Reconciling the Past: A Brief History of Race Relations in Muncie (1827-2004)
By Taylor A. Marrow III
In “Reconciling the Past,” Marrow chronicles the history of race relations in “Middletown, U.S.A.” Like many average American towns, racial discord in Muncie runs deep. While some eras have featured less strife than others, racial division has been ever present. These tensions have been influenced by various factors, including Southern migration, the establishment of “Jim Crow” laws, economic downturns, competition over jobs, the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, and attempts by Muncie’s African American community to fight for social progress. Marrow argues that an examination of these painful features of the past is necessary to appreciate both the progress made toward equality and the work yet to be done.
Marrow’s work was commissioned by TEAMwork for Quality Living in partnership with the Center for Middletown Studies at Ball State University and funded by The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County. To request a copy of “Reconciling the Past,” contact Molly Flodder, Executive Director, TEAMwork for Quality Living, PO Box 468, Muncie, IN 47308, or call (765) 747-7158. |
