Black families of Shawneetown honored with monument
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Much of the Bicentennial event in Shawneetown Saturday morning was dedicated to the history of black families in Shawneetown.
There are only about five black people remaining in Shawneetown, which once had a thriving black community. Annie Green, a member of the Shawneetown Historical Society, led efforts to construct a memorial to the black community. For her efforts, Green was named Citizen of the Year by the Lion's Club.
The monument was dedicated Saturday morning on the grounds of Coleman Tri-County Services, the site of the old Dunbar School. The memorial is a tribute to the group of black families who moved from what is now Old Shawneetown to the new settlement after the devastation of the Flood of 1937.
The monument indicates Shawneetown had a population of 1,440 in 1930, according to the Census. Of those, 192 were black people. At one time, the population of Shawneetown was about one-third black, Green said.
Unlike most towns, black people lived throughout Shawneetown prior to the move. There were no white and black sections of town, Green said.
"They all shared the good times and bad times together," Green said.
In the new town, the black families congregated in a few blocks, including Washington Drive, Dunbar Drive East and Dunbar Drive West. The section of streets is depicted on the monument.
The schools were segregated, "Only because all schools were at that time," Green said.
The old Dunbar School was rebuilt at the current site of Coleman Tri-County after the flood. It closed during the 1950s during integration and, to some extent, due to the economic conditions of the times, Green said.
The black population of Shawneetown gradually dwindled in the 20th Century. Young people moved to other parts of Southern Illinois or to Chicago, Michigan or Springfield for jobs and the older people gradually passed away, Green said.
Not many black families remain in Shawneetown, Besides Green there is her brother-in-law, Steve Green, who was a plumber once elected to the City Council.
"He's not very well, but his mind is fine," Annie Green said.
Also on hand at the celebration was Ruebena Newsom, who is a historian of Shawneetown's black community in addition to being an authority on Gallatin County history in general, Green said.
In doing her research for the monument, Green went around to other villages in Gallatin County to see if anyone remembered black settlers or residents. There were none except for the settlement in Shawneetown, Green said.
The monument dedication attracted dignitaries, including state Rep. Brandon Phelps and Sheila Simon, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.
Simon said everyone is a historian when a Bicentennial and historical monument dedication take place. She recalled one of her father Paul Simon's favorite historical figures, Elijah P. Lovejoy. Lovejoy was a newspaper editor who printed an abolitionist newspaper in Alton. His presses were destroyed and thrown in the Mississippi River, Simon said. He was killed defending his fourth printing press against an angry mob.
The monument includes a list of occupations held by black people enumerated in the 1930 Census, including a teacher. Simon said the listing of a teacher reminded her we must all be teachers and make sure our history is remembered.
A few days ago, Green said, she went to the post office and saw someone she hadn't seen in a while. The person asked her if she was back in town for a visit.
"No, I'm staying here. This is my home," Green said.
"I'm doing everything I can to help Shawneetown."