President of Delaware County Historical Society and Delaware County historian, Karen Vincent hosted a presentation in honor of celebrating the African American women in Muncie’s history Feb. 22.
Other speakers in the presentation were Karen Good, a member of the Board of Directors of Delaware County Historical Society, Melissa Gentry, supervisor in GIS Research at Ball State libraries, Sara McKinley, local history and genealogy supervisor at Muncie Public Library, and Nalleli Guillen, associate director of curation and exhibition for Minnetrista Museum and Gardens.
Vincent said the purpose of this presentation is to look back at Muncie’s historical background and recognize more than 400 women who made a difference in Delaware County’s community.
“The community today includes so many strong women making history with their dedication to service,” Vincent stated.
Good began the presentation by recognizing Lucille Bauer for beginning the waisman mission.
“The waisman mission was a program that would not only provide shelter for homeless women and children, but would temporarily assist the unfortunate, destitute and handicapped,” Good said.
Gentry shifted the presentation into telling the story of a year in the life of African American women living in Muncie.
“In April of 1917, Americans woke up to the news that the U.S. had entered World War One,” Gentry said. “Lydia Nichols, an African American woman who published a column called 'In Colored Circles' for the Muncie Star, went from reporting about church events to reporting about the church’s mobilization in support of the soldiers,” Gentry said.
McKinley discussed Alice Jones, who contributed to Muncie’s African American history. She was the first African American woman to serve on the Muncie City Council.
McKinley said Jones married a man named William McIntosh.
“By that time, Alice had already accomplished so much for the City of Muncie and the Black community,” she said. “She was inducted as one of the 12 charter members of the Multi Services Center’s Black Hall of Fame.”
The last speaker in Muncie’s celebration for African American history was Nalleli Guillen, who spoke on the Ball family’s diverse staff in the early 20th century and Minnetrista's employment opportunities.
“When natural gas attracted new industry to this region, creating new jobs and new wealth, it also attracted an increasingly diverse population to the Magic City,” Guillen said.
She also gave credit to a few African American individuals who helped the Ball family boost the importance Minnetrista holds for Muncie’s community.
“Furthermore, their experiences as Black Munsonians reveal a great deal about Black life, culture and community in Muncie, and the social struggles and triumphs that emerged as the city’s population diversified throughout the 20th century,” Guillen said.
Another presentation will be hosted in the Music Lounge in the Student Center March 21 during Ball State’s Women's Week.
Contact Jamie Strouts with comments at jdstrouts@bsu.edu.
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