Commissioners

Beverly AllenDes Moines�term expires April 2004

George C. BaughPella�term expires April 2006

Deborah BerryWaterloo�term expires April 2006

Theresa Clark�KlineFt. Madison�term expires April 2004

Jamie HowardDavenport�term expires April 2004

Isaiah JohnsonDenison�term expires April 2006

Joseph McGillCedar Rapids�term expires April 2004

Jerome ThomasDubuque�term expires April 2004

Robert TysonWaterloo�term expires April 2004

Rose Vasquez, ex officioDirector, Department of Human Rights

Staff

Kim CheeksProgram Planner

Dr. Ruth E. WhiteDirector

The Iowa African-American Journal

Iowa Commission on the Status of African-Americans

Volume 8, Issue 1 Spring/Fall 2002

Inside this issue:

MLK 2002 Ceremony 2

2003 MLK Nomination Forms 3-4

DM School Board Elections 5

Across Black Iowa ... 6

Dr. Ruth White

Ruth White appointed new ICSAA director

On June 13, Governor ThomasVilsack announced the appointmentof Dr. Ruth E. Whi te ofCedar Rapids as the newD i r e c t o r o f t h e I o w aCommission on the Status ofAfrican-Americans, replacingformer Director TraevenaPotter-Hall, who resigned inJuly of 2001. White, whoh a s t a u g h t i n I n d i a n a ,Illinois, at the University ofIowa, and more recently atCedar Rapids Washington HighSchool, comes to the commissionwi th a s t rong educat ional andcommunity-oriented background.

�I am confident that Ruth Whitewill work hard to ensure the integrityof the Status of African-Americans,�Vilsack said. �Ruth brings to theCommiss ion on the S ta tus o fAfrican-Americans the necessaryexperience to continue the growth ofthe commission.�

After receiving her bachelors andmasters degree f rom SouthernIllinois University, White received aPh.D. in English from the University

Governor Vilsack appoints commisioners

of Iowa. She is a member of theRegional Board of Directors of the

College Board, heads theAcademy for Scholastic andPersonal Success, and isthe Contributing Editor forMulticultural Content for theRising Star Project forPearson Educa t ion , inaddi t ion to many othercommunity and civica c t i v i t i e s , i n c l u d i n gc o r e o g r a p h i n g a n d

part ic ipat ing in local theater.�I am looking forward to my n e w

r o l e a s t h e D i v i s i o nAdminist rator of the Status ofAfrican-Americans,� White said. �Iam excited to continue my work toimprove the quality of life for Iowa �sAfrican American population.�

Dr. White can be contacted atthe ICSAA office in the Lucas StateOffice Building at (515) 281-7283,or toll-free at 800-351-4659, and youcan find out more information abouther and the commission by visitingwww.state.ia.us/dhr/saa.

The commissioners and staff ofthe Iowa Commission on the Statusof African-Americans are pleased towelcome three additions: DeborahBerry of Waterloo, George C. Baugho f P e l l a , and Jamie Howard o fDavenport.

Berry is a City Council Memberand Community Educat ion Si teCoordinator in Waterloo and replacesoutgoing commissioner JamesHester of Davenport. Howard is a CityCouncil Member in Davenport, and

wi l l f in ish the term of formercommissioner Angela Gravely-Smith of Iowa City. Baugh, fromPella, filled an open post, replacingCamille Scully of Waterloo.

There are currently no vacancieson the commission. If you areinterested in serving on a board orcommission, please contact theoffice of Governor Vilsack. For moreinformation, call (515) 281-5211, or seewww.state.ia.us/governor/boards.

2 THE IOWA AFRICAN-AMERICAN JOURNAL VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1

January 21, 2002 marked the 13th year for Iowa�sannual celebration commemorating the Reverend Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. This year the event was held at theIowa State Historical Building in Des Moines. Itbegan with our Lt. Governor, the Honorable Sally Pederson,signing the proclamation that declaring January 21, 2002

as Dr. King Day andJanuary 22 through 25th asDr. King Week in Iowa.

After the proclamationsigning, the traditionalbell-ringing presentationwas l e d b y S c o t tMol ine, a representativeof the planning committeefor the MLK, Jr. Day. Lt.G o v e r n o r P e d e r s o nassisted the chi ldrenc h o s e n t o r i n g t h esimulated bells for theaudience. The Heritage

Youth Choir of Des Moines led attendees in singing �WeShall Overcome,� and all present proceeded into theauditorium for the remainder of the event.

The program opened with a welcome and explanationof the theme by Sharaine Weathers, a student at MerrillMiddle School. Next, Jordan Rabon, a Hiatt Middle Schoolstudent from Des Moines, read a prayer. The HeritageYouth Choir sang a few more selections, and Lt. GovernorPederson made a few brief remarks before giving the stageto the keynote speaker. The keynote address was givenby Millard Southern, a student at Drake University, DesMoines. Millard has comple ted h is jun io r year,

major ing in Economics.Ike Johnson, Chair of the Commission on the Status

of African-Americans, presided over the presentation ofthe MLK Lifetime Achievement Awards. The recipientsfor 2002 included Marion Coleman � Director of Equity forthe Iowa City Community School District, Leo Rooff, formerMayor in Waterloo, and Rudy Simms � Director of theNational Conference for Community and Justice in DesMoines.

There were no rec ip ien ts fo r ou ts tand ingcommunity service projects this year, but nominationforms are available for both awards for the 2003ceremony.

Following the awards recognition, the choir led theaudience in two more musical selections. Rose Vasquez,the Director of the Iowa Department of Human Rights, andKim Cheeks, Program Planner for the Commission on theStatus of African-Americans, gave brief closing remarks.As the f i n a l c o n c l u s i o n t o t h e ceremony, abenediction was given by Father Michael Hess of DesMoines.

Martin Luther King, Jr.2002 Awards Ceremony

Lt. Governor Sally Pederson reads the MLK holiday proclamation.

Millard Southern, a student atDrake University, gives thekeynote address.

The Heritage Youth Choir of Des Moines sings during thebeginning of the MLK ceremony.

Lt. Governor SallyPederson and ICSAAChair Isaac Johnsonpresent Rudy SimmsJr., top, and MarianColeman, bottom, withthe Martin Luther KingJr. Lifetime Achieve-ment Award. Theaward is given tohonor those whoshow commitment topromoting racialharmony and justice intheir communities.

Please type or print neatly.

Nominee:Name_____________________________________________________________

Title/Organization (if applicable)________________________________________

Address__________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip_____________________________________________________

Telephone (home)___________________Telephone (office)_________________Person submitting nomination:Name______________________________________________________________Title/Organization (if applicable)________________________________________

Address__________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip_____________________________________________________Telephone (home)___________________Telephone (office)_________________

Include the following with the completed nomination form:

· A summary of the nominee�s contributions that reflect the theme of the award;· Three (3) letters of support;· A biographical sketch of the nominee (a resume may be used); and· Three other items of supportive material: This could include, but is not limited to, pertinent newspaper

and/or magazine articles, primary works, published material, etc.

Application materials must be postmarked no later than December 3, 2002. Mail to:Iowa Commission on the Status of African-Americans

Department of Human RightsLucas State Office Bldg.Des Moines, IA 50319

If you have any additional questions, please call Kim Cheeks at (515)-281-3274 or (800)-351-4659Email: kim.cheeks@dhr.state.ia.us

Visit our website at www.state.ia.us/dhr/saa

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ceremony is a state celebration sponsored by the Iowa Commission onthe Status of African-Americans. The program includes participating in the nationwide bell -ringingceremony and features special guests, entertainment, refreshments and the presentation of the FifthAnnual MLK Lifetime Achievement Awards. The awards recognize individuals who have demonstratedcommitment to the vision of Dr. King by promoting the racial equality of all people of Iowa. In order tobe considered to receive this award, one must have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to diversityand inclusion in his or her community and in the State of Iowa.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award2003 Nomination Form

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 THE IOWA AFRICAN-AMERICAN JOURNAL 3

2003Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Service Project

Individual Group (Please attach additional pages if necessary)

Name of Project_____________________Contact person________________

Group participants_______________________________________________

Address (if a group, complete for all names)_________________________________

City, State, Zip__________________________________________________

Telephone______________________Email address____________________

Brief description of service project___________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________Date project started __________________________

Please feel free to submit photographs, videos, or any promotional items involved with your project.Note: these items will not be returned.

Record the total number of hours dedicated to your community service project.

Application materials must be postmarked no later than December 3, 2002. Mail to:Iowa Commission on the Status of African-Americans

Department of Human RightsLucas State Office Bldg.Des Moines, IA 50319

If you have any additional questions, please call Kim Cheeks at (515)-281-3274 or (800)-351-4659Email: kim.cheeks@dhr.state.ia.us

Visit our website at www.state.ia.us/dhr/saa

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4 THE IOWA AFRICAN-AMERICAN JOURNAL VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 1 THE IOWA AFRICAN-AMERICAN JOURNAL 5

Des Moines begins transformational School Board raceThree seats are open in September 10�s Des Moines School Board elections, and the pool of candidates running ismore diverse than ever before, promising to change the face of the leaders of Des Moines� education. While sixmembers of the seven-member board live on the West side of Des Moines, only three of the eight candidates do,coming instead from the South and East sides of Des Moines. While all members of the current school board areWhite, there are two African American candidates, Mary Ann Spicer and Matthew Harvey. In the past few elections,voter turnout has been very low in areas in the East and South of the city. In an effort to increase knowledge of theupcoming elections and the candidates running, Spicer and Harvey are profiled below. Be sure to check out publicforums for the school board elections coming up soon in your area.

Mary Ann Spicer Matthew Harvey

Mary Ann Spicer, a DesMoines local, graduate of DrakeUniversity, and currently a stateemployee, brings teaching andparenting experience in the DesMoines Public School Districtto her bid for the School Board.A former high school Englishteacher who was twice nominated for outstanding teacherawards, she also serves on the Public School Black Advi-sory Committee and is a member of Public School Sistersfor Success, a program that supports Black women highschool students.

�I would like to continue with the proud tradition of raisingthe bar in educaiton for all Des Moines students and thiswould mean leaving no child behind while constantlyimproving the standards of measure,� Spicer said. �Surelythere are other best practices we can emulate inorder to improve the reading, math and scienceefficiency for all students in all buildings.�

Outside of her experience in the classroom, Spiceralso has a backgroud in community organizing, andpromises to focus on establishing school board ties withcommunity groups and members from all sectors of DesMoines. She stressed the importance of communication� between teachers, administrators, students, andparents, not just focusing on a top-down model.Discipline has also become important, as she believesthat the enforcement measures for schools� disciplinarypolicies need to change in order to make them fair for allstudents.

Spicer hopes to �win back the support of ourcommunities,� as we �restore our public schools back totheir rightful place as being one of the leading corridorsof learning.�

For more information on Spicer�s campaign and ideasfor the school board, please visit her website atwww.spicereducation.com.

Matthew Harvey has aknowledge of the uniquedifficulties and opportunitiespresented by contemporaryurban education. A graduateof the Detroit Public Schoolsystem and Michigan StateUniversity, he is currently aconsultant serving in the Army Reserve, as he has for thepast 16 years. While waiting to report to Army OfficerBasic Course in Michigan, he was a substitute teacher ina Detroit high school. He has previously served three yearson a School Board in an urban Michigan district, andhe was recognized by the Michigan Association ofSchool Boards as a Certified Board Member, was giventhe Award of Merit, and the Advocacy Skills SpecialtyCertificate.

He believes that these experiences have given himinsight into the �challenges and opportunities that exist intoday�s classroom.� As a former board member in a dis-trict with similar urban characteristics that faced the prob-lems of education, he feels that he has developed his own�skills as a board member,� and plans to lead �by exampleby demonstrating a dedication to life-long learning andcommunity service.�

Harvey has held previous positions in industry and ingovernment (including serving as Staff Officer for theAssistant Secretary of the Army in Washington, D.C.) thathe believes helps him bring a �unique perspective ofbusiness, technology, and education,� to the serving onthe school board. While at Michigan State, he earned aCertificate in Educational Technology, including coursesin the Essential Elements of Effective Instruction.

In the community, Harvey has volunteered at weekendenrichment programs that encourage universi tyattendance, and has been an after-school tutor in a church-sponsored program.

Harvey urges all Des Moines residents to honor, valueand recognize our schools, students, and community.

Staff:

Dr. Ruth E. White, Director

Kim Cheeks, Program Planner

Phone: 515-281-7283 or 800-351-4659

Fax: 515-242-6119

Website: www.state.ia.us/dhr/saa

Email: dhr.icsaa@dhr.state.ia.us

Spring/Fall 2002

Department of Human Rights

Lucas State Office Building

Des Moines, IA 50319

IOWA COMMISSION ON THESTATUS OF AFRICAN�AMERICANS

PRSRT STD

U.S. Postage

PAID

Des Moines, IA

Permit No. 1195

Across Black Iowa...Across Black Iowa...

�Ames�W. Ray Richardson becamethe f i rst Black schoolsuperintendant in Iowa when hewas named to head the AmesCommunity School Distr ict inMarch. Richardson is the onlyBlack administrator in the 4,750-student Ames District . He willbegin his f irst school year inSeptember in Ames, where fivepercent of enrolled students areBlack.

�Polk County�Odell McGhee tookoffice as a Polk County DistrictCourt Judge in March, making himjust the fifth African Americanjudge ever appointed in Iowa. He

was nominated and rejected over thirtytimes before persevering to becomeonly the third Black judge appointedin Polk County.

�Statewide�The rate at which non-White students dropped out of highschools continued to rise in 2001.African American students droppedout at a rate of 7.5 percent, andHispanic students at a rate of 9.3percent, both significant increasesover the numbers of students thatquit school during 2000. Only 2.3percent of White students and 2.7percent of all Iowan students leftschool. Iowa�s dropout rates are stillmuch less than national averages forminorities and all students, but thegrowth causes reasons for alarm andconcern.

�Statewide�Iowa became second inthe nation in incarceration rates forBlacks in 2001, as Wisconsin led theU.S. with 4,058 incarcerated Blackpersons per 100,000 Black residents.In Iowa, 3,302 Black persons were

incarcerated per 100,000, andTexas was third with 3,287 forevery 100,000 Black residents.Iowa had the highest rates of Blackincarceration in the nation beforeWisconsin�s rate grew larger.

�Statewide�June 15, 2002 wasIowa�s first Juneteenth NationalFreedom Day, after GovernorVilsack signed a bill in April thatproclaimed the third Saturday inJune a state holiday. Juneteenthis the oldest known celebration ofthe end of slavery, dating back to1865. On June 19, Union troopsentered Galveston, TX, with newsthat the Civil War had ended andall slaves were free, nearly two anda half years after the emancipationproclamation. Governor Vilsackurged government entities, civicorganizations, and schools toobserve, commemorate, andcelebrate the day.