808:
231:
free blacks into the state. The legislature did not change the law, but migration to the area increased after the war and emancipation of slaves. As industry developed in other areas, the center of the black population moved to other cities such as Des Moines. After the Civil War, Clark and
African-American veterans pressed the Iowa legislature for the right to vote, gaining that in an 1868 constitutional amendment.
177:
40:
818:
227:(1861-1865), Clark helped recruit the "60th Iowa Colored Troops, originally known as the 1st Iowa Infantry, African Descent." Despite being a small minority in the state, by war's end, a total of nearly 1,100 blacks from Iowa and Missouri served in the regiment. Clark enlisted at age 37 and was ranked as sergeant-major, but he could not muster due to a physical defect, perhaps in his left ankle.
138:(1954). He was a prominent leader in winning a state constitutional amendment that gained the right for African Americans in Iowa to vote (1868). Active in church, freemasonry, and the Republican Party, he became known for his speaking skills and was nicknamed "the Colored Orator of the West." He earned a law degree and became co-owner and editor of
383:
In 2019 the
Alexander Clark Room was dedicated on the 6th floor of the Merrill Hotel and Conference Center on the Muscatine riverfront. Views from its windows overlook both the Mississippi River and the Clark family's historic downtown neighborhood including their home, the Clark House high-rise, the
257:
is required to "provide for the education of all the youths of the State, through a system of common schools. The court ruled that requiring Black students to attend a separate school and denying them of a quality education violated the law which "expressly gives the same rights to all the youths."
196:
During the next two decades, this area along the
Mississippi River was a destination for other African Americans. Located 90 miles upriver of the border of the slave state of Missouri, Muscatine attracted the largest black population in the state: 62 in 1850, with hundreds more by 1860. Some blacks
239:
for Black students, so she was turned away. This happened after he already had tried to send his children to a closeby public school after the nearby public school for Black children shut down in 1865, but Susan and her siblings were turned away after two days. He sued the school board in 1868 for
230:
Clark pressed for improving civil rights for
African Americans in Iowa, as well as related issues on a national level. In 1855 he had signed a petition to the state legislature with more than 30 other African Americans from Muscatine County, seeking a repeal of the law prohibiting the migration of
373:
The
Alexander G. Clark Foundation seeks to preserve Clark's legacy of pioneering equal-rights causes in Iowa and nationwide. Special attention is devoted to care and future institutionalization of the Alexander Clark House. The foundation created a tax-exempt fund at the Community Foundation of
192:
town where he made his life. He worked as a barber and became an entrepreneur, acquiring real estate and selling timber as firewood to the steamboats that frequented the
Mississippi River. Barbering was a service trade that helped him meet influential whites in town as well as blacks.
200:
Having gotten established, Clark married
Catherine Griffin of Iowa City on October 9, 1848. She had been freed from slavery in Virginia at age 3. The Clarks had five children, two of whom died in infancy. Their surviving children were Rebecca, Susan, and Alexander G. Clark, Jr.
562:
208:
in
Muscatine, helping buy land for their first building, which was completed the next year. The AME church was the first independent black denomination in the United States, founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the early 19th century.
674:
630:
234:
In 1867, Clark sent his daughter, Susan, to a local public school in
Muscatine as she wanted to further her education but there was no secondary school for Black children in the town at the time. The school enforced a policy of
774:
572:
331:. Clark died of fever in office in Monrovia, Liberia on May 31, 1891. His body was returned to Muscatine for burial with honors in Greenwood Cemetery. The grave is marked by a tall memorial tombstone.
220:. He reportedly attended a Douglass-organized convention in Rochester, New York, in 1853. They were still in touch in the late 1880s, and some of their correspondence was published in newspapers.
164:, to live with an uncle and learn the barbering trade. His uncle, William Darnes, also saw to his education in other areas. Two years later the young Clark started working on the river steamboat
295:
which nominated Grant. Because of his abilities as a speaker, Clark became known as the "Colored Orator of the West". In 1873 President Grant offered him an appointment as consul to Aux Cayes,
684:
640:
748:
351:
In 1977 the new high-rise Clark House was dedicated; named in Clark's honor, this was
Muscatine's "first high-rise to provide subsidized housing for low-income elderly residents."
323:
on August 16, 1890. This was one of the highest-ranking appointments of an African-American by a U.S. president up to that point. Harrison also appointed Clark's longtime friend
1171:
812:
796:
291:. He served as spokesman of the committee. That same year Clark was elected vice-president of the Iowa State Republican convention. In 1872 he was a delegate-at-large to the
1176:
197:
settled there after fleeing the South via the river as fugitive slaves; others came from eastern free states. Quakers and other religious groups supported abolitionism.
264:(1954). In 2019, the middle school Susan attended was renamed Susan Clark Junior High in recognition of her integrating the school and Iowa public schools as a result.
1136:
370:
The Alexander G. Clark Project operates a website and Facebook page devoted to Clark. It was created by D. Kent Sissel and maintained by Daniel G. Clark (no relation).
1206:
1196:
1166:
384:
1850 building where Susan Clark attended high school, and the 1857 building that was the Congregational Church where Clark friends and supporters were members.
380:
In 2018 a Muscatine museum presented an exhibit in observance of the 150th anniversary of the 1868 Iowa Supreme Court's decision in favor of Susan Clark.
441:
1181:
258:
Due to Clark's action, Iowa was among the first states to integrate its schools. This case was later cited by the US Supreme Court in its ruling in
1191:
789:
236:
217:
359:
is a 2012 film documentary about the activist, directed and written by Marc Rosenwasser and produced by Jacob Rosdail; produced and broadcast by
348:. It was purchased and restored as a private residence by D. Kent Sissel, who has worked much of his life to preserve and present Clark's story.
1201:
1146:
1161:
739:
345:
1141:
292:
267:
Clark's son, Alexander G. Clark Jr., was the first African American to earn a law degree from the college in Iowa City, now part of the
115:
723:
Witter, F.M., Walton, Alice B., Walton, J.P., History of Muscatine County. Western Historical Society, 1879. Chicago. pp. 597–598.
1186:
782:
401:
242:
205:
124:
734:
20:
118:
in 1890–1891, where he died in office. In 1867 Clark sued to gain admission for his daughter to attend a local public school in
309:
271:, graduating in 1879. Clark Sr. also studied there, graduating with a law degree in 1884. They practiced together for a while.
616:
377:
In 2018 the City of Muscatine established Alexander Clark Day to be observed "in perpetuity" on Clark's birthday, Feb. 25.
1042:
284:
260:
134:
964:
144:
in Chicago. His body was returned from Liberia in 1892 and buried in Muscatine, where his house has been preserved.
1027:
926:
1151:
153:
60:
438:
279:
After the Civil War, Clark became increasingly politically active in the Republican Party and in Prince Hall
1082:
1057:
304:
140:
911:
768:
529:
497:
475:
360:
1156:
1037:
1017:
997:
979:
866:
394:
341:
249:
The Iowa State Supreme Court also ruled in the Clarks' favor in March 1868, noting that under the 1857
1131:
1126:
1105:
941:
901:
856:
493:
598:
468:
354:
1100:
946:
886:
324:
268:
254:
224:
213:
129:
160:. His parents were John Clark and Rebecca (Darnes) Clark. When he was around 13, Clark moved to
1052:
1032:
1012:
1007:
936:
754:
679:
635:
567:
563:"Black history pioneer: Alexander Clark became prominent achiever while residing in Muscatine"
316:
250:
189:
1087:
1062:
1047:
1022:
906:
896:
876:
288:
161:
111:
1077:
1067:
1002:
931:
921:
881:
445:
312:
in Chicago in 1878. In the late 1880s he bought the newspaper, also serving as an editor.
185:
119:
91:
713:, Vol. II. State Historical Society of Iowa, May 1921. Iowa City, Iowa. pp. 178–81.
1072:
974:
871:
861:
835:
176:
1120:
1093:
969:
283:, a growing fraternal organization. In 1869, he was a delegate to the Washington, DC
39:
740:"From Emancipation to Equality: Alexander Clark's Stand for Civil Rights in Iowa"
916:
364:
280:
771:, 2012, directed and written by Marc Rosenwasser and produced by Jacob Rosdail.
762:
246:. The local municipal court ruled in his favor but the school board appealed.
851:
521:
240:
the right of his daughter to attend her local school, resulting in the case
79:
817:
320:
157:
132:
in 1868, 86 years before the United States Supreme Court decision of
328:
299:, but he declined the position as he thought the pay was too low.
296:
204:
Also in 1848 Clark was among the 34 founding members of the local
175:
661:
778:
502:. Cleveland, Ohio: GM Rewell & Company. pp. 1097–1100
749:"Filmmakers want to help bring Alexander Clark's story to TV"
631:"From Muscatine's City Housing Director to Freelance Artist"
619:, Women and the American Story, New-York Historical Society
675:"Remembering a landmark civil rights case 150 years later"
128:
achieved a constitutional ruling for integration from the
302:
Clark moved to Chicago. He had previously invested in
397:, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
344:
in Muscatine has been preserved; it is listed on the
988:
955:
844:
826:
97:
87:
68:
46:
30:
747:
287:and was among a committee that met with President
275:Politics, publishing, and US ambassador to Liberia
216:and was the Iowa agent for the Douglass newspaper
152:Alexander G. Clark was born February 25, 1826, in
594:
592:
590:
790:
487:
485:
483:
8:
612:
610:
499:Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising
1172:Ambassadors of the United States to Liberia
526:Notable Kentucky African Americans Database
797:
783:
775:
709:Gallaher, Ruth A. "A Colored Convention",
464:
462:
460:
458:
456:
454:
363:. It is hosted and narrated by opera star
212:Clark became acquainted with abolitionist
110:(February 25, 1826 – May 31, 1891) was an
38:
27:
720:, Fairall Service. 1949. Muscatine, Iowa.
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
16:African-American businessman and activist
1177:University of Iowa College of Law alumni
673:Ecklund, Meredith (September 27, 2018).
1137:19th-century American newspaper editors
414:
184:In May 1842 at age 16 Clark settled in
114:businessman and activist who served as
101:Businessman, activist, orator, diplomat
1207:19th-century African-American lawyers
434:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
422:
420:
418:
7:
1197:19th-century American businesspeople
1167:People from Washington, Pennsylvania
813:United States Ambassadors to Liberia
662:"Alexander Clark of Muscatine, Iowa"
561:Street, Connie (February 24, 2006).
346:National Register of Historic Places
319:appointed Clark as U.S. Minister to
735:"Inauguration of the Governor 2003"
156:to parents who had been freed from
116:United States Ambassador to Liberia
402:Clark v. Board of School Directors
243:Clark v. Board of School Directors
206:African Methodist Episcopal Church
125:Clark v. Board of School Directors
14:
767:, 27-min documentary produced by
746:Ferguson, Mike (March 31, 2011).
718:Little Known Stories of Muscatine
188:(then known as Bloomington), the
845:Minister Resident/Consul General
816:
806:
764:Lost In History: Alexander Clark
617:"Life Story: Susan Clark Holley"
601:Lost In History: Alexander Clark
471:Lost In History: Alexander Clark
439:Alexander G. Clark an Iowa Icon"
356:Lost In History: Alexander Clark
21:Alexander Clark (disambiguation)
1182:19th-century American diplomats
1192:Businesspeople from Cincinnati
293:Republican National Convention
1:
1202:19th-century American lawyers
522:"Darnes, Rebecca and William"
510:– via Internet Archive.
1147:African-American journalists
958:and Minister Plenipotentiary
1162:People from Muscatine, Iowa
629:Dietz, Gil (July 5, 2005).
448:, African American Registry
444:September 23, 2017, at the
285:Colored National Convention
261:Brown v. Board of Education
135:Brown v. Board of Education
1223:
1142:African-American diplomats
180:Clark's house in Muscatine
18:
1187:American male journalists
308:, a newspaper founded by
37:
989:Ambassador Extraordinary
154:Washington, Pennsylvania
61:Washington, Pennsylvania
733:Iowa Public Television
599:Dr. Paul Finkelman, in
367:. Available on YouTube.
769:Iowa Public Television
530:University of Kentucky
476:Iowa Public Television
361:Iowa Public Television
181:
742:, History Cooperative
687:on September 28, 2018
492:Simmons, William J.;
395:Alexander Clark House
342:Alexander Clark House
179:
148:Early life and family
494:Turner, Henry McNeal
327:as U.S. Minister to
310:Ferdinand L. Barnett
223:In 1863, during the
19:For other uses, see
991:and Plenipotentiary
956:Envoy Extraordinary
643:on February 7, 2012
575:on February 7, 2012
829:and Consul General
469:Marc Rosenwasser,
374:Greater Muscatine.
325:Frederick Douglass
269:University of Iowa
255:board of education
225:American Civil War
214:Frederick Douglass
182:
130:Iowa Supreme Court
108:Alexander G. Clark
32:Alexander G. Clark
1114:
1113:
1083:Thomas-Greenfield
755:Muscatine Journal
680:Muscatine Journal
636:Muscatine Journal
568:Muscatine Journal
335:Legacy and honors
317:Benjamin Harrison
251:Iowa Constitution
190:Mississippi River
172:Life in Muscatine
166:George Washington
105:
104:
57:February 25, 1826
1214:
821:
820:
811:
810:
809:
799:
792:
785:
776:
759:
751:
697:
696:
694:
692:
683:. Archived from
670:
664:
659:
653:
652:
650:
648:
639:. Archived from
626:
620:
614:
605:
596:
585:
584:
582:
580:
571:. Archived from
558:
541:
540:
538:
536:
518:
512:
511:
509:
507:
489:
478:
466:
449:
436:
289:Ulysses S. Grant
162:Cincinnati, Ohio
112:African-American
75:
56:
54:
42:
28:
1222:
1221:
1217:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1212:
1211:
1152:Burials in Iowa
1117:
1116:
1115:
1110:
990:
984:
957:
951:
840:
828:
822:
815:
807:
805:
803:
745:
730:
706:
704:Further reading
701:
700:
690:
688:
672:
671:
667:
660:
656:
646:
644:
628:
627:
623:
615:
608:
597:
588:
578:
576:
560:
559:
544:
534:
532:
520:
519:
515:
505:
503:
491:
490:
481:
467:
452:
446:Wayback Machine
437:
416:
411:
391:
337:
305:The Conservator
277:
237:separate school
186:Muscatine, Iowa
174:
150:
141:The Conservator
120:Muscatine, Iowa
92:Muscatine, Iowa
83:
77:
73:
64:
58:
52:
50:
33:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1220:
1218:
1210:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1119:
1118:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
994:
992:
986:
985:
983:
982:
977:
972:
967:
961:
959:
953:
952:
950:
949:
944:
939:
934:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
907:O. L. W. Smith
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
848:
846:
842:
841:
839:
838:
832:
830:
824:
823:
804:
802:
801:
794:
787:
779:
773:
772:
760:
743:
737:
729:
728:External links
726:
725:
724:
721:
716:Randall, J.J.
714:
705:
702:
699:
698:
665:
654:
621:
606:
586:
542:
513:
479:
450:
413:
412:
410:
407:
406:
405:
398:
390:
387:
386:
385:
381:
378:
375:
371:
368:
352:
349:
336:
333:
276:
273:
218:The North Star
173:
170:
149:
146:
122:. The case of
103:
102:
99:
95:
94:
89:
85:
84:
78:
76:(aged 65)
70:
66:
65:
59:
48:
44:
43:
35:
34:
31:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1219:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1096:
1095:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
995:
993:
987:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
962:
960:
954:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
849:
847:
843:
837:
834:
833:
831:
825:
819:
814:
800:
795:
793:
788:
786:
781:
780:
777:
770:
766:
765:
761:
757:
756:
750:
744:
741:
738:
736:
732:
731:
727:
722:
719:
715:
712:
708:
707:
703:
686:
682:
681:
676:
669:
666:
663:
658:
655:
642:
638:
637:
632:
625:
622:
618:
613:
611:
607:
603:
602:
595:
593:
591:
587:
574:
570:
569:
564:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
547:
543:
531:
527:
523:
517:
514:
501:
500:
495:
488:
486:
484:
480:
477:
473:
472:
465:
463:
461:
459:
457:
455:
451:
447:
443:
440:
435:
433:
431:
429:
427:
425:
423:
421:
419:
415:
408:
404:
403:
399:
396:
393:
392:
388:
382:
379:
376:
372:
369:
366:
362:
358:
357:
353:
350:
347:
343:
339:
338:
334:
332:
330:
326:
322:
318:
313:
311:
307:
306:
300:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
274:
272:
270:
265:
263:
262:
256:
252:
247:
245:
244:
238:
232:
228:
226:
221:
219:
215:
210:
207:
202:
198:
194:
191:
187:
178:
171:
169:
167:
163:
159:
155:
147:
145:
143:
142:
137:
136:
131:
127:
126:
121:
117:
113:
109:
100:
98:Occupation(s)
96:
93:
90:
88:Resting place
86:
81:
71:
67:
62:
49:
45:
41:
36:
29:
26:
22:
1157:Iowa lawyers
1092:
891:
827:Commissioner
763:
753:
717:
710:
689:. Retrieved
685:the original
678:
668:
657:
645:. Retrieved
641:the original
634:
624:
600:
577:. Retrieved
573:the original
566:
533:. Retrieved
525:
516:
504:. Retrieved
498:
470:
400:
355:
314:
303:
301:
278:
266:
259:
248:
241:
233:
229:
222:
211:
203:
199:
195:
183:
165:
151:
139:
133:
123:
107:
106:
74:(1891-05-31)
72:May 31, 1891
25:
1132:1891 deaths
1127:1826 births
1043:R. P. Smith
1028:Westerfield
887:E. E. Smith
691:January 25,
647:January 25,
579:January 25,
535:January 25,
506:January 25,
365:Simon Estes
281:Freemasonry
1121:Categories
711:Palimpsest
409:References
315:President
53:1826-02-25
912:Crossland
82:, Liberia
1106:McCarthy
1097:(acting)
1094:Boulware
965:Mitchell
496:(1887).
474:, 2012,
442:Archived
389:See also
80:Monrovia
1053:Perkins
1033:Manfull
1013:Mathews
947:Francis
937:Johnson
927:Buckner
877:Hopkins
321:Liberia
158:slavery
1073:Blaney
1068:Myrick
1063:de Vos
1058:Bishop
1038:Carter
1018:Rhetts
1003:Locker
998:Dudley
980:Dudley
975:Lanier
970:Walton
932:Curtis
882:Taylor
872:Smythe
867:Garnet
862:Smythe
857:Turner
836:Hanson
604:, 2012
253:, the
1101:Elder
1088:Malac
1078:Booth
1048:Swing
1023:Brown
1008:Jones
902:Heard
897:McCoy
892:Clark
329:Haiti
297:Haiti
942:Hood
922:Crum
917:Lyon
852:Seys
693:2024
649:2024
581:2024
537:2024
508:2024
340:The
69:Died
63:, US
47:Born
1123::
752:.
677:.
633:.
609:^
589:^
565:.
545:^
528:.
524:.
482:^
453:^
417:^
168:.
798:e
791:t
784:v
758:.
695:.
651:.
583:.
539:.
55:)
51:(
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
