2015 Spring Newsletter

“HONORING MIAMI COUNTY’S BLACK HISTORY” EXHIBIT A committee was formed several years ago whose responsibility was to develop a plan to change MCHM into a more progressive museum focusing upon Miami County’s rich history. Below is a sketchy outline of this plan:

ić F 4UPSZ PG 6T " 5VSCVMFOU 2VFTU GPS 'SFFEPN w Honoring, Researching, Remembering, Celebrating, & Presenting 150 Years of Miami (Lykins) County History

Category1 : Native American Indian’s Struggle for Freedom. Category2 #MBDL .BO T 4USVHHMF GPS 'SFFEPN #MFFEJOH ,BOTBT ć F $JWJM 8BS Category3 : Businessman’s Economic Struggle for Freedom

As we move forward following this plan, an “ongoing” history research committee entitled, “Honoring Miami County Black History” was formed and worked towards an exhibit for the Miami County Historical Museum. Larry Lybarger, Kevin Smith, Doretha Smith and I are in the third year of researching and gathering the names of individuals and events that shaped our county’s Black history. Although the research is not complete, an ex hibit is now on display at the museum. ć F FYIJCJU UFMMT UIF TUPSZ PG JOEJWJEVBMT BOE FWFOUT UIBU DSFBUFE "GSJDBO "NFSJDBO IJTUPSZ JO .JBNJ $PVOUZ From the struggle to abolish slavery (emancipation), the civil war, the exoduses’, educators, and celebrities’ etc. ć F DPNNJUUFF o 1IJM 3FBLB -BSSZ -ZCBSHFS ,FWJO 4NJUI BOE %PSFUIB 4NJUI o JOWJUFT ZPV WJTJU UIF FYIJCJU OPX on display at 12 East Peoria Street Paola, Kansas. 1. William “Bill” Gordon (Slave, Union Soldier, Paola Citizen & City Employee for 38+ years. 2. George “Washington” Carver—Lived & attended school here. ć F -PXSZ T‰'BUIFS BOE TPO FEVDBUPST JO 1BPMB "MCFSU +BNFT .PPEZ‰" SFTQFDUFE BJSQMBOF NFDIBOJD PG UIF GBNPVT 8 8 ** i3FE 5BJMTw CMBDL ĕ HIUFS squadron. ć F )BOHJOH PG )FOSZ 4NJUI JO 1BSL 4RVBSF 6. Blind Boone, pianist. 7. Slaves who resided in Miami Coouty. 8. Baptiste Peoria—Who was part Black, Native American, and French. 9. Muchmore!

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