In recognition of Black History Month, there was recently a television panel discussion on the misrepresentation of American History and how the role of African Americans and certainly other racial and cultural groups has been either omitted or incorrectly recorded. Let me give one example of Galesburg history that is very little known.
Most residents know the name Mary Allen West. She was a well known and admired educator and school administrator. She is known for starting the first kindergarten for “negro” children in Galesburg. All of this is true except that before Miss West, the real first kindergarten for negro children was actually started in the basement of Allen Chapel AME Church and was taught and administered by Eva Solomon.
There may not be a written record of this anywhere now, but, according to the oral history, it did happen. Aunt Eva and Uncle Fred Solomon had no children but loved them. They were lifetime members of Allen Chapel and Aunt Eva saw that the children of color had no school to attend before first grade so she started a school in the church basement.
Even at 74, I am too young to actually remember any of this. However, when I was a child there was this wonderful and colorful woman by the name of Susie Rogers. Aunt Sue knew everybody and everybody knew her. She was one of a family of 20 children so she had lots of stories. She told the story of Aunt Eva and the first “colored” kindergarten. Aunt Sue’s memory and storytelling was so remarkable that she was even quoted and written about in one of large Chicago papers.
Aunt Eva and Aunt Susie were members of the Fleming family. Aunt Eva married my great uncle, Frederick David Solomon.
If you knew the unreported part of Galesburg history, you would know that Uncle Fred was born, educated, lived and died in Galesburg. During his life, he became known statewide as Professor Solomon. He was a very talented, performer, musician, song writer, author, and inventor of musical instruments. Had he been a white man, there would be a Solomon Street and maybe even a statue.
If a street was not named for him possibly it could have been for his sister. She was Cora Solomon Brown who moved to Chicago and became a well known contralto singer. Many years later, she died in my grandmother’s home in Galesburg.
Unreported and misreported history is a loss for all of us. One of my ancestors was a Cherokee Indian. Thanks to Uncle Fred’s unpublished book, I know that he existed and that his “wife” was my great-great-great-great-grandmother, but I know nothing of our Cherokee heritage and influence on the family.
How exciting that now we can have our ancestry explored and documented. I haven’t done that yet, but will very soon. Fortunately, I have the handwritten book by Professor Solomon that affords my family a record of our history. It’s from his perspective and may not be totally accurate, but it is more than many people of color have. I also remember some of the stories from Aunt Sue. I wish that I had realized how valuable her story telling was and recorded them.
Thank you for recognizing and celebrating Black History Month in February. I hope and pray that I will live long enough to see the time when true and inclusive American History is recognized, celebrated, and taught throughout the country and throughout the year. That will be a great day for all of us.