Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2001 Eleanor's story: growing up and teaching in Iowa: one African American woman's experience Kay Ann Taylor Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the African American Studies Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Oral History Commons, Other Education Commons, Other History Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Social History Commons, United States History Commons, Women's History Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Taylor, Kay Ann, "Eleanor's story: growing up and teaching in Iowa: one African American woman's experience " (2001). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 681. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/681 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMl films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMl a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. 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Leigh Valerie V. Sheares Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2001 Copyright © Kay Ann Taylor, 2001. All rights reserved. UMl Number 3034228 UMT UMl Microform 3034228 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Graduate College Iowa State University This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation of Kay Ann Taylor has met the dissertation requirements of Iowa State University Signature was redacted for privacy. Co-major Professor Signature was redacted for privacy. Co-major Professor Signature was redacted for privacy. For the Major Program iii To the struggle and transforming the promise ofsocial justice into reality iv Contents List of Illustrations vi List of Tables xi Acknowledgements xii Preface xiv LITERATURE REVIEW XV QUESTIONS INVESTIGATED xxiv METHODOLOGY xxvi Trustworthiness xxix INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS xxxii RATIONALE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH xxxv Introduction 1 1 The Path Leads to Iowa 20 2 Des Moines, Iowa School Days 31 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 31 JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL 37 NORTH HIGH SCHOOL 38 FAMILY FOUNDATIONS, COMMUNITY, AND ACTIVITIES 41 3 Iowa State College 48 4 Employment Following Graduation from Iowa State College in 1941 70 NATIONAL YOUTH ADMINISTRATION, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, 1941 70 FIRST DELTA SIGMA THETA CONVENTION, DECEMBER 1941 74 TEACHING AT GEORGIA NORMAL COLLEGE, 1941-1942 75 PAINE COLLEGE, AUGUSTA GEORGIA, 1942-1943 80 SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL, KANSAS CITY, KANSAS 82 GRADUATE SCHOOL AT TEACHERS COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK 90 5 Marriage and Children 104 ENGAGEMENT AND MARRIAGE 104 FROM DES MOINES TO KANSAS CITY AND ON TO CHICAGO, 1954 107 THE FIRST BABY: DAUGHTER YOLAINE, 1955 109 THE SECOND BABY, SON JAN GERARD, AND JAPAN, 1957 111 FROM JAPAN TO HAWAII AND HOME TO DES MOINES, 1957 119 IOWA STATE COLLEGE IN AMES, 1958 AND 1959 120 ELEANOR BEGINS TEACHING IN DES MOINES, I960 122 V VISITING JEAN'S HOMELAND IN HAITI, I960 123 DETROIT BY TRAIN, 1960 125 THE TREK FROM AMES TO DES MOINES TO TEACH, 1960-1962 126 AT HOME IN DES MOINES, 1962 127 MONTREAL: THE WORLD'S FAIR, 1967 131 GROWING CHILDREN AND THEIR ACTIVITIES 134 6 Teaching in the Des Moines Public Schools, 1960-1982 138 AMOS HIATT JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, 1960-1978 138 CALLANAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, DES MOINES, IOWA, 1978-1982 150 7 Life Begins with Retirement 155 DELTA SIGMA THETA 159 NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES 164 EXERCISE 165 TRAVEL 167 ST. PAUL A.M.E. 178 OTHER ACTIVITIES 179 MOTTOES AND PHILOSOPHIES 180 Conclusion 194 COUNTER-STORY 195 HAVE THINGS REALLY CHANGED FOR BLACKS IN IOWA? 208 IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY 225 QUESTIONS INVITING FURTHER INVESTIGATION 228 Bibliography 233 List of Illustrations Cumberland County Kentucky map, 1895 59 Cooper County Missouri map, 1895 59 Eleanor's maternal family picture 59 Anna Rebecca Marshall Payton, Eleanor's maternal grandmother 59 Grant Payton, Eleanor's great uncle 60 Eleanor's maternal great-aunt, Sophie Marshall Berry 60 Roy Estelle Powell, Eleanor's father 60 Jeanne Payton Powell Morris, Eleanor's mother 60 Jeanne Payton Morris, Eleanor's mother, 1950 61 Eleanor's Aunt Flossie and Eleanor's mother, Jeanne 61 The Ladies Band 61 Clyde Morris, Eleanor's step-father, with his brothers and mother 61 St. Paul A.M.E. Church Picnic, 1908 62 Ku Klux BClan march in downtown Des Moines, 1926 62 A note found on a Black Des Moines citizen's door, 1933 62 Plaque refusing service to Black Des Moines citizens 63 Center Street Community in Des Moines, 1950s 63 Memorabilia of Black Des Moines community 63 Colored Salesman Wanted ad, Des Moines, 1945 63 Olive McHenry Elementary School newspaper clipping, 1944 64 Old Grant School newspaper clipping, 1964 64 vii West High School newspaper clipping 65 James B. Morris, attorney, activist, and Eleanor's uncle 65 Eleanor and Georgine Morris, Eleanor's aunt and wife of James B. Morris 65 Eleanor and Georgine Morris, Eleanor's aunt and wife of James B. Morris 65 National Advancement Association for Colored People (NAACP) Des Moines charter 66 St Paul's A.M.E. notecard 66 Eleanor and her dance partner, first cousin Wayne Platter 66 Jewish Community Center flyer 66 Inter-urban train 67 Newspaper article about Jeanne Morris, Eleanor's mother 67 Eleanor's relatives and friends who formed radio show simulation group 67 Bob Martin, one of Eleanor's friends 67 Eleanor in Ames at Iowa State, 1941 68 Eva Dixon, one of Eleanor's friends 68 Eleanor's Iowa State College announcement, 1941 68 Newspaper clipping of Eleanor receiving her degree, 1941 68 Eleanor and her parents at Iowa State College commencement, 1941 69 Eleanor on her Iowa State College graduation day, 1941 69 Eleanor's initiation into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, 1938 69 Newspaper clipping of Eleanor's first trip to the Delta Sigma Theta convention, 1941 69 Western Union telegram to Eleanor asking her to teach at Georgia Normal College 95 Western Union telegram confirming Eleanor's Georgia Normal teaching contract 95 Newspaper clipping announcing Eleanor's departure to Georgia Normal 95 VIII Eleanor's dormitory at Georgia Normal, 1942-1943 95 Georgia Normal dining ball 95 New Georgia Normal dormitory 95 Oldest dormitory at Georgia Normal 96 Some of Eleanor's students at Georgia Normal 96 Eleanor with friends in Detroit, 1943 96 Segregated U.S.O. building in Salt Lake City where Eleanor worked, 1944 96 Sumner High School's original 1905 building, Kansas City, Kansas 97 New Sumner High School building built in 1940-1941 97 John A. Hodge, first principal at Sumner High School 97 Eleanor's Sumner High School Yearbook photo, 1953-1954 97 Sumner administration 97 Cover page from The Sumnerian, 1953-1954 97 Newspaper clipping for Career Day, 1950 98 Program from Sumner High School play, The Mikado 98 Center program pages from Sumner High School play, The Mikado 98 The Sumner Courier, 1953, featuring the Style Revue of Eleanor's students 98 Eleanor's Sumner students modeling at the Style Revue, 1953 99 Eleanor's Sumner students modeling at the Style Revue, 1953 99 The Sumner Courier 1953 article about the Style Revue 100 Clothing display from Eleanor's Sumner classroom 100 Eleanor with her Sumner High School Homeroom 100 Program for the Sumner faculty-student play, Spring Time for Patsy, 1950 101 Sumner High School Class of 1953 commencement program cover Page 2 of the Sumner High School Class of 1953 commencement program Page 3 of the Sumner High School Class of 1953 commencement program Page 4 of the Sumner