Representatives of the Glencoe Historical Society hope people will be intrigued about how some Black residents have made the village their home since the last part of the 19th Century.
With the opening of its latest exhibit, “Glencoe’s Black Heritage,” representatives of the Glencoe Historical Society hope people will be intrigued about how some Black residents have made the village their home since the last part of the 19th Century.
With many Black residents seeking fresh economic opportunities in Glencoe, Ettelson said some people worked domestic jobs at the homes of white residents, but the majority of the early Black residents either started businesses or sought jobs at existing businesses.
Much of the exhibit’s focus centers on St. Paul AME Church, which was founded in 1884 and is still in existence today on Washington Avenue in the village. Ettelson said prejudice has existed in the area in other forms, including the burning of the first St. Paul AME by arsonists in 1930, and it took a federal court order in 1942 to open Glencoe Beach to Black beachgoers.
“There were groups who worked hard for fair and open housing,” she said. “They weren’t always successful but there was a concerted effort.”