistan the following month to eliminate al-Qaeda terrorist bases and the Taliban government which allowed the bases on Afghan soil. According to Wikipedia, “In Osama Bin Laden’s November 2002 ‘Letter to America’, he explicitly stated that al-Qaeda’s motives for their attacks include: Western support for attacking Muslims in Somalia, supporting Russian atrocities against Muslims in Chechnya, supporting the Indian oppression against Muslims in Kashmir, the Jewish aggression against Muslims in Lebanon, the presence of US troops �in Saudi Arabia, US support of Israel, and sanctions against Iraq.” The war in Afghanistan becomes the longest war in US history at 20 years with 2,400 US troops killed. July, 2002 Progressive Lawrence Campaign Forms. A Smart Grow political action committee (PAC) forms to support candidates for the city commission who will push for Smart Growth policies and policies that enhance older neighborhoods. Smart Growth is a development philosophy that concentrates growth in compact, walkable urban centers to avoid sprawl and the environmental and financial costs associated with sprawl. Melinda Henderson is the group’s coordinator and co-founder. The organization’s candidates win a majority of seats on the city commission in 2003. Sept. 7, 2002 Iraq War Peace Vigils Begin. The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice (LCPJ) begins holding weekly peace vigils at 9th & Mass. St. to witness against the preparation for an invasion of Iraq by the U.S. Many times there are 100+ in attendance. On Jan. 18, 2003, there are nearly 400 in attendance. The vigils are initially in front of the courthouse but move to 9th & Mass. In 2010. They become monthly in 2011. Secretary of State Colin Power gave false testimony before the United Nations that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction and that was the justification for the invasion. However, a few weeks after President George Bush took office he told his national security staff that he wanted to invade Iraq and take out Saddam Hussein (his father failed to do this in the Gulf War). Nov. 2002 No War Toys Event Held. The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice holds annual “No War Toys” events the first Friday after Thanksgiving at 9th & Mass. Participants hand out fliers urging parents not to buy war toys for their children. LCPJ members say children should not be exposed to violence or taught to make games from it. Group members distribute fliers that say, “In this season of peace, don’t give the children you love toys of violence and war.” Feb. 15, 2003 March Against Preparation of Invasion of Iraq. An anti-war parade in downtown Lawrence attracts an estimated 1,600 marchers, as onlookers flashed peace signs from stores and sidewalks lining Mass. St. This is one of the largest marches in Lawrence’s history. According to BBC News, between six and eleven million people took part in protests in up to sixty countries over the weekend of February 15 and 16, including an astonishing 3 million in Rome and 300,000-400,000 in New York City. President Bush ignores the protests and invades Iraq a month later. Mar. 18, 2003 Tree Sitter in Giant Cottonwood Tree. A woman calling herself “Sihka” climbs up into a giant cottonwood tree east of Borders Bookstore because workers were starting to cut it down to make way for a parking lot. She camps out for days to protect the tree. Eventually, the owners agree to keep the tree but they either intentionally or �unintentionally pave under the drip line which causes it to die. Sihka’s action is similar to Julia “Butterfly Hill” who sat in a 1,500-year-old California redwood tree for two years in 1998 and 1999. Mar. 20, 2003 Protest against Invasion of Iraq. Hundreds of people protest in front of the courthouse the invasion of Iraq (“Shock and Awe”) begun the previous day. Also, on that day thousands of protests and demonstrations are held around the world. In many cases, these protests were known as “Day X” protests, reflecting the fact that they had been organized to occur when war started, whatever day that might have been. At least 350,000 people participate, but the turnout is far less than protests held February 15-16. Also, in March, Mass. St. serves as a venue for a “die-in,” where an Uncle Sam impersonator smeared blood on people lying in the street. Plus, there is an impromptu march by anarchists carrying a banner demanding the end of U.S. imperialism. The antiwar, anti-imperialism movement then escalates, and a tent city sprouts in South Park. About 25 tents have been pitched by 80 or so people who describe themselves as a mix of anti-war protesters, anarchists and secessionists. The encampment calls itself the Lawrence Free State Against the War. The war lasts a brutal eight plus years, the third longest war in US history, and costs the lives of 4,500 Americans, and an estimated 182,000 Iraqi civilians (including 52,000 children). Mar. 2003 Progressive Lawrence Campaign Wins City Commission. A slate of candidates backed by the Progressive Lawrence Campaign—Dennis “Boog” Highberger, David Schauner, and Mike Rundel—is elected to the Lawrence City Commission in the general election. It is the city’s first political action committee. The trio support Smart Growth policies. They are successful in adopting a new development code which has Smart Growth components and a Living Wage Ordinance which covers very few workers. Some progressives are disappointed that they didn’t push for more progressive legislation. April, 2003 Lawrence Bill of Rights Defense Committee Forms. A group of Douglas County residents forms the Lawrence Bill of Rights Defense Committee (LBORDC) to request that the Lawrence City Commission pass a resolution asking Congress to repeal the USA PATRIOT Act which was adopted on October 26, 2001, just after the 9-11 attack. The act allows: (1) “sneak and peek” searches of homes or businesses without informing the owner until long after the search; (2) government agents to force libraries to disclose titles of books borrowed of targeted individuals and prohibits libraries from informing patrons of such requests; (3) federal agents to use hidden devices to trace the telephone calls or emails of people who are not even suspected of a crime; (4) government agents to arrest and detain individuals “suspected” of terrorist activities and to hold them indefinitely, without charge, and without access to an attorney. Even �US citizens may be picked up and not receive due process under the law; (5) federal agents to conduct full investigations of American citizens simply because they have participated in activities protected by the First Amendment, such as writing a letter-tothe-editor or attending a peaceful rally; and, (6) the CIA to spy on American citizens, a power that has previously been denied to this international espionage organization. Members march down Massachusetts Street during the Lawrence Sesquicentennial Commission’s Fourth of July parade. The group’s float in the parade included a Statue of Liberty made of papier-mache. The Committee has a booth at the Douglas County Fair and downtown and gathers signatures on a petition in support of the resolution. The Committee presents the petition to the City Commission and the Commission passes a watered down resolution on April 20, 2004. The petition requests repeal of certain sections of the Act and directs the Lawrence Public Library Board of Trustees post in· ·prominent places a notice to library patrons as follows: “NOTICE. Under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Public Law 10756), records of books and other materials you borrow from this library may be inspected and retained by Federal agents. Librarians are prohibited from informing you if records about you have been obtained by federal agents.” The effort is part of a national movement to repeal the PATRIOT Act which was a response to the 9-11 terrorist attacks. However, the national campaign was not successful and a degree of privacy and freedoms of US citizens was lost. Some of those involved include Dinah Lovitch, Steve Stemmerman, Clark H. Coan, and Don Phipps. May 1, 2003 Anarchists Blockade Intersection of 23rd & Mass. About 30 members of anarchist Solidarity! March from South Park to the intersection of 23 rd & Mass. And begin blockading it using yellow tape and their bodies. Traffic backs up for about ten minutes. Motorists appear to be fairly tolerant, amused and supportive. The purpose of the blockade is unknown. Aug. 19, 2003 Living Wage Ordinance Enacted. After a three-year campaign by Kaw Valley Living Wage Alliance, the City Commission adopts a Living Wage ordinance which requires that certain new businesses seeking tax abatements pay a living wage. The Living Wage level is set at 130 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of three. However, median wages remain low in Lawrence compared to university cities such as Ames and Iowa City, Iowa. The ordinance has limited effect as it doesn’t apply to City employees, subsidiaries, or contractors or to organizations receiving City funds. The Kansas Legislature passed a law prohibiting cities from enacting minimum wage ordinances which is contrary to the spirit of Home Rule. Using the initiative and referendum process, Missouri voters approve in 2018 increasing the state minimum �wage to $12/hour by 2023. The Kansas legislature refuses to increase its minimum wage of $2.65/hour and grant Kansas voters the right of imitative and referendum. April 25, 2004 March for Women’s Lives. A march for reproductive rights and women’s rights with between 500,000 and 1,100,000 in Washington, DC. At least 200 Lawrence residents attend this huge march. June 19, 2004 Drone Attacks Kill Civilians. President Bush launches drone strikes on terrorist targets. The program escalates under President Obama who weekly personally authorizes each attack. President Trump delegates the decisions. By mid-2020 there have been over 14,000 strikes and up to 2,200 civilians (including 454 children) have been killed in the attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen and other countries. This could be considered a war crime and against international law. Part of this “collateral damage” is due to terrorists surrounding themselves with civilians thinking they are less likely to be attacked. There is little opposition to this program despite the killing of civilians. August 29, 2004 Republican Convention Protests. As part of the 2004 Republican National Convention protests, United for Peace and Justice organize a mass march, one of the largest in New York City’s history, in which protesters marched past Madison Square Garden, the site of the convention. Estimates of crowd size ranged from 120,000 to over 500,000. At least 100 Lawrence residents attend the protest. Nov. 2004 President Bush Reelected. President Bush is reelected despite being one of the worst presidents in US history. Many Lawrence residents are shocked or disappointed by the results. By the end of his second term Bush has one of the lowest approval ratings on record. March 29, 2005 Ann Coulter Protest at Leid Center. About 30 people protest rightwing columnist and author Ann Coulter who speaks before a crowd of 1,800 at the Leid Center. She receives both standing ovations and heckling. March 31, 2005 Condoleezza Rice Protested at Holidome. About 20 people protest Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who is scheduled to give a talk at the Dole Institute (she stays overnight at the Holidome). Protesters wave signs when her limousine drives out of the Holidome parking lot. The protesters consider her a war criminal because of her role as National Security Adviser in planning the illegal invasion of Iraq which ultimately results in the deaths of tens of thousands of children and 4,500 US soldiers. Most of the protesters are anarchists. Police Chief Ron Olin orders his officers to arrest the anarchists for blocking the highway. The officers throw the protesters to the ground, handcuff them and put them into paddy wagons in a clear display of the brutality and use of excessive force. �Sept. 24, 2005 “Cost of War” March and Rally. About 400 people march through downtown Lawrence proclaiming the cost of the Iraq War and calling for the end of US involvement in Iraq. A bagpiper plays during the march. A rally is held in South Park. A rally in Washington, DC on the same day has from 150,000 – 300,000. The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice sponsors the events in Lawrence. May 1, 2006 Immigrants Protest. Immigrant workers in Lawrence and elsewhere across the state including Emporia and the nation protest proposed immigration reforms, taking the day off work and snarling projects at some local businesses. In Lawrence, more than three dozen people gathered downtown at noon to collect signatures on petitions against the legislation, then march to the office of U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., to deliver the demand. Later in the day, demonstrators hold a candlelight vigil at City Hall. October 5, 2006 Iraq War Protest. Demonstrators march in Lawrence against the continuing war in Iraq. Actions across the United States took place in nearly every state. An organization called World Can’t Wait organized the nationwide event. Demonstrations took place in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, and other places. Over 200 protests were organized. April 24, 2007 Sustainability Advisory Board Established. The City Commission creates a Sustainability Advisory Board with a mission to: “promote environmental protection, and advocate for policies which support sustainability (including environmental protection, waste reduction, recycling, energy conservation and natural resource conservation) in the City of Lawrence and to enhance the quality of life by enhancing the City’s efforts in these areas.” A Sustainability Coordinator is hired in 2010 whose salary is paid for jointly by the City and County. The coordinator launches several initiatives that save the City and County energy and money. June 30, 2007 Picket of Donald Rumsfeld. About 35-40 people protest Donald Rumsfeld at the Dole Institute where he is scheduled to speak. As defense secretary, Rumsfeld was partly responsible for the illegal and unjust Iraq War. For his role as well as authorizing torture, and cruel and inhumane treatment, a case can be made he is a war criminal. Protesters from the stridently anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka are also present. Aug. 1, 2007 Domestic Partnership Registry Begins. Lawrence same-sex couples gain the right to register their Domestic Partnership with the City Clerk. The ordinance also covers opposite-sex couples who are living together but who don’t want to marry. The certificate granted confers certain benefits to the couples and recognition of the legitimacy of their relationship. On June 25, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalizes �same-sex marriage in a 5 to 4 decision. The Court rules that same sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. Sept. 17, 2007 Soap Box Speaking Against the Iraq War. The Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice creates a soap box event where the public can talk about the Iraq War. Nationally, there is a march to the U.S. Capitol two days earlier on September 15, 2007. The latter was organized by Veterans for Peace and the Answer Coalition. Volunteers were recruited for a civil disobedience action, which included a die-in in Washington. Organizers estimated that nearly 100,000 people attend the rally and march. Many are disturbed by the torture of terrorist prisoners of war at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo, Cuba and the torture of prisoners of war at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Nov. 4, 2008 Lawrence Transit Tax Referendum. Voters approve a ¼ cent sales tax to expand Lawrence transit operations. Also, in 2008 it consolidates with KU on Wheels. Initially the bus system was funded with federal transit grants and a City set aside of 3 mills of property taxes to provide the required local match. The system started operating in December, 2000. By 2015 the combined systems provide 3 million rides annually. In 2021 five electric buses and three hybrid buses go into service. Oct. 7, 2008 Protest at Chipotle Restaurant. A march is held downtown and protest held at Chipotle Restaurant. Products sold at the restaurant chain are picked by farm workers who are routinely exploited by farmers. The events are sponsored by Lawrence Fair Food. Nationally the protests are sponsored by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Alliance for Fair Food (AFF) issues a report: “Challenging Chipocrisy:“Food With Integrity” Must Respect Farmworkers’ Human Rights”. Nov. 20, 2008 Wolf Creek Nuclear Plant License Extended 20 Years. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission extends the plant’s license from 40 to 60 years which means it can operate until 2045! The risk of an accident continues to grow as the aging plant’s reactor vessel becomes embrittled and the cooling pipes become corroded. Many expensive parts have to be replaced to keep the plant safe. Meanwhile, since no permanent repository for spent fuel currently exists in the United States, the reactor owners have to keep the highly-radioactive spent fuel rods at the reactor site where they pose a dangerous hazard to Kansans and Lawrencians if there is a malfunction, a natural disaster, or a terrorist attack cause the cooling pools to lose water thereby triggering the high-level waste to explode spewing radioactivity into the atmosphere. Each 1,000 MW reactor produces 33 tons of hot, extremely radioactive waste each year. Also, each reactor releases millions of curries of radioactive isotopes such as Krypton, Xenon and Argon in to the air and water each year. It may also cost ratepayers more than a $1.5 billion to decommission the plant (the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant in �Nebraska will cost this much to decommission). Some Lawrence residents are concerned about the safety of the aging plant since the city is 50 miles downwind from the reactor. April, 2009 City Adopts Climate Protection Plan. Grassroots lobbying results in the City Commission adopting a Climate Protection Plan which has an ultimate goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050. The plan includes the goal of reducing communitywide greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020 and by 50 percent by 2030. July 4, 2009 Alternative Independence Day Celebrated. Over 20 people gather on the courthouse steps listening to speakers reciting the words of famous Americans who advocated for peace and justice and a clean environment. These included Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rachel Carson. Oct. 11, 2009 National Equality March. Approximately 200,000 people demonstrate in support of equal protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in Washington, DC. It is estimated that eight percent of the population of Lawrence is LGBT, the highest in Kansas. Several dozen Lawrence residents attend. Feb. 10, 2010 Save our Neighborhood Schools March and Rally. Hundreds of people march through the downtown in protest of the school board’s plan to close neighborhood schools. The school board reverses its decision and keeps the schools open (except for East Heights). Mar, 21, 2010 March for America. Many Latinos and supporters march for comprehensive immigration reform in several cities, including Washington, DC where 200,000 gather. The marches appear to influence decision-makers but due to gridlock, Congress doesn’t act. Feb. 5, 2011 New START Treaty Goes Into Effect. This nuclear weapons limitation treaty enters into force on February 5, 2011. It limits both the US and Russia’s deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550; deployed missiles and bombers to 700; and deployed and non-deployed launchers to 800. These obligations must be met within seven years. Russia had 2,787 deployed nuclear warheads and America had 2,202 deployed warheads in 2009. Meanwhile, both sides are still on hair-trigger, launch-on-warning which can result in an accidental nuclear launch. Lawrence residents, particularly those involved in the anti-nuclear weapons activism in the 1980s, are thankful for further reductions but realize that 3,100 warheads can still destroy humanity. April 21, 2011 20th Anniversary of Gregg Sevier Killing. Gregg Sevier, a 22- year-old Creek/Choctaw Native American was killed by Lawrence police on April 21, 1991. Sevier’s parents called 911 to have a professional come help Sevier because he was depressed and not responding to them. Instead of sending a trained professional, police �arrived and in a matter four minutes Gregg was dead. The 911 dispatcher was advised that Gregory Sevier had a knife and that the Seviers wanted someone to check on him. Officer Ted Bordman was the first officer to arrive at the Sevier home. Without consulting the Sevier family, Officer Bordman made contact with Gregory Sevier by shouting orders and acting in a confrontational manner. Officers Phillips and Wheeler subsequently arrived at the Sevier home. Although Gregory Sevier posed no significant threat of death or serious injury, Officers Bordman and Phillips fired their service revolvers at Sevier who was struck with six bullets and was killed. June 1, 2011 Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant Program Established. The Douglas County Commission establishes the Douglas County Natural and Cultural Heritage Grant Program to ensure the conservation of the county’s natural and cultural heritage. Natural areas conserved include the Hamilton Conservation Easement located east of Lawrence consisting of 276 acres of prime farmland and an important riparian buffer along the Kansas River. Oct. 15, 2011 Occupy Wall Street Encampment in South Park. A group of Lawrence residents and KU students creates an encampment on the west side of South Park in support of the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City which were started to highlight the unfair influence of financial and corporate interests in government and media against the public interest. It is part of the national Occupy Wall Street Movement which began in New York City on Sept. 17, 2011. The movement is in response to the Great Recession which was caused by unscrupulous practices by banks on Wall Street. The Great Recession resulted in millions of Americans losing their homes, savings and jobs. Although it seemed disorganized and ineffective, Occupy not only helped redefine the political conversation in the United States, it served as a dress rehearsal for many organizations and movements that followed. Through policies proposed and passed in its wake, to the individuals it set up to lead a new generation of social movements and political institutions, Occupy Wall Street left a powerful legacy. The movement helped shape public opinion and articulated new solutions, many of which needed more longstanding organizations to carry them through. Summer, 2012 Occupy Wall Street. Solidarity! Organizes a protest at 9th & Mass. About 40 participate. A man with a Guy Fawkes mask leads chants from the roof of Weaver’s. The police call a fire truck with a hook and ladder which is used to arrest the man. 2012 20th Anniversary of LA Rodney King Riots. After the acquittal of the white police officer who beat black motorist Rodney King, there were five days of rioting in which more than 60 people died, 2,000 plus were injured and thousands arrested, with property damage topping $1 billion. �April 10, 2013 New Hydroelectric Plant Begins Operating. A new $25 million hydroelectric power plant begins operating on the north bank of the Kansas River. Combined with the old plant on the south bank, the two plants generate enough Green electricity to power 5,400 homes when operating at normal capacity. This avoids the release of 67 million pounds of CO2 annually. Although the power is officially sold to the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Public Utilities, once the electricity is in the grid it flows to where it is needed which is most likely Lawrence. The main problem for the owner, Bowersock Mills and Power Co., is the lack of sufficient water in the river to power the new plant. Climate Change is causing droughts which affect Kaw River water levels. Sarah Hill Nelson spearheaded this initiative. Some renewable energy advocates believe Lawrence should be getting this benefit from its homegrown producer. April 15, 2013 Save the Wetlands March at KU. About 100 people march from the Chi Omega Fountain to the Kansas Union with signs that say, “Tell the Chancellor to give us our land back”. Twenty acres of the wetlands are owned by KU. The land once was part of Haskell Institute but was transferred in the 1950s to KU without consulting the students, faculty or constitute tribes. The chancellor refuses to do this because giving the land back would block the completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway through the Baker Wetlands. Sept. 21, 2013 International Day of Peace. LCPJ celebrates International Day of Peace in downtown with helium-filled balloons and peace beads. Approximately 25 participate. According to a UN website:, “The International Day of Peace (“Peace Day”) is observed around the world each year on 21 September. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution 36/37, the General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.” Sept. 28, 2013 Crop Walk to End Hunger. A walk to end hunger is held and is sponsored by LINK, Jubilee Cafe and the Church World Service. The walk’s purpose is to raise funds to end hunger at home and around the world. About 100 people participate. Oct. 12, 2013 March Against Monsanto. A march against Monsanto is held in downtown Lawrence with about 50 people participating. Monsanto produces Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Roundup, a herbicide. The protest is part of an international movement. The first marches held in March garnered around 2 million people in 400 cities. June 22, 2013 Brownback Wall of Shame. A Wall of Shame is erected at 9th & Mass. On which people can post stories about how Governor Brownback’s terrible budget and tax cuts have affected them and Kansans. The event is held three times and the stories �are presented at the governor’s office. Brownback and his Far Right supporters in the Legislature eliminate taxes for many businesses, doctors, lawyers, and farmers which operate as Limited Liability Companies. This plus other tax cuts creates a multi-year budget crisis and the state’s bond rating is lowered. Despite his unpopularity, Kansas voters re-elect him. Sept. 21, 2014 People’s Climate March. A People’s Climate March in solidarity with the national People’s Climate March in New York City, is held in South Park attended by about 100 people. It is part of a national People’s Climate March Movement which is organized by the environmental organization called 350.org, founded by Bill McKibben. An estimated 400,000 turn out in New York City in the largest climate change march in history just days before the world’s leaders debate environmental action at the United Nations Climate Summit. Locally, the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a coalition of 11 local religious, ecological and humanitarian organizations and businesses, put on the event to raise awareness about climate change. Oct. 1, 2014 Citywide Curbside Recycling Program Begins. The City of Lawrence begins providing a single-stream recycling collection service for every household. The fee is $2.81/month which is far cheaper than the existing private recycling collection services. It is a success with 5,300 tons of materials diverted from the landfill in 2015. This is about 112 pounds per person. However, each person produces about 1,600 pounds of trash (including recyclables) each year. Recycling is the last action for consumers to take: “remember the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”. In 2003, a petition with 2,500 signatures calling for curbside recycling was presented to the City Commission. It takes nine years of studying the issue before the City finally acts. Nov. 3, 2014 Referendum for New Police Headquarters Fails. Due to a low-keyed, grassroots campaign, Lawrence voters narrowly reject a citywide sales tax to fund a new police headquarters. Voters reject the proposed 0.2 percent sales tax by a margin of about 52 percent to 48. Not be be deterred the Lawrence City Commission finds another funding mechanism and breaks ground for a new $20 million police headquarters in 2019. Many voters believe this is against the will of the people and is anti-democratic. The new building opens in late 2020. Nov. 10, 2014 Justice Matters—Lawrence Forms. The interfaith group of 22 Lawrence congregations with a total of 10,000 members holds a founding convention at the First Presbyterian Church. It later adopts three action issues selected during its first year: expanding local mental health services, affordable housing and child welfare. Subsequently, it adds over-incarceration and racism. It is affiliated with the national Justice Matters organization. It has considerable success within just two years. Its mission is to: � Move Lawrence toward a city where justice rolls down like a mighty river  Surface, understand, and address issues of justice in the region  Strengthen understanding of the scriptural imperative to do justice June 25, 2015. Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage. Many Lawrence residents are elated that the U.S. Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage in a 5 to 4 decision. The Court rules that same sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. Lawrence has an estimated 6-8 percent gay and lesbian population—the largest percentage in the state. Lawrence has had a Domestic Partner Registry since 2007. Oct. 10, 2015 Walk for Indigenous Peoples Day. A walk supporting Indigenous People’s Day is held from Haskell Indian Nations University to City Hall. This is in opposition to celebration of Columbus Day. Explorer Christopher Columbus committed genocide against Native Americans in the Caribbean on his second voyage. Native Americans actually discovered America thousands of years ago. Dec. 9, 2015 KU Students Protest for Diversity. About 100 students march to the KU chancellor’s office demanding more and faster action on diversity issues. The protest was organized by Rock Chalk Invisible Hawk. The students want the administration to be more inclusive. They agreed to disperse after receiving a promise from the interim provost that her office would release a written statement in support of their efforts and the Black Lives Matter movement. Nov. 9, 2016 Agnes the Frog Declared Dead. The fictitious Agnes the Frog is declared dead by former state representative Stevi Stephens when the South Lawrence Trafficway which bisects the Baker Wetlands opens. At one point the wetlands had a rare population of northern crawfish frog. Stephens wore the Agnes the Frog costume in the 1986 write-in campaign and later. March 3, 2016. Socialist Bernie Sanders Rally. Self-described Socialist Bernie Sanders, a US senator from Vermont and candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for president, holds a rally with 4,200 people at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Lawrence. Two days later, Sanders goes on to win the Democratic Party Caucuses in Kansas by a three to one margin against Hilary Clinton. Hundreds of Lawrence voters turn out for the caucus and support him. Sanders loses the nomination to Clinton who then loses the general election to billionaire Donald Trump. Mar. 12, 2016 Rally for Public Education. A rally for public education is held in South Park. It is against Governor Brownback’s cuts to public education. KU and other higher education learning centers suffer the most from the cutbacks. By 2017, KU only receives 17% of its revenues from the State of Kansas. �Aug. 1, 2016 Affordable Housing Trust Fund Restored. Although the City established the Affordable Housing Trust Fund in 2000 and deposited a one-time payment of $500,000, a dedicated funding source of revenue was never established. In 2016, the City allocates $300,000 in general funds for 2017 and 2018, rising to $350,000 in 2019. A dedicated source of revenue has yet to be identified and established. Rising housing costs and low wages are the primary causes of the lack of affordable housing. Lawrence’s wages are considerably lower than some university cities such as Iowa City and Ames, Iowa. Sept. 30, 2016 Lawrence Stands for Standing Rock March. A march attended by about 300 people goes from Constant Park down Mass. St. and then to East Lawrence. The marchers support the protesters of the people of Standing Rock in their struggle to defend their land and water and sacred burial sites pursuant to the treaties of 1851 and 1868. The Dakota Access Pipeline threatens to pollute the waters of the Missouri River runs through the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota. There are about 300 oil pipeline leaks every year nationwide. Dozens of Haskell Indian Nations University students join the protesters at Standing Rock who number in the thousands and celebrities. The Corps of Engineers agrees to delay the project until a full Environmental Impact Statement is prepared. Then after newly-elected Donald Trump issues an executive order mandating approval of the project, the Corps reverses itself and cancels the EIS, approves the project and issues an easement. The protesters are evicted by the feds and construction resumes. Oil begins flowing through the pipeline in March, 2017. President Biden refuses to reverse this decision. July 2, 2016 Green Party Candidate Jill Stein Speaks in Lawrence. Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein speaks to a standing-room-only crowd in the Lawrence Public Library auditorium. She gets 1,485 votes or 3% in Douglas County compared to 2% both nationally and statewide. Apparently, the 4,200 people who turned out for a speech by Socialist Bernie Sanders in March didn’t vote for her even though their platforms are similar. Bernie Sanders supporters apparently either stayed home or voted for Clinton. Sept. 6, 2016 Black Lives Matter Sit-in at City Commission Meeting. About 20 members of Black Lives Matter—Lawrence stage a sit-in at a Lawrence City Commission meeting demanding solidarity letters with BLM and the protesters at Standing Rock Reservation opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline to be built under the Missouri River just north of the reservation. After delaying the meeting for about 45 minutes, the City Commissioners accede to their demands. The letters are drafted and approved at a specially called meeting the following day. Members said that not issuing the letters would be an act of “white supremacy”. �Nov. 9, 2016 Anti-Trump Protest March. A march of about 300 people is held in the evening in downtown to protest the election of billionaire Donald Trump. Protesters are shocked and dismayed that such an erratic Extreme Right billionaire is elected president. Trump wins the electoral college vote but loses the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes to Hilary Clinton, the first woman to run on a major party ticket for president. This is a democratic system failure as this is the second time in 16 years that a candidate who doesn’t win the popular vote wins the election. Many call for substituting a direct popular vote for the antiquated electoral system. Nov. 12, 2016 Lawrence Stands for Standing Rock Rally. A rally attended by about 300 people is held in South Park. The rally is in response to the shocking violence perpetrated against Indigenous peoples and their allies at the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota by law enforcement officers at the construction site of the Dakota Access Pipeline on October 27. The rally is sponsored by the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice, Lawrence Ecology Teams United in Sustainability (LETUS), Wakarusa Group of the Sierra Club, WATR: We Are the Revolution (formerly the Douglas County Coalition for Bernie Sanders). Within days of taking office, the Trump Administration reverses the previous decision and issues the easement to build the pipeline under the Missouri River just north of the Standing Rock Reservation. Construction immediately resumes and oil begins flowing through the pipeline in March, 2017. Dec. 12, 2016 School Board Meeting Disrupted. A group calling itself Black Lives Matter—Lawrence disrupts the school board meeting by screaming, cursing and trying to take over the meeting, demanding that the school district release the results of an investigation of a South Middle School teacher who allegedly made racist comments before a class. He later resigns but could work for another school district. The school board president is forced to adjourn the meeting. Protesters deny First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceably assembly to other audience members and members of the school board itself. The group also develops a boycott list of businesses that refuse to sign a letter of support. Business are put on the list even if the group is unable to contact the manager or owner to see if they would sign the letter. Much of the general public believes that the tactics are not appropriate. Jan. 11, 2017 Kansas People’s Agenda 2017 Rally. Several hundred Kansans, including many Lawrence residents, participate in a rally at the Capitol Building calling for Racial and Indigenous Justice, Economic Justice, Healthcare Access, Environmental Stewardship, Gender Equity, Immigrant Rights, Adequate & Equitable Public Education, and a Responsible Gun Policy. The protesters are especially against Governor Sam Brownback’s disastrous tax and budget policies. State programs have been hurt by the �cutbacks. State employees haven’t received a raise in nine years and inflation ate away their salaries. Jan. 20, 2017 Huge Anti-Trump Rally Held at State Capitol. From 3,000 to 4,000 Kansans, including hundreds of Lawrence residents and KU students, protest billionaire Donald Trump’s inauguration and his proposed policies. The protesters oppose his proposed policies against reproductive rights, indigenous people’s rights, people with disabilities, the environment including climate change, etc. This is one of the largest protests at the Capitol Building in years. By the end of his term it has become clear that he is by far the worst president in US history. Feb. 4, 2017 Immigrant Rights Rally Held in South Park. An immigrant rights rally with 400 participants is held in South Park. The event is nonpartisan and educational and not a protest per se. Although the speakers don’t mention it, participants are concerned about President Trump’s recent executive order temporarily banning citizens from seven Muslim countries from entering the U.S. About one-third of event participants are from Muslim countries. There are educational tables representing the seven countries covered by the executive order. The event is organized by CARE. There are about 11 million people who are not residing in the country legally. The Trump Administration begins taking action to deport many of these people. Feb. 2017 22-mile Trail Loop Plan. The City of Lawrence adopts the new Parks and Recreation Plan which includes a plan to build a 22-mile recreational trail loop around the city. It is already at least 75% complete and only disparate trail sections just have to be connected. The trail is 10’ wide concrete multi-use paths. Federal Transportation Enhancements grants, Sunflower Foundation grants and city general fund allocations are being used to finance the projects. The goals are to reducing the need to drive and provide safe outdoor recreational opportunities (exercise) for families, children, young people and seniors. It is expected the trail loop will be completed within five years. Also, that month, a group called Healthy Built Environment, a work group of the LiveWell Lawrence coalition, forms and pushes for completion of the trail loop. Friends of Lawrence Area Trails (FLAT) also forms and pushes for completion of the trail loop. Mar. 7, 2017 Sanctuary City Proclamation Issued. The Lawrence City Commission issues a proclamation welcoming immigrants, legal or not, to the community. This action is spurred by Lawrence High School and KU students. The proclamation does not declare Lawrence a Sanctuary City because this could jeopardize both state and federal funds but proclaims that the City of Lawrence, Kansas continues to be “a ‘Welcoming City,’ and that it is an inclusive community that thrives on the diversity of backgrounds that inhabit it, and that the safety of all people should be protected regardless of their background, race, religion, or country of origin.” The proclamation is in response to �President Trump’s executive orders. One bans immigrants from selected Islamic countries and another urges the quick deportation of the 11 million illegal immigrants. Another orders the building of a wall along the Mexican border. Local law enforcement already don’t enforce federal immigration laws by asking the status of those they detain or holding them for the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). There is no law requiring local law enforcement officers enforce federal laws. Mar. 7, 2017 Stand Up to Hate Rally Held. A rally is held outside of Victory Bible Church in support of immigrants and their rights. About 150 participate. Some protesters with signs go into the church. The rally is in response to the Douglas County Republican Party bringing an anti-immigrant advocate Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff from Austria to speak at the church on “When Migrants Arrive, Free Speech Depart”. She has said that the rape of children is dictated in Islam and Muslims are conducting a secret Jihad that was spreading throughout Europe through immigration and high birth rates. Sharia Law does condone child marriage which is still widely practiced in Islamic countries. However, the vast majority of emigrants are migrating to Europe for safety, freedom and a better standard of living. Muslim women in Europe have on average 2.1 children each compared to 1.5 children for other European women. Mar. 8, 2017 A Day Without a Woman/International Women’s Day. What would happen in a world where women didn't exist? That's what people around the globe on demonstrate by taking part in one of the largest-ever International Women's Day protests. "A Day Without a Woman," encourages participants to skip work or school and avoid purchasing anything in stores or online to show just how critical a role women play in society. In Lawrence a seven-hour event is held in Watson Park with speakers, poetry and live music. The crowd peaks at about 200. April 1, 2017 Community Mercantile to Go Solar. The Community Mercantile, a natural foods cooperative with 7,000 member—owners, announces it will go solar. It will have Cromwell Environmental install solar panels on the roof and on a car port in the parking lot. The panels will provide 29% of the electricity needs of The Merc which is considerable due to the freezers and refrigerators. There will be a plug-in for electric cars so they can charge up using solar power. A Baldwin bank will finance the project. The installation begins in late October. April 22, 2017 March for Science. On April 22—Earth Day—in Washington, D.C. and across the globe, thousands of scientists and their supporters gathered in 600 satellite marches from Sydney to southern Manhattan, to march in solidarity with science over politics, facts over fiction, and the unbridled pursuit of progress. According to organizers, the march is a non-partisan movement to celebrate science and the role it plays in everyday lives. The goals of the marches and rallies were to emphasize that science �upholds the common good and to call for evidence-based policy in the public's best interest. The March for Science organizers and supporters say that support for science should be nonpartisan. The march is being organized by scientists skeptical of the agenda of the Trump administration, and critical of Trump administration policies widely viewed as hostile to science. The march's website states that an "American government that ignores science to pursue ideological agendas endangers the world.” From the staffing of the EPA with climate change deniers, to the rolling back of President Obama’s environmentally protective orders, to the appointment of an oil executive as Secretary of State, the Trump administration seems to be conducting a war against the planet. Many Lawrence scientists attend either the march in Washington, DC which had several hundred thousand participants or the event in Kansas City which has 5,000 in Washington Park. April 29, 2017 People’s Climate Change March in KCMO. A People’s Climate Change Rally and March is held in Kansas City. About 200 participate in the march which is held in the rain. In is held in conjunction with a large march in Washington, DC which has 200,000 participants. The marchers are opposed to the Trump Administration which is rescinding initiatives President Obama adopted to reduce CO2 levels. Ignoring the protests he announces on June 1 that he is pulling he US out of the Paris Climate Accord. Trump has appointed several people to his cabinet who don’t believe that Climate Change is due to human activity. Several Lawrence residents attend the Kansas City event. Twice as many turned out in September, 2014, in New York City for a similar march. Jun 28, 2017 Health Care Bill Protest in Olathe. About 100 protesters protest outside of U.S. Senator Jerry Moran’s district office in Olathe calling on him to vote against the Senate Republicans’ Health Care bill which would repeal the Affordable Care Act and result in 23 million losing their health insurance. It is co-sponsored by Indivisible Lawrence. August 13, 2017 Lawrence: Solidarity with Charlottesville Rally. An anti-hate rally in solidarity with those killed and injured Charlottesville is held in South Park. About 400 participate. On August 12, hundreds of White nationalists attacked counter demonstrators in Charlottesville, VA. One is killed and dozens are injured but the injuries could have been greater. Reportedly, about 20 members of a group called the Redneck Revolt, which describes itself as an anti-racist, anti-capitalist group dedicated to uniting working-class whites and oppressed minorities, carried rifles and formed a security perimeter around the counter protesters in Justice Park and saved many counter protesters from attack. Redneck Revolt was formed by former members of Lawrence Solidarity!, an anarchist group active in the early 2000s. Over the past year �Trump encouraged xenophobia and violence at his campaign rallies and other events. His close advisor Steve Bannon is active in the Alt-Right movement. The Lawrence rally is sponsored by The Resistance LFK and the Women's March on Washington – Kansas. Most of the speakers are Black militants who harangue the mostly white audience and tell the crowd to look at the racism was in their own hearts and in Lawrence itself and that they need to act. A moment of silence is held. Aug. 2017 Probability of a New Civil War. Foreign Policy magazine asks a group of national security experts to assess the chances of a civil war over the next 10 to 15 years. The consensus stood at 35 percent. August 21, 2017 Mass Meeting for the Poor People’s Campaign. A mass meeting is held in Topeka calling for a new Poor People’s Campaign like that proposed by Martin Luther King in 1968. The keynote speaker is Rev. William Barber who launched the "Moral Monday Movement" in his home state of North Carolina in response to extremists there, where a large group have gathered in their state house every single Monday for five years to make certain that their state legislators hear about the people's needs. Over 800 people attend the event including many Lawrencians. Barber calls for highly publicized civil disobedience and direct action over a 6-week period in at least 25 states and the District of Columbia during the Spring of 2018, the Poor People’s Campaign will force a serious national examination of the enmeshed evils of poverty, racism, the war economy and environmental devastation during a key election year while strengthening and connecting informed and committed grassroots leadership in every state, increasing their power to continue this fight long after June 2018. Apparently, a national campaign does not materialize. Sept. 7, 2017 Lawrence Defends DACA Solidarity March. In response to President Trump rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, a march with about 150 participants is held downtown. Mayor Leslie Soden addressed the crowd after the march. DACA is an American immigration policy established by the Obama administration in June 2012. DACA allows certain illegal immigrants who entered the country as minors to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit. Approximately 800,000 such young people (referred to as "Dreamers" after the DREAM Act) were enrolled in the program as of 2017. The program will end in six months unless Congress or the courts act. This will force Dreamers to go underground or back to the country where their parents’ country of origin. Kansas has an estimated 7,000 Dreamers who are contributing to the state’s economy or are in school. There could be up to 200 Dreamers in Lawrence. In 2020, the US Supreme Court rules that the program can’t be ended by the Trump Administration �unless the Administrative Procedures Act is followed. Sept. 2017. New Plant at Landfill Capturing Methane Opens. Hamm’s Quarries opens a $20 million plant which captures methane at Lawrence’s landfill and is producing 4 million gallons of fuel a year used by a number of municipalities and trucking fleets with vehicles powered by compressed natural gas. The EPA estimates that about 20% of all methane (a potent Greenhouse gas) is released by landfills. Sept. 5, 2017 Protest Against Tyson Chicken Plant. Protests begin against a proposed chicken processing plant south of Tonganoxie which is just 10 miles from Lawrence. Tyson has been fined for water and air pollution caused by other plants. The plant would employ 1,600 workers which could put a strain on schools and housing. A few days later an organizational meeting in Chieftain Park has up to 1,000 in attendance including some Lawrence residents. The plant could also have a negative impact upon Lawrence. Then on Sept. 15, 2017, about 2,500 people attend a public forum on the proposal in Chieftain Park. Three state legislators attend event and are at first neutral and want more information, but by the end of the event they are opposed to the factory. Subsequently, Tyson puts the project on hold and other communities in the state volunteer to host the plant. Oct. 1, 2017 Let the People Vote Campaign Launched. ACLU People Power and ACLU of Kansas holds a launch event for a new voting rights campaign, Let People Vote. This event is at the Lied Center in Lawrence, KS and live streamed into house parties across �the country. This is in response to voter suppression campaigns in Kansas and across the country. Five states including Oregon and Utah have voting by mail in which all registered voters are mailed ballots. This increases voter participation. Oct. 15, 2017 Me Too (or #Me Too) Movement Takes Off. The Me Too (or #MeToo) movement, is a movement against sexual abuse and sexual harassment where people publicize allegations of sex crimes committed by powerful and/or prominent men. The phrase "Me Too" was initially used in this context on social media in 2006, on Myspace, by sexual harassment survivor and activist Tarana Burke.[4] Similar to other social justice and empowerment movements based upon breaking silence, the purpose of "Me Too", as initially voiced by Burke as well as those who later adopted the tactic, is to empower women through empathy and solidarity through strength in numbers, especially young and vulnerable women, by visibly demonstrating how many women have survived sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace. Following the exposure of the widespread sexual assaults by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in early October 2017, the movement began to spread virally as a hashtag on social media. On October 15, 2017, American actress Alyssa Milano posted on Twitter, "If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote 'Me too' as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem," saying that she got the idea from a friend. Lawrence women are interested in this as several KU professors and even one former chancellor have been accused of sexual harassment or abuse. Oct. 28, 2017 Resist Tricks or Tweets—Dump Trump March. A small crowd of perhaps 50 protest Trump and his policies in South Park. The turnout is much lower than one year ago after he was elected when 300 marched downtown. There are many possible reasons why the turnout is lower including lack of publicity, cold temperatures, the public has become resigned to the new political reality, and a perception that protests have little effect. It is sponsored by MoveOn of Johnson County. Nov. 6, 2017 Affordable Housing Proposition Passes. A proposition funding affordable housing initiatives is approved by Lawrence voters by a wide margin after a grassroots campaign by Justice Matters. According to the organization it called on 28,000 voters, delivered up to 15,000 fact sheets, and put up hundreds of yard signs. The sales tax of 0.05% will yield about $1 million in revenues annually which can be leveraged into funding affordable housing projects. A significant percentage of households in Lawrence �are spending more than they can afford on housing. The tax is regressive, especially since food is taxed in Kansas, but at least visitors to the community will help pay for it. Nov. 6, 2017 First Female Majority Elected to City Commission. Lawrence voters elect the first female majority to the city commission. These commissioners are Lisa Larsen, Leslie Soden and Jennifer Ananda. Jan. 20, 2018 Women’s March. On the one year anniversary of the inauguration of President Trump and the first Women’s March, 2,500 people rally in South Park and march down Mass. St. The protesters were protesting Trump’s policies and actions plus advocating for women’s rights. Since Kansas City and Topeka didn’t have marches this year it is thought that many attendees came from those cities. 2018 Community Police Review Board Established. The City Commission establishes the Community Police Review Board. However, it has no real power nor does it reflect the diversity of the community. By mid-2020, it doesn’t investigate a single complaint. There may be a general perception that LPD internal affairs investigations are not be truly independent. Without having the option of appealing to an independent body, citizens who experience a negative interaction with a police officer have no real recourse, except for pursuing a costly lawsuit. The Board should have the power to initiate its own investigations and have broad subpoena powers to produce witnesses and documents. Plus, the LPD should be required to turn over all evidence and videos related to the incident. The board could contract with an independent investigator who reports only to the Board. Further, the Board should have the power to discipline officers if the police chief fails to do so and recommend new or revised police department policies or practices. Such a reconstituted Board should have representatives from the NAACP, ACLU, HINU, Justice Matters and the Fraternal Order of Police. A strong and independent Community Police Review Board would not only expand justice in the community, but reduce the possibility of costly lawsuits and civil unrest. Feb. 3, 2018 March to Protect the Flag. About 75 men who call themselves “Defend the Flag”” and are possibly part of the Alt-Right march downtown in support of protecting the American flag. This event is in response to an Internet rumor that people were going hold a “Drag the Flag” event in South Park which never occurred. Many carry the American flag but some also hold the Confederate flag. One person is arrested. A counter-protest by perhaps 50 Black Lives Matter and others is held a few hours later. For some, the flag is a symbol of freedom and liberty, our common home and all values we hold dear. For others it symbolizes oppression and imperialism. In 1989 the US Supreme Court ruled that burning the flag is protected speech under the First Amendment. �Feb. 8, 2018 March in Support of Scientist. About 150-200 people march in downtown Lawrence in support of Syed Ahmed Jamal, a Bangladeshi-born Lawrence scientist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a deportation order after 30 years of residency in the U.S. Jamal overstayed his visa but still has a valid work permit and no criminal record. However, the Trump Administration has started deporting immigrants who do not have permission to stay in the country. Feb. 21, 2018 High School Students Stage Walk-out. More than 400 Free State High School students walk out of classes Wednesday morning in protest of gun violence in schools, including the mass shooting exactly one week ago at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The protest is part of a national response to the Feb. 14 tragedy in Parkland, where former student Nikolas Cruz is suspected of fatally shooting 17 people, most of them teenagers. The crowd stands in silence for 17 minutes to honor the 17 victims in the Florida shooting. Many students carried signs bearing handwritten pleas for gun control: “Protect kids not guns,” “Enough is enough” and “Kids should learn reading not hiding.” About 75 Central Middle School students and 40 LHS students stage a walk-out in solidarity. Both President Trump and Congress which is controlled by Extreme Right Republicans, refuse to address gun control issues, primarily because they receive campaign contributions from the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA is also effective in mobilizing members to lobby Congress. March 3, 2018 Rally Against Jail Expansion. A coalition of four groups holds a rally on the steps of the Courthouse against expanding the county jail. About 40 people participate. The coalition is composed of Justice Matters, Kansas Appleseed, Lawrence Sunset Alliance, and the local chapter of the NAACP. The coalition urges voters to vote against the mail ballot referendum proposition approving a sales tax for expanding the jail and building a mental health crisis center. Opponents believe the projects should have not been in the same question. They also believe that all alternatives to incarceration in jail should be exhausted before any jail extension and that a sales tax (esp. on food) is regressive. If the proposition fails, the Douglas County Commission has stated it will expand the jail in phases using property taxes but not build a mental crisis center. After citizens voted down a new police headquarters a few years ago, the City Commission imposed a 1.25 mills levy beginning January 1, 2018, to pay for a new police headquarters. Many contend that these actions are anti-democratic because they subvert the will of the voters. After a contentious and intense campaign (both sides utilize yard signs and mailings), the referendum fails by a slim margin (53-47%). Subsequently,, the County Commission holds a public forum on how they should go forward and nearly 500 attend. The project is canceled in 2021. �March 14, 2018 Gun Control Walkout. For 17 minutes starting at 10 a.m., hundreds of Lawrence students join countless others across the country in a walkout to honor the 17 victims of last month’s Parkland, Fla., shooting and to protest gun violence. Wednesday marks one month since the shooting at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, a tragedy that has not faded from the minds of young activists at Lawrence High School. Around 400 students walk out of classes Wednesday and gather near the school’s front entrance, where sophomore Elliot Bradley reads the 17 names of the Parkland victims aloud. His peers stand silently as Bradley spoke of the victims and lives cut short by gun violence. He and his fellow protesters are seeking legislative change in an effort to prevent such shootings in the future, and they say they aren’t backing down. Lawrence High School is also the site of “Wrap the Walkout,” a local initiative calling on adults to “wrap” themselves around the school in a symbolic show of support and protection. Around 200 parents and community members participate (Lawrence Journal-World 3-15-18). On April 20 about 100 LHS students walk out and march to South Park for a rally where they are joined by about another 500 people. Due to the power of the NRA and Far Right Republican leadership, Congress fails to take any action such as re-instituting the ban on assault weapons and raising the age to buy firearms to 21. Due to the power of the NRA the Kansas legislature completely pre-empted any local regulation of firearms. March 20, 2018 Tobacco 21 Campaign to Raise Age to Buy Cigarettes. A group of Boys and Girls Club members ask the Lawrence City Commission to raise the age to buy regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes to 21. They say that many in high school are using ecigarettes which is negatively affecting their health. Research shows that tobacco is readily available to teens under 18 and the younger one starts smoking, the harder it is to quit. Tobacco 21 is a national campaign to raise the age to 21. In Kansas 19 cities and counties have already raised the age to 21. Lawrence Tobacco 21 Task Force is planning to propose that the Lawrence City Commission adopt an ordinance raising the age to 21. The FDA is proposing to lower nicotine levels in cigarettes to a level where tobacco is not addictive. In December, 2019, the US Congress passes a bill outlawing the sale of tobacco and vaping products to those under 21. The Kansas Dept. of Revenue will enforce this, apparently negating the need for additional action by the City. March 24, 2018 March for Our Lives. A rally and march are held in support of legislation sensible gun control. Over 1,700 people rally in South Park and then march downtown. There are very few high school students. The slogan is “Enough is enough”. Participants are encouraged to register to vote and vote in the upcoming elections. Hundreds of thousands marched in Washington, DC and more than 800 cities in the US and around the world. An estimated 5,000 gather in KCMO and outside of the capitol in �Topeka. Many want to re-institute the ban on assault weapons and raise the age to buy firearms to 21. In the last eight months there have been three major mass shootings in the US. The Kansas Legislature passed a law prohibiting cities and counties from regulating firearms in any way. This law violates the spirit of Home Rule. April 4, 2018 50th Anniversary of The First Great Uprising. Fifty years ago on US paused to honor and remember the slain Civil Rights leader, including 10,000 at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. In Lawrence on April 7, a vigil by Blacks and Whites was attended by some 1,000 people in South Park. After the assassination, the worst racial civil unrest in US history occurred in over 125 US cities. Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, DC and Kansas City were the hardest hit cities rocked by violence including rioting and looting. Nearly 70,000 troops were called out to quell the violence and 47 people were killed. In Kansas City, five Blacks and two police officers were killed in a gun battle on April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. Millions across the between Black militants and police and the national guard. Topeka also had racial disturbances that were quelled by the national guard. The widespread civil unrest is called The Great Uprising by some historians. May 14, 2018 Poor People’s Campaign Civil Disobedience in Topeka. Two dozen people are issued citations after engaging in an act of civil disobedience at 9th and Topeka Blvd. The protest was part of actions by the Poor People’s Campaign, a nonviolent group that united across the state to mobilize voters and deliver hope to people in poverty. Around 3 p.m., a group of protesters begins blocking the middle of the intersection and the entrance to the Kansas Chamber of Commerce office on Topeka Blvd. It is thought that several protesters are Lawrence residents. June 30, 2018 Immigration Rally & March. About 700 people attend a rally in South Park and march down Massachusetts Street to protest President Donald Trump’s "zero tolerance" immigration policies which have resulted in the arrest and prosecution of refugees and the separation of 3,000 children from their parents along the southern US border. The event is organized by Families Belong Together and the KU Chapter of Amnesty International. There an estimated 750 other rallies across America the same day. Due to public outcry President Trump is compelled to sign an executive order reuniting families and stopping the practice of separating children from parents. However, this process takes months. The latter is contrary to international law. Many crossing the border have been seeking asylum as refugees from Central America trying to escape violence. Refugees have the “right to seek and be granted asylum in a foreign territory, in accordance with the legislation of the state and international conventions.” [American Convention on Human Rights, art. 22(7); African [Banjul] Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, art. 12(3).] In 1984, a group of Latin American governments �adopted the Cartagena Declaration, which like the OAU Convention, added more objectivity based on significant consideration to the 1951 Convention. The Cartegena Declaration determine that a 'refugee' includes: Persons who flee their countries because their lives, safety or freedom have been threatened by generalised violence, foreign aggression, internal conflicts, massive violation of human rights or other circumstances which have seriously disturbed public order.[7] August 11, 2018 Art is the Voice for Freedom Counter-protest. Ten “Defend the Flag” alt-Right protesters meet in South Park but decide not to march down Mass. St. Organizers say it is not in response to alleged desecration of the American flag in artwork with black blotches depicting the divisions of America on the US flag on the KU campus on a flag pole and later in Spencer Museum of Art. Although they say it isn’t in support of the violent alt-Right protests in Charlottesville, VA which resulted in the death of one anti-racism protester. one year earlier, the timing is suspicious. At least 600 people wearing t-shirts with the words, “Art is the Voice for Freedom” and black tshirts line sidewalks along Mass. St., in a counter-protest. In early July Governor Colyer had ordered the KU chancellor to remove the flag art piece from a pole in in front of Spooner Hall. So, the flag art piece was put on display in Spencer Museum of Art. This was contrary to freedom of expression protected under the First Amendment and academic freedom at universities. The Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that burning the American flag is protected under the First Amendment. Oct. 6, 2018 Anti-Trump Protest in Topeka. Dozens of Lawrence residents attend an anti-Trump protest at the Expo Center in Topeka where the president speaks to 11,000 people in support of extreme right Republican candidate Kris Kobach running for governor. An estimated 500 protesters line the outside boundaries of the Expo Center property protesting Trump’s policies and actions. Nov. 3, 2018 Midterm Election to Result in Democratic Control of US House. The election results indicate that the US House will be controlled by the Democrats who will be able to stop the Extremists in the Senate and President Trump from enacting Far Right legislation. Plus, the House will also be able to hold investigations into the misconduct of officials in the Trump Administration. Many of the candidates who win are women including Sharice Davids from Shawnee, KS who will be the first LGBT Native American woman to enter the US House. The election is one of the most bitter and hard-fought elections since perhaps 1968. Women campaign hard for Democratic candidates and work to turn out the vote. Democrats call it a referendum on Trump which he lost. �Kansas voters also reject the flamboyant Extreme Right candidate Kris Kobach by electing moderate Democrat Laura Kelly to the governorship. Kelly wins every urban county (except for Reno and Saline) and every state university county (except for Ellis) and beats Kobach by 4.5 percent points. She plans to reverse former governor Brownback’s regressive policies. She proposes to expand Medicaid to 140,000 lowincome citizens (Brownback vetoed the last time legislation to do this passed the Legislature), push for fully funding public education (required by the Kansas Supreme Court), and protect the rights of LBGT state workers. Lawrence voters vote overwhelmingly for Kelly. Nov. 3, 2018 Mental Health Referendum Passes. Because Justice Matters campaigns heavily, County voters approve a quarter-cent countywide sales tax that will build an $11 million behavioral health campus in the 1000 block of West Second Street (north of Bert Nash Mental Health Center) and provide $4.15 million annually for campus operational costs and additional services for those with mental illness and those struggling with substance abuse. The campus will feature a 14-bed crisis center which will provide for crisis stabilization, medication-assisted detox, and respite beds for stays up to 14 days. The campus will also have transitional housing which can house up to 12 clients of Bert Nash. This will allow people with mental and substance abuse problems to transition back into the community by having supportive housing with stays from six to 12 months. Also, the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority will provide and operate 10 permanent supportive housing apartments for those with a diagnosed behavior health condition. The length of stay will be flexible and residents will be able to stay for years if they wish. Some of the buildings have solar panels. Nov. 8, 2018 Pop-up Protest Against Firing of US Attorney General. About 50 Lawrence residents hold a spontaneous protest in front of the Courthouse against Trump’s firing of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions who refused to interfere with the investigation by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller into Russian interference with the 2016 election. Trump waited until after the elections to prevent any voter backlash. However, despite his hands-off approach to the investigation, Sessions has been implementing nearly all of Trump’s Far Right policies and was one of the first to endorse Trump’s candidacy. To date six people in either the Trump Administration or his 2016 campaign have been convicted of crimes due to Mueller’s investigation. Jan. 18, 2019 Indigenous Peoples March. A group of about 30 Haskell Indian Nations University students marches downtown in conjunction with the national Indigenous Peoples March being held in Washington, DC. Some carry signs opposing pipelines across tribal lands such as the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota. HINU Professor Dan Wildcat publishes “Saving the Earth With Indigenous Knowledge”. �Feb. 1, 2019 Nuclear Arms Race Resumes. On February 1, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that the United States is suspending its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and notified Russia and the other treaty parties that the United States would be withdrawing from the treaty in six months, pursuant to Article XV of the treaty, because of material breaches of the treaty by Russia. The INF Treaty required Russia and the United States to eliminate permanently their nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. Trump claims—correctly—that Russia is building and testing systems prohibited by the treaty, including a new cruise missile that the United States claims can travel at prohibited ranges. The Russians have responded by announcing their own plans to withdraw and develop new weapons. The new spending bill which passed Congress in December, 2019, provides $20 million in funding for a "low-yield" W76-2 tactical nuclear warhead to be launched from submarines. According the Federation of American Scientists: "These warheads are so dangerous because they are built to be used. The term “lowyield” is designed to make policymakers think that these nuclear weapons—which are only slightly less destructive than those that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki—could be more readily used. Last year, Congress authorized and funded the construction of these warheads.” The first treaty to eliminate an entire class of nuclear delivery systems, it was the foundation for denuclearizing most of Europe. The INF Treaty removed the most dangerous nuclear weapons from European soil: “intermediate range” weapons that are meant neither for the battlefield nor for long-distance strategic strikes but for nuclear attacks deep into NATO or Russian territory. This action will unleash another nuclear arms race and it comes on the heels of Trump’s ratification of Obama’s $1.3 trillion plan to modernize American’s nuclear arsenal over ten years. Trump also threatens to resume nuclear testing. Lawrence was in the forefront of efforts to reduce the threat of a nuclear war. This included a Nuclear Freeze referendum in 1982, a huge candlelight vigil held when the film “The Day After” (filmed in the same year in Lawrence) was shown, and the 1990 Meeting for Peace. Feb. 19, 2019 Lawrence Women Gain Right to Go Topless in Public. The 10th Circuit US Court of Appeals in Denver rules that women have a constitutional right to go topless in public (Free the Nipple v. City of Fort Collins, Case No. 17-1103).This decision applies to six states including Kansas and therefore nullifies any state law or local ordinance to the contrary. Subsequently, the City of Ft. Collins, CO repeals its Indecent Exposure ordinance in early September, 2019 which is followed by the City of Manhattan, KS which amended its Indecent Exposure ordinance. The court based its opinion on the �Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution. Despite becoming aware of this ruling, Lawrence city officials do not acknowledge or address this issue. Mar. 15, 2019 US Youth Climate Strike. Inspired by young people in Europe (i.e. Belgium) who have been striking (walking out of school) on Fridays to protect inaction by adults on Climate Change, young people all across America walk out in protest. In Lawrence, however, parents with children organize a march down Mass St. There are from 50-75 participants. For some reason, local high school students are not involved as they are in Europe. The European youth are inspired by Greta Thunberg, a 15-year-old Swedish girl who addressed the UN Conference on Climate Change in December, 2018, and held the adults accountable. March 19, 2019 City Commission Votes to Lower Penalty for Marijuana. The Lawrence City Commission votes to lower the penalty for simple possession of cannabis to $1 plus $63 in court costs. Police will now generally issue tickets for this municipal infraction. Persons arrested by Douglas County deputies outside of the city limits still face the state penalty of up to one year in jail and a maximum of a $2,500 fine (though the DA later announces that simple possession of cannabis will not be prosecuted). Neighboring Colorado has completely legalized the sale, possession and use of the drug. Typical marijuana used today in Kansas is six times stronger than that used in the 1970s. Scientific research indicates that heavy marijuana use, especially among teens, can result in long-lasting negative effects including memory loss and attention deficit disorder. April, 2019 Climate Change Progress in City. A ten-year review of progress made in reducing Greenhouse gases goals set in the 2009 Climate Protection Plan finds that since the baseline year of 2005, greenhouse gas emissions from City of Lawrence operations have dropped by about 17 percent. The community as a whole — which includes the privately owned landfill used by the city — has reduced emissions by 26 percent (the goal for 2019 was a 30% reduction). Most of that reduction was due to Westar Energy relying more on electricity generated by wind and not action undertaken by local governments or residents. CO2 generated by cars and trucks continued to climb locally during the ten-year period even though stricter CAFE standards had been adopted nationally. Some climate scientists assert that Greenhouse gases are not dramatically cut within just a few years, humanity will face major disruptions. May, 2019 Activists Stop HUB Apartment Building Project on Mass Street. After extensive lobbying by historic preservationists and neighborhood activists, the Historic Resources Commission and City Commission vote to deny permits to build a seven-story apartment building for students on Mass. Street at 11th St. The project would have had a negative impact upon the streetscape and Watkins Museum and the Douglas County �Courthouse—both of which are on the National Register. Mass. Street is the number one destination for visitors in Kansas. May 13, 2019 Justice Matters Assembly Envision Community Restorative Justice. Nearly 800 Lawrencians gather at the Nehemiah Assembly to cast a vision for a restorative community. Powerful testimonies are given including the District Attorney who authored a "Study Proposal for Sustainable Incarceration Alternatives" that includes jail reduction strategies such as enhanced diversion programming and establishing new drug courts and the new school superintendent who has stated that Restorative Practices fit into the USD497 Strategic Plan that is currently being developed. Restorative Justice is defined as “a system of criminal justice which focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.” This can result in lower incarceration rates and reduce the need to expand jails and prisons. April 26, 2019 Women’s Right to Choose Upheld in Landmark Decision. The Kansas Supreme Court rules in a 6-1 decision that a right of personal autonomy, which includes the ability to control one's own body, derives from the inalienable natural right of liberty guaranteed by Section 1 of the Kansas Bill of Rights. This ground-breaking decision means that if the US Supreme Court revokes the right to abortion, the procedure will still be legal in Kansas (unless voters vote to amend the Kansas Constitution). Pro-choice activists in Lawrence laud the decision. A bill to allow voters to vote in the August, 2022 primary on overturning this decision with an anti-abortion amendment passes the legislature in 2021. June, 2019 Calls Grow for Impeachment of Trump. Many Lawrence residents are among the growing number of Americans who think Donald Trump should be impeached and removed from office for “high crimes and misdemeanors”. These could include obstruction of justice, violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, abuse of the power to pardon, illegally attempting to influence an election, tax fraud, self-dealing, refusal to comply with Congressional subpoenas, etc. However, polls show it is still not nearly a majority of Americans, and the Democratic leadership in the US House is reluctant to pursue this as it could actually increase support for the president for the election next year. Plus, the Republicans who control the US Senate won’t vote to remove him from office (it takes two-thirds of Senators to remove an official from office). July 2, 2019 Advocacy for Ban or Fee on Plastic Bags. Perhaps 75 citizens turn out in total at two Lawrence Sustainability Advisory Board meetings to advocate for either a ban or fee on single-use plastic bags. Research shows that Lawrence residents use over 30 million plastic bags annually and plastic bags take 1,000 years to biodegrade in the �landfill. The board votes unanimously to recommend that the Lawrence City Commission impose a 16-cent fee on both plastic and paper single-use bags. Such a fee would reduce use by at least 60 percent according to researchers. Other proposals include an outright ban on plastic bags and a requirement that retailers charge for paper bags and reusable bags which would be easier to administrate. In early 2020, a bill passes one house in the Kansas Legislature prohibiting cities from imposing plastic bag fees or bans which is clearly against the spirit of Home Rule. The bill is pushed by the powerful Kansas Chamber of Commerce. July 12, 2019 Rally in Solidarity with Immigrants & Refugees. A rally with over 300 participants is held in Buford Watson Park showing support for immigrants and refugees who have borne the brunt of Trump’s anti-humanitarian southern border policies. Organized by Kansas Appleseed, People’s Owned and Operated Collective Housing. Over $1,600 is collected for a fund to help local immigrants for legal services and transportation. On July 2 protesters across the US called for an end to migrant detention centers, voicing outrage over reports of inhumane conditions. The UN commissioner on human rights chief investigated and was ‘appalled’ by US border detention conditions, saying holding migrant children may violate international law. Refugees seeking asylum face crowded conditions in detention centers, inadequate food and water and lack of access to restroom facilities. Thousands are children who have been separated from their parents. The refugees are fleeing rampant violence and poverty in Central America. Social justice organizations including MoveOn, United We Dream, and American Friends Service Committee organized the protests against the Trump Administration's zerotolerance policy leading of separation of families and detention of children. Sept. 20, 2019 Lawrence Climate Strike Walkout. A rally sponsored by the local chapter of the Sunrise Movement and Wakarusa Group of the Kansas Sierra Club is held in South Park. About 250 people of all ages including high school and college students listen to speakers and then march to City Hall. A petition is circulated calling on the City Commission to declare a Climate Emergency. Mayor Lisa Larsen talks about what the City has been doing the last ten years to reduce Lawrence’s carbon footprint, but says that the crowd needs to pressure the commissioners and other elected officials to do more. This is a Global Climate Strike by young people which was proposed in 2018 by 15-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg. There is also a rally at City Hall at noon and 75 KU students hold a rally in front of Wescoe Hall. International organizers estimate 4 million people participate worldwide. Anywhere from 60,000 to 250,000 people march in New York City and 100,000 in London. President Trump has weakened or repealed over 100 environmental regulations and initiatives since taking office �including backing out of the Paris Climate Accord and weakening Obama’s Clean Power Program. Aug. 28, 2019 Greta Thunberg Tours North America. Greta Thunberg, the sixteen-yearold Swedish girl who launched the Global Climate Strike, travels to the US by sailboat and tours the continent with her father in an electric car for 11 weeks beginning August 28. She gives talks at climate change rallies in various cities including Los Angeles and Charlotte, NC. October 22, 2019 FBI still Spying on Citizens. The October 22 issue of The Intercept states, "Since 2010, the FBI has surveilled black activists and Muslim Americans, Palestinian solidarity and peace activists, Abolish ICE protesters, Occupy Wall Street, environmentalists, Cuba and Iran normalization proponents, and protesters at the Republican National Convention. And that is just the surveillance we know of — as the civil liberties group Defending Rights & Dissent documents in a report published today. The report is a detailed catalog of known FBI First Amendment abuses and political surveillance since 2010, when the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General published the last official review of Bush-era abuses. The incidents the report references, many of which were previously covered by The Intercept, were largely exposed through public records requests by journalists, activists, and civil rights advocates. The FBI relentlessly fought those disclosures, and the documents we have were often so heavily redacted they only revealed the existence of initiatives like a “Race Paper” or an “Iron Fist” operation, both targeting racial justice activists, while giving away little detail about their content." Of course this can have a chilling effect on people exercising their First Amendment rights. It is likely that Lawrence activists have been spied on. Nov. 5, 2019 First Latino Elected to City Commission. Lawrence voters elect Courtney Shipley who is the first Latino elected to the Lawrence City Commission. Dec. 5, 2019 Lawrence to Study Free Bus Service. The Kansas City, MO City Council votes to implement free citywide bus service. Now, Lawrence officials are considering doing the same as ridership is down 10.9% in just two years. There are many advantages to free bus service, including: (1) increased ridership; (2) quicker and easier boarding of buses; (3) less idling for buses; (4) greater access to jobs and schools for very lowincome residents; and, (5) a slight reduction in air pollution and traffic congestion. The new transit director will study the issue and report back to the City Commission. The City eventually agrees to implement free citywide bus service for 2023. Dec. 18, 2019 City Adopts Clean Energy Policy. The Lawrence City Commission votes to adopt a Clean Energy Policy. The Sustainability Advisory Board voted unanimously on November 13, 2019, to recommend that the City Commission adopt a policy to achieve �use of 100% clean, renewable energy according to the following: • by 2025 for electricity in municipal operations, • 2040 for all energy sectors in municipal operations, • 2035 for electricity community-wide, and • 2050 for all energy sectors communitywide. A plan to implement these goals will be developed and approved in the future. At least 15 people testify in front of the City Commission support of this. Dec. 18, 2019 Trump Impeached in House but Acquitted in Senate. President Donald Trump is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors in the US on a mostly party-line vote. He is “indicted” for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress. There is clear and convincing evidence that he personally blocked funds destined to Ukraine in order to convince the president of Ukraine to investigate the son of political opponent former Vice President Joe Biden. However, he is acquitted in a trial in the US Senate in a vote along party lines (with only one Republican voting to convict and remove him) on Feb. 5, 2019. This is another indication of a democratic system failure. No US president has ever been impeached, convicted and removed from office. Seven of Trump’s associates including his personal attorney Michael Cohen have been convicted of various crimes. Trump has engaged in various acts of malfeasance over the past three years including obstruction of justice, self-dealing with his foundation and violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. According to the New York Times, by April 2020, Trump had stated 18,000 lies, falsehoods or half-truths during his tenure in office. The evidence has become clear that he is both a pathalogical liar and sociopath. Jan. 16, 2020 Kansas Coal-fired Plant Project Finally Killed. Efforts by the environmentalists including the Sierra Club (and many Lawrence environmentalists) ultimately results in the cancellation of the Holcomb coal-fired plant project in western Kansas. Their efforts delayed construction long enough until it was no longer financially viable (wind and gas became cheaper sources). No new coal-fired plant has been built in the US since 2015 and none is under construction. Coal is still the largest single energy source for electricity generation in Kansas, and in 2018 accounted for 39% of the state's power generation. In 2018, Kansas ranked among the top five states in total wind energy generation and had a larger share of electricity generated from wind energy (36%) than any other state. The Evergy coal-fired plant north of Lawrence continues to pump CO2 into the atmosphere. Jan. 18, 2020 Sister March. About 100 Lawrence residents gather in South Park and march through the downtown in support of acceptable, food security, healthcare, Earth care, equality and tolerance. The event is held in conjunction with Women’s Marches held around the country, including New York City. Women’s Marches started in 2017 in opposition to President Trump’s policies. There also rallies in Topeka and Kansas City. �Jan. 22, 2020 Homeless Population Jumps. The results of the 2020 point-in-time homeless count identified 408 total homeless people in Lawrence on Jan. 22, the day the count was conducted. Of those, 148 were in emergency shelters, 185 in transitional housing, and 75 were living outside. This is significantly higher than the roughly 200 individuals identified a few years ago. As recent as the 1980s there were only two visibly homeless individuals. The increase is in spite of ongoing efforts by groups such as Family Promise, the Lawrence-Douglas County Authority, Habitat for Humanity, Bert Nash Mental Health Center and Lawrence Community Shelter to get homeless families and individuals into permanent housing. The causes of homelessness are many, including the lack of affordable housing (rising housing costs and Congress is not fully funding the Section 8 or public housing programs), low wages, lack of good-paying jobs, and mental and substance abuse problems. Lawrence has yet to adopt the Housing First program which successfully reduced the homeless population in Salt Lake City. Jan. 25, 2020 No War With Iran Rally & March. Nearly 40 Lawrence residents hold a rally along Mass. St. in South Park in protest against any war with Iran. The event is sponsored by the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice, ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism), Code Pink and Organization for Socialism and Liberation (OSL). Subsequently, about 15 march through the downtown. Hostilities had escalated in early January between the US and Iran after the President Trump approved the drone killing in Iraq of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian general who was the commander of the Quds Force, a division primarily responsible for extraterritorial military and clandestine operations (i.e. terrorist operations). There are marches and rallies around the world protesting any war with Iran. Jan. 29, 2020 Jail Expansion Approved Despite Opposition. Despite Douglas County voters voting against expanding the county jail in a May 2018, referendum, the Douglas County Commission votes to approve a smaller expansion to cost at least $30 million (plus annual operating costs of $2.6 million). A protest is held in South Park before the county commission hearing. About 30 people testify against jail expansion. It is apparent that the commissioners had made up their minds literally years ago. Representatives of Justice Matters and others urge the commissioners to delay a decision until two studies can be completed which could result in actions eliminating overcrowding. The commission’s vote is seen by many as undemocratic and against the will of the people. Justice Matters and Kansas Appleseed sue the County demanding that a referendum be held as required by law but a circuit-riding judge rules that Justice Matters and Kansas Appleseed don’t have standing. Mar. 10, 2020 Protests at State Capitol Over Medicaid Expansion. About 50 people protest the inaction by the legislature on expanding Medicaid to about 130,000 �additional Kansans. About 23 people are removed by police. It is sponsored by Kansas Adapt, the Poor People's Campaign, and the Interfaith Clergy. State Senate President Susan Wagle refuses to let senators vote on a bipartisan compromise bill. The bill dies for the year during the wrap-up session on May 21, denying about 10,000 Douglas County residents health insurance during a health crisis. Mar. 11, 2020 Pandemic Declared by WHO. The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the rapidly spreading COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, acknowledging what has seemed clear for some time — the virus will likely spread to all countries on the globe. The pandemic started in Wuhan, China in December, 2019. The Chinese Communist dictatorship covered up the extent of the problem and failed to deal with it early on which allowed it to spread across the globe. WHO also failed in its mission to control the pandemic early on. US economic production slows and the Dow Jones average drops 20% over two weeks despite an emergency interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. The price of oil per barrel goes into the negative realm (below $0.01) for the first time ever. Mar. 24, 2020 Lockdown America. In the most unsettling time in US history since the World War II mobilization, rationing and blackouts, America shuts down to counter the deadly and highly contagious COVID-19 pandemic. Stay-at-home orders issued by local health officials and governors “mandate” that people stay at home and nonessential businesses close plus schools and libraries are closed. Workers are laid off or furlowed or ordered to work from home. The Douglas County Health Officer issues a stay-athome order effective March 24 one week in advance of the Kansas governor’s order. Lawrence’s streets are nearly empty of cars for the first two weeks. Local crime goes down substantially (excluding domestic violence). The number of persons in the county jail declines markedly. Local unemployment soars to over 15%, the highest level since the Great Depression. Unemployment benefits rules are relaxed and recipients get an extra $600 per week from federal funds. Nearly all adult Americans receive a $1,200 relief/stimulus payment from the US Treasury. LMH emergency room visits drop by 45% in April and elective surgeries are postponed resulting in millions of dollars in reduced revenues. After a delay of several weeks, the Centers for Disease Control encourages people to wear masks when in public, but many young people (and a significant percentage of Republicans) ignore this recommendation. Social distancing rules which encourage people avoid being closer than six feet to nonfamily members are implemented but ignored by many young people. Hording of some products such as toilet paper is widespread resulting in shortages. KU closes down the Lawrence campus, as classes move online for the rest of the semester. KU projects a $120 million shortfall for FY 2021 �and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences projects a fall enrollment decline of 12 percent. Such a decline would negatively impact local businesses and apartment owners. Haskell Indian Nations Uni. closes its campus early and decides not to reopen in the fall for in-person instruction but to hold classes online. April 10, 2020 The Great Pause. As car and airline travel (and to a lesser degree industrial production) plummet, people observe a carless Los Angeles with blue skies as air pollution simply stops. In the quiet of New York City, people can hear birds chirp in the middle of Madison Avenue. Coyotes are spotted on the Golden Gate Bridge. People with respiratory diseases breathe easier. Fewer people and animals are killed on highways. Rivers and streams are cleaner. Excessive consumerism with its negative environmental impacts declines markedly. With the lack of activities inside and out, local trailheads are full as many people go on walks or bike rides. By fall things return to “normal”. April 13, 2020 50th Anniversary of Revolt in River City. Fifty years ago this week in 1970, Lawrence became the epicenter of nationwide unrest over civil rights and the Vietnam War. Black liberation militants and young White radicals (dubbed "Street People") created a “pre-revolutionary” situation in Lawrence with a virtual guerrilla war. Bands of Black Power activists engage in gun battles with the police. Some Black militants are members of KU’s Black Student Union while others are young townspeople. On April 20, a firebomb fire destroyed part of the Kansas Union causing over $1 million (over $6.6 million in 2020 dollars) in damage. The rumor among activists was that a Black SDS member started the fire. However, a KU janitor was later caught starting fires on campus and sent to Topeka State Hospital. Arson, firebombings, sniping, and bombings were widespread in predominantly Black sections of East and North Lawrence and what the media dubbed "Hippy Haven" near KU. Snipers shot at fire fighters putting out arson fires. Beginning April 21, three nights of emergency curfew were imposed and the Kansas National Guard patrolled the streets (with the police) and arrested 75. A savings and loan was bombed twice as well as a judge's house. April 22, 2020 50th Anniversary of Earth Day. Fifty years ago today the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, in which millions of Americans participated and which paved the way for the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Environmental Protection Agency and other landmark legislation. In Lawrence an Environmental Teach-in was held the week of April 22-28. The main event, sponsored by Ecology Action, was held in Hoch Auditorium on April 23. On April 25 Ecology Action sponsored a canoe trip down the Kansas River to observe the water pollution. There was also a fair with live music and picnic in South Park. KU alumnus and author of “The Population Bomb” Paul Ehrlich �spoke on April 28. An Earth Day Open Forum entitled Politics of Ecology was held in the University Theatre with a panel of six KU professors. Although the 20th anniversary in 1990 mobilized 200 million people in 141 countries, lifted the status of environmental issues onto the world stage, gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, celebration of the 50th Anniversary was not expected to be nearly as extensive or have much of an impact. Most of those events that were planned were cancelled due to the pandemic, including Lawrence’s annual Earth Day Fair. May 4, 2020 America Gradually Reopens. With improving pandemic metrics (declines in the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths) in some states, stay-at-home orders and business closures are gradually lifted in phases with some restrictions. Retail shops in Lawrence begin to reopen and some Lawrence restaurants begin to allow customers to dine inside, but some restaurants will never reopen. Douglas County is more cautious in re-opening than most other counties in Kansas despite only having 150 confirmed cases, a handful of hospitalizations and no deaths. Nationally, over 150,000 people die from COVID-19, but without the stay-at-home orders, social distancing and other measures, the death toll could have been several times higher. Despite the mishandling of the federal response to the pandemic by the White House and constant misinformation provided by President Trump, his approval rating remains steady at 41 percent. May 20, 2020 Open Space Study. The County receives a $26,000 grant from Partners for Places matched by the Douglas County Community Foundation for Phase I of an Open Space Study. The county is experiencing multiple pressures directly affecting the landscape of the community and has lost many native prairie and forest tracts and thousands of acres of prime farmland in just the last three decades due land use changes, population growth, and exurban development. The creation of an Open Space Plan will be a game-changer for the community and is expected to expand options for both public and private land owners, which will lead to flood damage control, maintaining rural character, enhancing overall ecological integrity, preservation of history, and ultimately, higher quality of life. Common elements of open space plans include trails, buffers between land uses and waterways, native prairies, wetlands, wildlife habitat, agricultural lands and historic sites. Conservation easements are commonly used to preserve open space. Phase I studies existing data and policies, build a relationships with key stakeholders, and identifies community values and shared vision related to open space. Phase II identifies actions the community can take to fulfill its values and vision. This could include designating target conservation areas, policy changes, changes in organizational �structure, and identifying ongoing funding for implementation. Phase III hosts demonstration projects and implements the plan. Larimer County, Col. (Ft. Collins) has preserved over 43,000 acres using revenues from a ¼ sales tax voters passed in 1995 and renewed in 2005. Some entities use the proceeds from issuing Open Space Bonds approved by voters. Development impact fees are another option. May 20, 2020 Trump Weakens or Rescinds Environmental Rules. According to the New York Times, President Trump has weakened or repealed over 100 environmental regulations and initiatives since taking office including backing out of the Paris Climate Accord and weakening Obama’s Clean Power Program. He also put on hold enforcement of certain environmental laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions undoubtedly negatively impact the environment of the Sunflower State and the people of Kansas and Lawrence. May 31, 2020 Second Great Uprising. An estimated 2,000 protesters dressed in mourning black and wearing masks to protect others from the COVID-19 virus peacefully march from City Hall to South Park opposing ongoing police brutality against persons of color and for justice for George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer on May 25. An officer is videotaped pressing his knee on the back of the neck of the Floyd who was handcuffed behind his back and lying face down. The victim told the officer he couldn’t breathe, but the officer continued the pressure for over eight minutes resulting in a fatal heart attack. The entire state national guard is deployed to quell several nights of rioting and looting in the city and nearby St. Paul. In Topeka a crowd of about 500 gathers around the steps of the Kansas Statehouse on May 25 listening to speeches and holding signs such as “Black Lives Matter” and “No Justice, No Peace”. During the two weeks following the death of Floyd, large demonstrations in New York, Houston, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Tulsa, Kansas City, Wichita, Hutchinson, Mobile, AL, Lincoln, NE, Salina, Garden City, Denver, Salt Lake City and more than 140 other cities range from people peacefully marching and blocking roads to clashing with police. In contrast to the civil unrest after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968, protesters this time are both black and white. Eventually, more than 20,000 national guard members are called out in 29 states and overnight curfews are imposed. A small number of individuals resort to violence whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism. The Antifa (Anti-Fascist) movement is initially blamed for a significant amount of the violence and property damage. However, the FBI announces it has no reason to believe it is Antifa. There is some speculation that agents provocateur from �the white supremacist movement or the national security apparatus could be involved. Nationwide, there are more than a dozen deaths associated with the protests, over 10,000 arrested, mostly for curfew violations and refusing to obey orders to disperse. Less than 10 percent are arrested for looting, assaulting law enforcement officers, arson or damaging property. More than 140 journalists are attacked by police either deliberately or not. On June 6 massive demonstrations against racism and police brutality fill some of the nation’s most famous cityscapes including Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Michigan Avenue and the National Mall with tens of thousands of people marching peacefully. This is the most widespread civil unrest since after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April of 1968 which some historians called The Great Uprising. The reckoning it prompted about race in America extended to workplaces, classrooms, legislatures; it shook the worlds of art, literature and media. Americans began to talk about their own history differently. They physically pulled down Confederate monuments. The protests led to reforms in police practices and criminal justice systems in some states, towns and cities. In Lawrence, it leads to putting the jail expansion proposal on hold (at least temporarily), expanding the powers and composition of the Community Police Review Board and expanding programs to reduce the number of people sent to jail. Also, a Director of Equity and Inclusion is hired. June 3, 2020 New Electric Buses Could Become Solar-Powered. The City announces it has been approved for a federal grant to buy five electric buses. Electric buses are clean, quiet and fun to ride. If they are charged by photovoltaic solar arrays, they emit very little CO2. Adelaide, Australia operates an electric bus called the Tindo which is charged by a solar array. Baldwin now has a one-megawatt solar array built and operated by Evergy. NextEra is planning to open a 500-megawatt solar farm with battery storage between Baldwin and Gardner. Smaller electric buses hold a 440 kWh charge. The City of Lawrence could build a solar array to charge its buses perhaps resulting in having the first solar-powered buses in the Great Plains region. June 15, 2020 Supreme Court Decision Protects Gays and Lesbians. In a surprise decision, the US Supreme Court rules 6-3 that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gays and lesbians from being fired or not hired due to their sexual orientation. Many Lawrence residents are elated over this as an estimated 6-8 percent of residents are LGBT, the highest percentage in the state. The ruling doesn’t protect LGBT people from discrimation in housing and public accomodations but Lawrence’s Simply Equal ordinance adopted in 1995 does provide this protection. June 22, 2020 Large Shopping Mall Stopped. The planning commission votes unanimosly against rezoning a tract of land south of the South Lawrence Trafficway on �US 59 on which a large shopping mall is proposed to be built. The out-of-town developers propose to build the shopping center just north of the Wakarusa floodplain. Arguments against the project include (1) there is already an oversupply of retail space; (2) it would negatively impact the nearby Baker Wetlands and Wakarusa River; and, (3) the competition from additional corporate chain stores could harm downtown businesses. June 22, 2020 Protest at School District Offices. About 50 vocal protesters gather outside the school district offices demanding more black teachers, approval of a union of para-educators, and removing police officers from schools. Some propose that the police be replaced with unarmed security guards. Para-educators are paid far less than a Living Wage for Lawrence. Fifty years ago in April, 1970, black students were demanding more black teachers. June 27, 2020 Black Lives Matter Encampment. An encampment forms on Mass St. at South Park blocking traffic. Protesters have banners and a blinking yellow sign saying “No Justice, No Peace”. They hold signs like “Defund the Police”, “Black Lives Matter” and “No Jail Expansion”. The protest is led by a coalition of groups headed by Black women demanding that the LPD investigate who hung a banner of a Black man being hanged with the word “Obey” in South Park and defund the police dept. and reallocate the funds to social programs. Perhaps 150 people are in attendance in any one evening. After three days the police attempt to remove the encampment and end up arresting six protesters. The other protesters re-establish the encampment after the police leave and the police decide to let it remain for the time being. The protesters voluntarily end the encampment after five days after Rontarus Washington, a Black man is released from jail where he had spent five years awaiting a final trial for murder of a 19-year-old Latina woman. July 14, 2020 Federal Executions Resume. President Trump ends a 17-year moratorium on executions of offenders convicted of federal capital crimes with the execution of four men after the US Supreme Court refuses to intervene. Also, the Death Row at the Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth now houses four military inmates. The execution chamber utilizes lethal injection. No one has been executed by the military since 1961, but President Trump wants to speed up the process. The El Dorado Correctional Facility holds nine inmates who have been sentenced to death under Kansas law. The Lansing State Prison contains the execution chamber and also uses lethal injection. No one has been executed by the State of Kansas since the US Supreme Court removed its hold on application of the death penalty in 1976. Kansas last carried out an execution in 1965. Because the appeals process is so exhaustive and lengthy, it will be years before any more executions in the state are carried out. �A study published by National Academy of Sciences on April 28, 2014, estimates that 4.1% of those sentenced to death are innocent. So, with 1,516 persons being executed in the US since 1976 when the US Supreme Court ruled that executions could resume, perhaps 62 innocent persons have been executed. Further, due to evolving human values, it can now be asserted that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. Flogging and branding were eventually abolished because they became to be considered inhumane. Inflicting physical pain as a form of punishment is becoming less and less acceptable. However, executions can result in excruciating physical pain. Eventually, the US Supreme Court is likely to rule that capital punishment is contrary to the US Constitution which prohibits “cruel and unusual” punishment. The death penalty doesn’t seem to be a high priority in Lawrence. July 1, 2020 Citizens Advocate for Fewer Arrests. Citizens advocate for the Lawrence Police Dept. and Douglas County Sheriff’s Department to adopt policies that require officers and deputies to issue a “Notice to Appear” to nonviolent misdemeanor offenders instead of arresting them. Then court staff can remind offenders the day before the court hearing with automated texts or phone calls. Of course if the defendant fails to appear, a bench warrant can be issued and served. By reducing the number of arrests, there would be fewer prisoners in jail thereby saving taxpayers money and reducing the need to expand the jail. If George Floyd had been issued a notice to appear for passing one counterfeit bill, he would be alive today. Some citizens are advocating to “de-fund the police” or “fully fund social services”. July 3, 2020 Douglas County Adopts Mask Rule. Governor Kelly issues an order that Kansans are required to wear masks in public places but it lets counties opt out. Unfortunately, 90 out of 105 counties opt out but Douglas County does not and issues its own order. Fines in Douglas County can be up to $2,500 but the health dept. is relying on educational efforts and warnings. Any fines would most likely be $25-$50. Most residents and businesses comply with the order. The metrics later reveal that those counties that didn’t opt out have been more successful in combatting the virus. By September there are 1,500 cases in Douglas County (1/3 still active), over 50 hospitalizations and nine deaths (patients all over 70). July 13, 2020 50th Anniversary of Second Revolt in River City. Fifty years ago this week there was virtual guerrilla warfare in the streets of Lawrence with firebombings, sniping, bombings and arson fires by Black liberation radicals and young White militants. A state of emergency was declared and the governor ordered the Kansas Highway Patrol to patrol the streets. Donald Rick "Tiger" Dowdell, a Black Student Union member, was shot in the back and killed by police officer William Garrett on July 16 after leaving the Afro House, a Black cultural center. Reportedly, Garrett had threatened Dowdell the day �before warning, “I’m going to get you, Dowdell.” The following night after the killing there were at least 12 fire-bombings and a group of 40 armed Black men exchanged gunfire with police and an officer was injured. During a civil disturbance on Oread Ave. on July 20, bystander Harry "Nick" Rice, an 18-year-old white KU student from Leawood, was shot in the back of the neck and killed by police while running away. Reportedly, officer Gale Pinegar bragged for years about killing Rice. Neither Garrett nor Pinegar was held accountable for killing innocent citizens. In Sept. 2020, the City Commission approves historical markers memorializing Rice and Dowdell. Sept. 2020 Memorializing Vinegar Lynching Victims. The City Commission approves an historical marker memorializing three Black men who were lynched from the Kaw River Bridge in 1882 by White vigilantes without due process of law. The men alledgedly robbed and murdered a White man who was found having sex with a 14-year-old Black girl (who was later convicted of homicide and died in prison). One victim was completely innocent. Interestingly enough, several Black men were in the crowd watching the lynching. The Lawrence NAACP chapter is advocating for the marker which is being provided by a national organization. Aug. 4, 2020 Primary Results Stop Jail Expansion. Due to the results of the county commission primary, a majority of commissioners opposed to jail expansion will take office in January. Shannon Portillo (D) and Pam McDermott (R) who are both opposed to jail expansion win their party’s nomination and face off in November. Chief jail expansion cheerleader Nancy Thelman (D) loses by only three votes to Shannon Reid (D), an opponent of jail expansion. Suzanne Valdez wins the district attorney race upsetting Charles Branson who has been in office for 16 years. There are concerns that Valdez, a hardline prosecutor and KU law professor who just switched to the Democratic Party in January, may not continue expanding efforts to reduce the jail population through various reforms belatedly implemented by Branson. Aug. 6, 2020 75th Anniversary of Hiroshima Bombing Remembrance. In memory of the 140,000 killed in the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan in 1945, and the survivors, downtown church bells ring out at 8:15 am which was the time in Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped. A proclamation approved by the City Commission memorializes the victims and honors the survivors and calls for the abolition of nuclear weapons and establishment of an International Peace Center in Lawrence. The event with half a dozen in attendance is organized by Bob Swan who spearheaded many peace initiatives relating to US-Soviet relations, nuclear weapons and war. Aug. 27, 2020 Silent Vigil for Police Violence Victims. About 30 people hold a silent vigil in South Park in solidarity with those killed or wounded by police without just cause. This is in response to police in Kenosha, Wis. shooting an unarmed black man in the �back, thereby paralyzing him. On the third day of consecutive nights of protests in the city, a man from Illinois shoots and kills two protesters. Meanwhile, all summer long there are ongoing Black Lives Matter protests every night in Portland, OR. Some protesters use violent tactics (rock-throwing, Molotov cocktails, firework mortars) against the police and there is looting. The violent protesters could be anarchists. There are complaints that the police are using excessive force to quell the protests. The Black Millennial Movement is part of the BLM. There is a Portland General Defense Committee (a descendant of the In’tl Workers of the World general defense committees). The state police, national guard and federal agents attempt to quell the unrest at different times. During different times there are street battles between ProTrump Far Right extremists like Patriotic Prayer, Q Anon and Proud Boys and left-wing Antifa (Anti-Fascist) radicals (which could include Redneck Revolt which was formed by former Lawrence anarchists) resulting in shooting deaths on both sides. Sept. 1, 2020 QAnon Conspiracy Movement Rises Out of Nat’l Upheaval. In general, QAnon believers assert that President Trump is in the middle of a Biblical war against a “deep state” consisting of a Satanic cabal of baby-eating, child sex-traffickers led by prominent members of the Democratic party (Clintons, Obamas, Pelosi et al), entertainers, select billionaires (Bill Gates, George Soros), Pope Francis, the Dali Lama, and the UN Secretary General, who espouse liberal opinions, anybody who mentions “pizza” and authoritative sources who relay credible information that may cast a negative light on the president. Proponents of this theory believe that one day soon the “storm” will come and Trump, with the help of an anonymous high-ranking military official known as “Q,” will round up members of the deep state, arrest them, and possibly have them executed. Q Anon is a loose digital cult of people that believes it is systematically rooting out the deep state. The FBI declared it in May 2019 a domestic terrorism threat because a few believers have committed acts of violence. Experts correlate the movement with high rates of mental illness, unemployment and criminality. The Q Anon cult is gaining adherents in the Republican Party and more and more members are resorting to violence. They have vowed armed action if the election is “stolen” from Trump. Sept. 5, 2020 Surge in Mail-in Ballots Projected. There is concern that the postal service won’t be able to handle the expected surge in mail-in ballots due to the pandemic and therefore many ballots won’t be counted. This most likely would benefit Republican candidates. President Trump urges people to vote by mail and then in person but this would constitute voter fraud. The Lawrence League of Women Voters tables at the library and other venues registering voters. The County Clerk is installing �special drop-off boxes around town in which voters can safely deposit their mail-in ballots. Sept. 8, 2020 Schools Re-open with Changes. Lawrence schools re-open but the first six weeks are remote learning to lesson the chances of spreading COVID-19. KU re-opened Aug. 24 with a mask requirement (inside/outside) for students, faculty and staff and in order to enter a building everyone has to take a health survey on an app on their cell phone to get a code for the day to enter buildings. KU’s enrollment is down 2.9%. Inperson classes will end before Thanksgiving. Haskell Uni. campus is still closed to the public and all classes are online. Sept. 10, 2020 Plans for Kansas’ Largest Solar Farm Announced. A massive 320 megawatt solar facility west of Gardner in Johnson and Douglas counties (east of Baldwin City) could become a reality if NextEra gets permission from the counties. The company is already acquiring land for the project. It would be combined with 128 megawatts of battery energy storage and connect to a power substation near Gardner which would feed into the greater Kansas City grid. It would provide sufficient electricity to power about 40,000 homes. The City of Lawrence could also build a solar facility on brownfields at the Lawrence VenturePark. Sept. 23, 2020 Jail Expansion Resolution Repealed. Douglas County Commissioners vote unanimously to repeal the resolution authorizing the expansion of the county jail. This is principally due to the primary election results which indicated that the new commissioners taking office in January would cancel the project. The current commissioners had voted for the project in January which would cost $30 million (plus annual operating costs of $2.6 million). As the population of the county increases over time thereby resulting in more criminal offenses being committed, it is likely this will project will be resurrected at some point. Oct. 26, 2020 Trump’s Third Nomination to Supreme Court Ratified. With the Senate ratification of his nomination of Far Right justice Amie Barrett to the US Supreme Court, President Trump cements a 6-3 ultra-conservative, super-majority on the court. This will undoubtedly result in the loss of a number of rights of citizens over the next two or more decades. Plus, many new rights won’t be granted to citizens and the court will nullify or weaken environmental, health and safety, and labor regulations for the benefit of corporations. It is likely that the right to abortion will be overturned. Oct. 22, 2020 Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons to Go Into Effect. Honduras becomes the 50th nation to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons which means the treaty will go into effect January 22, 2021. The nine nuclear powers will not comply with the treaty but they can no longer claim that nuclear weapons are legitimate and �can be used to project power in global affairs. It’s possible that the treaty will give impetus for the US and Russia to negotiate another nuclear arms reduction treaty. Nov. 4, 2020 Campground for Homeless Opens. The City opens a campground for homeless people. Twenty tents on platforms are provided along with three trailers with showers, restrooms and laundry facilities. There is a staff person on site 24/7. The goal is to get campers into permanent housing. It is estimated that 130 individuals are sleeping out in Lawrence. The City received a grant from special federal pandemic recovery funds provided by the CARES Act. The City later uses CARES funds to rent 51 rooms at a motel for the homeless but the bill for damage to the rooms runs into the thousands. Nov. 7, 2020 Biden’s Win Triggers Spontaneous Celebrations. After four days of waiting anxiously for mail-in ballots to be counted in battleground states, former Vice President Joe Biden is declared the winner by the Associated Press of the presidential election after winning the electoral votes of Pennsylvania. This results in spontaneous celebrations around the country including downtown Lawrence with people marching down sidewalks, drivers honking, cheering and sign-waving. The election is the most decisive and contentious since 1968 and leaves the nation deeply divided. Nationally, there are skirmishes between pro-Trump and anti-Trump supporters at state capitols. The country comes dangerously close—73,700 votes across three states – to reelecting Trump. Biden receives 306 electoral votes verses Trump’s 234 and 51% of the popular vote compared to 47% for Trump. However, he ends up losing by 74 electoral votes and 7 million popular votes in an election which by nearly all accounts was seen as free and fair. Many are very disappointed that the worst president in US history is not totally repudiated in a landslide. Over 71% of Douglas County voters voted for Biden on Nov. 3 and many residents are relieved that Trump is not re-elected. Trump launches a Quixotic legal campaign to try to overturn the results in battleground states and claims the election was stolen. Many of his supporters agree with this false claim. On January 6 thousands of die-hard Pro-Trump radicals protest in the Capital and then armed supporters storm the Capitol when Congress certifies the election results. There are confrontations with police. The Democrats win back the Senate by tying with the Republicans 50-50 because Vice President Kamala Harris will cast the deciding vote in any tie. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had refused for four years to let his own Republican senators vote on bills passed by the US House because the bills were sponsored by Democrats. Nov. 7, 2020 Slow-moving Coup Attempt. The coup attempt is an elaborate plot developed over months to claim that the votes in the key swing states were fraudulent, for Mike Pence as the presiding officer of the joint session of the Congress to declare on �that basis that the certification of the presidential election on the constitutionally mandated date could not be done, to force that day to pass into a twilight zone of irresolution, for House Republicans to hold the floor brandishing the endless claims of fraud, to move the decision to the safe harbor of the House of Representatives, voting by states, with a majority of 26 controlled by the Republican party, to deny both the popular vote and the electoral college vote to retain Trump in office. Dec. 2020. New Police Headquarters Building Opens. A new $20 million Lawrence Police Department Headquarters building opens. Voters had voted down the original proposal which would have utilized a special sales tax to fund construction but the City Commission went around voters by revising the proposal and using property taxes to build it. The building has a special comforting and soothing area for crime victims. Combining patrol officers with detectives and administrators all at one site could make the force more effective. December 21, 2020. New Pandemic Relief Bill Passes. A second pandemic relief bill finally passes Congress after months of delay and political wrangling. It extends unemployment benefits for 11 weeks with an extra $300 per week federal benefit but only provides $600 to each American. Trump contends the latter amount is too small. So, a few days later the House passes a bill increasing the payment to $2,000 but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refuses to let the Senate vote on it. Sources Lawrence Journal-World University Daily Kansan Topeka Capital Journal Kansas City Star New York Times Blog post by Julio Vincent Gambuto The Intercept Justice Matters News Releases Facebook posts �Personal accounts and observations by Christine Smith, Clark H. Coan � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Selected Chronology of Political Protests and Events in Lawrence, 2001-2020 Subject The topic of the resource Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Protest movements Student movements Civil rights movements Activism Environmentalism Peace movements Description An account of the resource A chronology of national and local political protests and events, with a focus on events that occurred in Lawrence, Kansas, from 2001 to 2020 . Compiled by Clark H. Coan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Coan, Clark H. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Coan, Clark H. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smith, Christine Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright, Clark H. Coan Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context ClarkCoan_ChronologyPoliticalProtestsEvents_2001-2020.pdf Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant 2001 - 2020 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) World War, 1939-1945. Veterans. Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource In 2003, the Lawrence Public Library partnered with the Dole Institute of Politics and Haskell University to capture the histories of Douglas County’s World War II veterans in the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. From 2005 to 2007, the Lawrence Public Library, the Watkins Museum of History, and the Kansas State Historical Society also embarked on a similar endeavor, the Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project, which was funded by the Kansas State Legislature. This collection contains many of the video recordings and more information about the interviews conducted for these projects. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Johnston, Pattie Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Cobb, Donald Location The location of the interview Lawrence (Kan.) Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211942">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211942</a> Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 1:57:08 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 127 kbit/s (audio) 1627 kbit/s (video) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Donald E. Cobb World War II Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Cobb, Donald E. Description An account of the resource Donald Cobb served as a combat medic in the United States Army (271st Engineer Battalion, 71st Infantry Division) during the Second World War. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on April 26, 2007, Cobb talked about his military experiences. Cobb was born in Marysville, Kansas, on April 30, 1924. He was drafted into the Army in May 1943. He then went to the Medical Replacement Training Center at Camp Barkeley, Texas. Once he became a medic, he went to Fort Carson, Colorado where he joined the 271st Engineer Battalion, 71st Infantry Division. He then spent a year at Fort Benning, Georgia, before going to France in January 1944. After the war, Cobb spent eight months in Augsburg, Germany. He was discharged in 1946 but later reenlisted for three years. He worked at the Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth. Following his military service, Cobb worked at the Cooperative Farm Chemicals Association. He passed away on October 31, 2009. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Johnston, Pattie Kansas State Historical Society Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant France Augsburg (Germany) 1943 - 1951 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2007-04-26 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP4 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Cobb_Don WWII Interview 20070426 Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: <a href="https://archive.org/details/cobb-don-wwii-interview-20070426">https://archive.org/details/cobb-don-wwii-interview-20070426</a> Obituary: <a href="http://signal.baldwincity.com/obituaries/2009/nov/02/donald-cobb/">http://signal.baldwincity.com/obituaries/2009/nov/02/donald-cobb/</a> The Watkins Museum of History also holds items related to this collection. Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211942">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/211942</a> Other resources for interviews with World War II veterans are available through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project: <a href="https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html">https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.htm</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society also have interviews associated with this project, which was funded through a grant program passed by the Kansas State Legislature in 2005. Researchers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for uses other than educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- United States. United States -- History, Military. World War, 1939-1945 -- Veterans -- Interviews. United States. Army. Lawrence (Kan.) -- Oral history. World War, 1939-1945 -- Medical care. Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/53ce148f599862822a060d9a0d55c079.jpg f7b7dc43a7665dd7aaba662428ae2383 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/da90ff6b8cff870f8d281a2df4b19845.jpg 5eba789867fdf5abe28f58927e6c3836 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Fitzpatrick-Postma Postcards Subject The topic of the resource Postcards Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Description An account of the resource This collection is comprised of postcards collected by Lawrence, Kansas, residents Charline Fitzpatrick and her daughter Sally Postma. The collection focuses on resources related to the history of Lawrence, Kansas, including scenes of buildings, events, and people in Lawrence, as well as commercial advertisements for businesses located in Lawrence. The collection was loaned to the Lawrence Public Library for scanning and inclusion in the Digital Douglas County History project by Rosalea and Peter Carttar. Scanning and metadata creation for much of the collection was completed by Kylie Hewitt during the summer of 2016. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Postcard Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Advertisement Postcard for Coe's Drug Stores Subject The topic of the resource Central business district -- Kansas -- Lawrence Description An account of the resource Advertisement postcard for Coe's Drug Stores. On the front of the postcard is a list of drawing sets prices. At the bottom are the locations of the two Coe's Drug Stores. On the back is the address of Gerald Dearing at 1145 Indiana Street in Lawrence, Kansas. Postmarked January 23, 1934. Information on when the postcard was acquired is on the back, 10/18/1991. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Coe's Drug Store Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Fitzpatrick-Postma Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Publisher unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1/23/1934 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Still Image Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Postcard Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2_Weavers_to_Wren_Building(cp_135a) 2_Weavers_to_Wren_Building(cp_135b) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Coe's Drug Store 1347 Massachusetts Street (Lawrence, Kan.) 411 West 14th Street (Lawrence, Kan.) 1/23/1934 10/18/1991 Abstract A summary of the resource. Advertisement postcard for Coe's Drug Stores. Acquisition information on the back. Addressed on the back. Date Modified Date on which the resource was changed. 1/23/1991 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Album 2: Weavers to Wren Building Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Photograph Print Drawing Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Acquired by Charline Fitzpatrick or Sally Postma on October 18, 1991. https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/72f95f1b9ea9d824eb97634babbf5cf3.jpg 733308f6862bdeee8befe18f218a8a27 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/9e529fc0dda7420a161730506f5c5c25.jpg ecc92dd41f110134ae83221c7792297a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Fitzpatrick-Postma Postcards Subject The topic of the resource Postcards Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Description An account of the resource This collection is comprised of postcards collected by Lawrence, Kansas, residents Charline Fitzpatrick and her daughter Sally Postma. The collection focuses on resources related to the history of Lawrence, Kansas, including scenes of buildings, events, and people in Lawrence, as well as commercial advertisements for businesses located in Lawrence. The collection was loaned to the Lawrence Public Library for scanning and inclusion in the Digital Douglas County History project by Rosalea and Peter Carttar. Scanning and metadata creation for much of the collection was completed by Kylie Hewitt during the summer of 2016. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Postcard Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Advertisement Postcard for Coe's Drug Store Subject The topic of the resource Central business district -- Kansas -- Lawrence Description An account of the resource Advertisement postcard for Coe's Drug Stores. On the front of the postcard is a list of drugstore item prices. Card is a punchcard for a free fountain drink. On the back is address of Wayne Frivley at 1340 Kentucky Street, Lawrence, Kansas. Postmarked November 15, 1937. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Coe's Drug Store Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Fitzpatrick-Postma Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Publisher unknown Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 11/15/1937 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Still Image Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Postcard Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2_Weavers_to_Wren_Building(cp_136a) 2_Weavers_to_Wren_Building(cp_136b) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Coe's Drug Store 1347 Massachusetts Street (Lawrence, Kan.) 411 West 14th Street (Lawrence, Kan.) 11/15/1937 Acquisition date unknown Abstract A summary of the resource. Advertisement postcard for Coe's Drug Stores. Addressed on the back. Date Modified Date on which the resource was changed. 11/15/1937 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Album 2: Weavers to Wren Building Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Photograph Print Drawing Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Acquired by Charline Fitzpatrick or Sally Postma. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource Douglas County (Kan.) World War, 1939-1945. Veterans. Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource In 2003, the Lawrence Public Library partnered with the Dole Institute of Politics and Haskell University to capture the histories of Douglas County’s World War II veterans in the Lawrence Remembers the World War II Years Project. From 2005 to 2007, the Lawrence Public Library, the Watkins Museum of History, and the Kansas State Historical Society also embarked on a similar endeavor, the Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project, which was funded by the Kansas State Legislature. This collection contains many of the video recordings and more information about the interviews conducted for these projects. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Johnston, Pattie Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Connelly, Marvin Connelly, Rhea Location The location of the interview Lawrence (Kan.) Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/213274">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/213274</a> Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 0:58:23 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 317 kbit/s (audio) 10316 kbit/s (video) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Marvin Connelly World War II Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Connelly, Marvin Description An account of the resource Marvin Connelly served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. Interviewed by Pattie Johnston on August 22, 2003, as part of the Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project, Marvin talked about his military experiences during the Second World War. Connelly completed basic training in Midland, Texas. He worked as a B-34 mechanic in Saipan for the duration of the war. Rhea Connelly, Connelly’s wife, is also featured in the interview. Marvin Connelly passed away on October 30, 2012. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Johnston, Pattie Connelly, Rhea Kansas State Historical Society Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) 1942 - 1945 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2003-08-22 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource MP4 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Connelly Interview Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource To access the video recording of this oral history, go to: <a href="https://archive.org/details/connelly-interview">https://archive.org/details/connelly-interview</a> Obituary: <a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/marvin-connelly-obituary?pid=160760296">https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/marvin-connelly-obituary?pid=160760296</a> The Watkins Museum of History also holds items related to this collection. Transcripts for this project are available through the Kansas Memory Digital Collection: <a href="https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/213274">https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/213274</a> Other resources for interviews with World War II veterans are available through the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project: <a href="https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.html">https://www.loc.gov/vets/vets-home.htm</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource The original copy of this video is available through the Lawrence Public Library. The Watkins Museum of History and the Kansas State Historical Society may also have interviews associated with this project. Researchers are responsible for obtaining any necessary permissions for uses other than educational or scholarly research. Contact the Watkins Museum of History for additional information: <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/</a> Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Kansas Veterans of World War II Oral History Project / Lawrence Remembers: The World War II Years Project Subject The topic of the resource World War, 1939-1945 -- United States. United States -- History, Military. World War, 1939-1945 -- Veterans -- Interviews. United States. Army. World War, 1939-1945 -- Pacific Area Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/44d039c47a25b910ca600089a2b8b8e6.jpg 055f6ef307f97d1204458684a5f03bbe https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/d49491000f480f108fabe00ea3bd46e3.jpg 821d75a0b92e1e010e39c9d29c623d25 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Fitzpatrick-Postma Postcards Subject The topic of the resource Postcards Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Description An account of the resource This collection is comprised of postcards collected by Lawrence, Kansas, residents Charline Fitzpatrick and her daughter Sally Postma. The collection focuses on resources related to the history of Lawrence, Kansas, including scenes of buildings, events, and people in Lawrence, as well as commercial advertisements for businesses located in Lawrence. The collection was loaned to the Lawrence Public Library for scanning and inclusion in the Digital Douglas County History project by Rosalea and Peter Carttar. Scanning and metadata creation for much of the collection was completed by Kylie Hewitt during the summer of 2016. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Postcard Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 3 3/4" x 6 1/4" Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Advertisement Postcard for Consolidated Barb Wire Company Subject The topic of the resource Advertising Description An account of the resource Postcard with an advertisement for Consolidated Barb Wire Company on the front. Advertisement lists the prices of different sizes of barb wire and wire nails. Dated July 1st at the bottom. On the back the postcard is addressed to J.E. Bouebrake. Postmarked July 3rd in the 1890s, last number cannot be distinguished. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Consolidated Barb Wire Company Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Fitzpatrick-Postma Collection Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1890-1900 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Fitzpatrick, Charline Postma, Sally Carttar, Rosalea Carttar, Peter Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Still Image Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Postcard Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 7_River_Ice_to_Tornado(cp_165a) 7_River_Ice_to_Tornado(cp_165b) Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant North Lawrence (Lawrence, Kan.) 1890-1900 Acquisition date unknown Abstract A summary of the resource. Postcard with an advertisement for the Consolidated Barb Wire Company on the front. Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Album 7: River Ice to Tornado Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Photograph Print Drawing Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Acquired by Charline Fitzpatrick or Sally Postma. https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/d410e8bc1ccb5dd85f1b0a510591da33.wav 1e638dc9480a8ddf7754d3ae01f75709 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/623c1b23917e838f60b7589c254139ac.wav 7018e8d44cd76e46c99c79f2680d8c28 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/749c0238f83c060eb7ebc6db91510e07.wav a8e8bf32a3c8130731882d970e831f6e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Day After Subject The topic of the resource Day After (Motion Picture) Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Description An account of the resource The Day After, a made-for-TV movie depicting the aftermath of nuclear war, was set and filmed primarily in Lawrence, Kansas, and was broadcast for the first time on November 20, 1983. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Watkins Museum of History (Lawrence, Kan.) Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview McIntyre, Kaye Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Constance, Dennis Location The location of the interview Lawrence (Kan.) Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data WAV Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) DennisConstance1.wav: 00:01:37 DennisConstance2.wav: 00:00:40 DennisConstance3.wav: 00:00:36 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) 705 kbps Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dennis Constance The Day After Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Constance, Dennis McIntyre, Kaye Description An account of the resource Segments from an interview with Dennis Constance conducted by Kaye McIntyre of Kansas Public Radio for a KPR special commemorating the thirty-year anniversary of the 1983 broadcast of The Day After, a made-for-TV movie depicting the aftermath of nuclear war, which was set and filmed primarily in Lawrence, Kansas. The KPR special aired on November 12, 2013. The interview was conducted at the Watkins Museum of History on June 28, 2012. Constance was an extra in the film. He calls the experience “a lot of fun, very enlightening, very interesting.” Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Lawrence (Kan.) 1983 Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2012-06-28 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource WAV (audio recording) Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context DennisConstance1.wav DennisConstance2.wav DennisConstance3.wav Language A language of the resource eng Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Watkins Museum of History (Lawrence, Kan.) Relation A related resource The <a href="https://www.watkinsmuseum.org/">Watkins Museum of History</a> also holds items related to this collection. To listen to the Kansas Public Radio special that includes this interview, go to <a href="https://kansaspublicradio.org/show/programs-kpr-presents/2013-11-12/kpr-news-day-after-thirty-years-later">https://kansaspublicradio.org/show/programs-kpr-presents/2013-11-12/kpr-news-day-after-thirty-years-later</a> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published with the permission of Dennis Constance. This work is the intellectual property of the Watkins Museum of History, Lawrence, Kansas. The public may freely copy, modify, and share this Item for noncommercial purposes if they include the original source information. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived "The Day After": Thirty Years Later (KPR Presents) Subject The topic of the resource Day After (Motion Picture) Lawrence (Kan.) -- History Nuclear war Nuclear weapons Kansas Public Radio (Lawrence, Kan.) Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/dad11a5a6241fbe39e7e7779928263cd.pdf d84452a00c65c43ed05a4876e7e06712 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of the Lawrence Public Library Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) History -- Kansas Biography -- Kansas Description An account of the resource Resources related to the history of the Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, Kansas. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lawrence Public Library Annual Report, 1920 Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource The annual report for 1920. The report mentions contributions made by library board president Mrs. Henley, the illness and death of librarian Virginia Edwards, and her succession by Lillian J. Constant Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Constant, Lillian J., 1872-1952 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lawrence Public Library Historical Records Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1920 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LPL_AnnualReport_1920 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) 1920 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/80ba99117a3baa018f7aeb826d8b4c93.pdf c44460aa6013ca03063dd72dcd65d06e PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of the Lawrence Public Library Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) History -- Kansas Biography -- Kansas Description An account of the resource Resources related to the history of the Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, Kansas. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lawrence Public Library Annual Report, 1921 Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource The annual report for 1921. The report mentions the growing library collection and the struggle to fit all the books in the building. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Constant, Lillian J., 1872-1952 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lawrence Public Library Historical Records Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1921 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LPL_AnnualReport_1921 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) 1921 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/6c1a14975dc4b51b02a343e92004ed59.pdf a675dc251844d502643c5a0529c6efb1 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of the Lawrence Public Library Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) History -- Kansas Biography -- Kansas Description An account of the resource Resources related to the history of the Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, Kansas. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lawrence Public Library Annual Report, 1922 Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource The annual report for 1922. The report mentions the new children's room donated by Mrs. Henley and staff changes Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Constant, Lillian J., 1872-1952 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lawrence Public Library Historical Records Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1922 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LPL_AnnualReport_1922 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) 1922 https://s3.amazonaws.com/omeka-lplks/original/3e2df9513e7829e067c1aab5f02527a7.pdf 168fef1583ac779e3fd467aefb85a249 PDF Text Text �� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource History of the Lawrence Public Library Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) History -- Kansas Biography -- Kansas Description An account of the resource Resources related to the history of the Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, Kansas. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource A Librarian's Log Subject The topic of the resource Libraries -- Kansas -- Douglas County Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Description An account of the resource A manual, compiled most likely by head librarian Lillian J. Constant, of the operations of the Lawerence Public Library. It consists of a scrapbook with sections pasted on to explain library procedures on such things as Library of Congress cards, binding, the duties of the night librarian, etc. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Constant, Lillian J., 1872-1952 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Lawrence Public Library Historical Records Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1924-1945 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kan.) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource We believe that this item has no known US copyright restrictions. The item may be subject to rights of privacy, rights of publicity and other restrictions. We encourage anyone who may have more information about our items to contact us at custserv@lawrencepubliclibrary.org. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context LPL_LibrariansLog_1924-1945 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Douglas County (Kan.) 1924-1945