Black History Month in Missouri
Old Courthouse and Gateway Arch, St. Louis
Jefferson City, Mo. — Black History Month is observed in February. It gives the Show-Me State a chance to spotlight the historical achievements and triumphs of notable black Missourians, and the impact they had on the heritage and culture of Missouri, America and the world.
The Federal Courthouse in St. Louis, now known as The Old Courthouse, plays an important role in black history. This was the site of the trials of Dred and Harriet Scott, who sued the federal government for their freedom. The case eventually made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, where, on March 6, 1857, Dred Scott and his family were denied their freedom. The court ruled seven to two against Scott, finding no person of African ancestry could claim citizenship in the United States, and therefore Scott could not bring suit in federal court. The court’s ruling is said to be among the chief causes of the Civil War.
- On February 25, 2012, Black History Month at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is an afternoon of special presentations at the Old Courthouse, including a reenactment of the Dred Scott trial.
- The Old Courthouse is home to the “Legacy of Courage” exhibit and the “Slavery on Trial” video; both focus on the Dred Scott case. The Old Courthouse, operated by the National Parks Service, is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which includes the iconic Gateway Arch and the Museum of Westward Expansion.
Click here to watch video
On October 27-29, 1862, the first Civil War skirmish involving black American soldiers took place near Butler. In the Battle of Island Mound, the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteers was mustered to break up a guerrilla army and Confederate recruiters. The skirmish took place three months before the Emancipation Proclamation, which authorized the enlistment of black soldiers. The Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site (scheduled to open in fall 2012) includes “Camp Africa,” the home and farm of Southern sympathizer, Enoch Toothman, where the Infantry camped.
Take a bicycle ride or enjoy a walk along the Riverfront Trail to the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossingsite, which is three miles north of the Gateway Arch. Listed on the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, the site pays tribute to Mary Meachum, a free woman of color who, in May 1855, accompanied a group of runaway slaves as they attempted to cross the Mississippi River to reach freedom in Illinois (most were caught and returned to their owners).
George Washington Carver National Monument, Diamond
One of Missouri’s most prominent native sons was known as the “Plant Doctor.” As a child, he tended his secret garden while observing the operations of a 19th century farm. Today, his birthplace, the George Washington Carver National Monument, near Diamond, covers some 240 acres and features an on-site lab where modern-day staff members conduct science experiments.
George Washington Carver became a world-renowned agricultural scientist. Among his many accomplishments, he developed and promoted more than 100 products made from peanuts, including paints, cosmetics, dyes, plastics, biofuel, and nitroglycerin. He pioneered the process of restoring nitrogen to the soil by systematic crop rotation. He received numerous honors for his work, including a garden area named in his honor at the Missouri Botanical Garden, where you find a commemorative statue and material about his work.
Negro Leagues Museum, Kansas City
In Kansas City, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is dedicated to the players who helped the league flourish from its post Civil-War beginnings until its demise in the 1960s. Video presentations and memorabilia in the 10,000 square-foot multimedia exhibit chronicle the history and heroes of the league. Located on the same site, the American Jazz Museum showcases the history of jazz and Kansas City’s role as a hotbed for early jazz performers.
The Griot Museum of Black History and Culture, St. Louis
The Griot Museum of Black History, in St. Louis, offers historical information and life-sized, wax likenesses of African-Americans whose activities influenced the state and nation. In some African countries, the “griot,” (pronounced: Gree-Oh) is a highly respected member of the community who collects, shares and preserves the stories and objects of the community. The facilities include an authentic slave cabin, originally built on the Wright–Smith Plantation in Jonesburg, Missouri; a model section of a ship used to transport Africans to America during the Transatlantic Slave Trade; plus art, artifacts and memorabilia.
In 1866, Lincoln University was founded in Jefferson City by soldiers from the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries. In the quadrangle, the Soldiers Memorial Plaza includes an impressive monument depicting the soldiers and officers who embraced the vision of education for all Americans.
The Black Archives Museum, in St. Joseph, houses exhibits on topics ranging from musicians to desegregation, the Underground Railroad to education, and sports to African-American history in St. Joseph. A highlight is the Hall of Fame, created to showcase the achievements and contributions of St. Joseph’s African-American citizens.
Eugene Field House & St. Louis Toy Museum
The Eugene Field House, in St. Louis, presents “A Room Divided,” depicting life in the Midwestern city, inside and outside of slavery. With hands-on pieces and a one-of-a-kind dollhouse from 1837, the exhibit is full of information concerning the unique situation St. Louis faced, prior to the Civil War: slave owners and anti-slavery sympathizers living side by side; a city that was home to slaves and free blacks; and a northern city inside a slave state. The house was home to Roswell M. Field, the attorney who took Dred Scott’s freedom suit into the federal courts.
In a compelling exhibit at the Missouri History Museum, in St. Louis, The Civil War in Missouri uses artifacts, imagery and interactive elements to tell the story of a territory bitterly divided between pro-slavery secessionists and those determined to preserve the Union; and the residents, free and enslaved, who experienced and influenced the war.
In conjunction with the exhibition, the Missouri History Museum has launched a website, CivilWarMO, which offers in-depth information on the Civil War in Missouri. The Missouri Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission has opened a website, MoCivilWar150, to foster an inclusive spirit of reconciliation that appropriately recognizes the experiences and points of view of all people affected by the Civil War and its aftermath.
These are but a few examples of the places and events concerning Black History Month in the Show-Me State. To learn more about Missouri, you can explore VisitMO.com; call 800-519-4800 to order your free copy of the 2012 Official Missouri Travel Guide.
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Links to attractions referenced in this release:
The Old Courthouse
www.VisitMO.com/the-old-courthouse.aspx
Black History Month at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
www.VisitMO.com/black-history-month-at-jefferson-national-expansion-memorial.aspx
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
www.VisitMO.com/jefferson-national-expansion-memorial-national-park.aspx
Gateway Arch
www.VisitMO.com/the-gateway-arch.aspx
Museum of Westward Expansion
www.VisitMO.com/museum-of-westward-expansion.aspx
Battle of Island Mound
www.MoCivilWar150.com/history/battle/318
Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site
www.MoStateParks.com/park/battle-island-mound-state-historic-site
Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing
www.VisitMO.com/mary-meachum-freedom-crossing-and-rest-area.aspx
George Washington Carver National Monument
www.VisitMO.com/george-washington-carver-national-monument.aspx
Missouri Botanical Garden
www.VisitMO.com/missouri-botanical-garden.aspx
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
www.VisitMO.com/negro-leagues-baseball-museum.aspx
American Jazz Museum
www.VisitMO.com/american-jazz-museum.aspx
Griot Museum of Black History
www.VisitMO.com/the-griot-museum-of-black-history.aspx
Lincoln University
www.VisitMO.com/lincoln-university.aspx
Black Archives Museum
www.VisitMO.com/the-black-archives-museum.aspx
Eugene Field House
www.VisitMO.com/eugene-field-house.aspx
The Civil War in Missouri
www.VisitMO.com/the-civil-war-in-missouri.aspx
CivilWarMO.org
www.CivilWarMO.org
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The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) is the official tourism office for the state of Missouri dedicated to marketing Missouri as a premier travel destination. Established in 1967, the Missouri Division of Tourism has worked hard to develop the tourism industry in Missouri to what it is today, an $11.4 billion industry supporting more than 281,000 jobs and generating $900 million in state and local taxes in Fiscal Year 2010. For every dollar spent on marketing Missouri as a travel destination in FY10, $53 was returned in visitor expenditures.
Contact: Sarah Luebbert
Missouri Division of Tourism
573-522-5501
Sarah.Luebbert@ded.mo.gov
@MoTravelMama
Contact: Stephanie Lynch
Missouri Tourism News Bureau
314-454-3454
slynch@hoffmanlewis.com
@NtheMO
The Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) is the official tourism office for the state of Missouri dedicated to marketing Missouri as a premier travel destination. Established in 1967, the Missouri Division of Tourism has worked hard to develop the tourism industry in Missouri to what it is today, an $11.4 billion industry supporting more than 281,000 jobs and generating $900 million in state and local taxes in Fiscal Year 2010. For every dollar spent on marketing Missouri as a travel destination in FY10, $53 was returned in visitor expenditures.
