ORGANIZATIONS and CLUBS
55 12th Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406Phone 319-862-2101
www.blackiowa.org
The museum is the fruition of a 10-year effort by a group from Cedar Rapids' Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church. The museum opened in September 2003. Lots of hard work went into establishing the
museum. While working to raise funds and find a site, members of the museum's board of directors and staff did all the right things; holding fund-raising and educational events, contests, presenting exhibits in a storefront space at Westdale Mall, and touring the state to talk about their plans.
Congratulations to James Clark, BeBe Davis, Marvin Steward, Thomas Levi, Sr. Johnny Brown and
Tom Moore who are the founders and who stayed with the project to completion
Original Board of Directors
James Clark, Johnny Brown, Marvin Stewart,Be Be Davis, Thomas Levi Sr,Tom Moore
Joseph McGill Shirley Cutchlow Tom Moore
Events Director Executive Director
Tom Moore, President. is a Midwestern native who has remained close to his roots. After his 1968 graduation from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, he enlisted in the Air Force for a four-year tour of duty. During this time he met and married his wife, Lillie and they have two children.
.After his Air Force service Tom began a rewarding 30 year accounting career at Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids. He is an active member of Mt. Zion Church and has served as a trustee, historian, choir member and teacher . He has served on numerous boards, including First Light Ministries, new Bohemia, United Way, The Iowa Museum Association. He is a former member of the Salvationn Army Advisory Board and a former Boy Scout and Cub Master.
In 1993 he co-founded the African American Heritage Foundation which governs the current African American Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa. From 1994-1996, Mr Moore served as the first Board Vice President. He served as Board President from 1996 through 2000 and Vice Pres from 2001-2003.
Immediately after retiring from Quaker Oats in May 2003, he began the next chapter of his life, taking the position of Interim Executive Director of the African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa. He became Executive Director of the Museum in January 2004 and serves in that capactiy today.
(3rd annual Academy brochure 2/26/2009)
Shirley Cutchlow, Events Director: Shirley Cutchlow was a well known figure in the city as one of the founders of AAHM and Cultural Center of Iowa.. She passed on Nov.25, 2008. Friends and collegues had nothing but respect for Shirley who was active in the Cedar Rapids African American community. "She was a very energetic person to say the least," said Tom Moore. "She was a real dynamo." Moore added that Cutchlow loved to be involved and better her community. Cutchlow became one of the first employees at the museum in 1998.. "She was the greatest cheerleader the museum will ever have".
She was an active member of the NAACP in Cedar Rapids for nearly 30 years. Cutchlow received numerous awards, including the "Yes I Can" award from the NAACP, given in honor of her friend Viola Gibson. She was also named a Freedom Festival Hero in 2000 and received the Rev.Martin Luther King Award from the NAACP. She was an active member at the Mount Zion Baptist Church. Gazette 11/27/08
Below is another interesting link conducted by the museum; it is a series of VIDEO INTERVIEWS of a number of Cedar Rapids and other Iowa residents.
http://www.blackiowa.org/education/childrens-oral-history-project/stories/
CR Club Dark Horse Ball Approx date 1931
The "Dark Horses" were an organized city wide club that sponsored events and athletic teams in the 1920's and 1930's. The men in the front row wearing boutonnieres were members of this club. This was impressive as the black population of Cedar Rapids in those days was approximately 1000. There is a list of the known names of those pictured. Some of the athletes are pictured on the Dark Horses basketball team on the tab ATHLETES
Dark Horses Spring Party 1935
Dark Horses Annual Ball
No date given
CRITERION CLUB 1930'S
Seated: Ann Turner ,Mary Milton, Joetta Collins, Magnolia Waller, Nina Woodson,
Standing: Evelyn Thompson, Faye Jones, Vivian Smith, Frances Baker, Evelyn Reed,
Wineva Haas, Esther Nance , Catherine Collins, Emma Turner, Lorraine Collins,
Hazle Phillips, Hazel Gibson, Lorena Hammond
Mary Paige, President of the Iowa Association of Colored Women's Clubs.
The clubs work to raise money to aid Africare, sickle cell anemia, projects of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, United Negro College Fund, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and to provide scholarships to high school graduates There are six clubs in Iowa. Mary belongs to one of two Cedar Rapids clubs. Called the CRITERION CLUB, it is open to women over 35.
Mary was elected June 1995 and will serve thru June 1996. "I really wanted to be the president. It's kind of prestigious to me. I love it, I really do. Now that she's at the top, Mary says she's found out being president is "quite a challenge." It involves keeping in contact with the Iowa association's 150 members.
Mary also serves as historian of the central region of the organization. She's asked all the clubs in the region to provide brief histories. Mary plans to use the histories in a directory which will include all member's names.
Mary retired in 1993 after 40 years in the photographic processing end of the advertising business. She's been involved in Criterion for about 30 years. She joined after a friend talked her into going to a meeting
The club was a way for young black women of Cedar Rapids to get together, socialize, educate themselves and try and get involved in helping others. It's the kind of club you stay with Mary says. I've enjoyed working on different projects. It gives us a since of satisfaction when we do something for someone else (Gazette 1/18/1995)
JUST US CLUB 1950'S -60's
,Front row: Bev Taylor, Wesley Collins Cecil Reed,
right to left
Second row: Sam Perry,Ruth Perry , Joetta Collins, Evelyn Thompson, Gladys Taylor, Hazel Smith, Evelyn Reed, Ann Turner
Children: Debbie Gibson, Karen Thompson, David Reed, Bridget Smith, PeteTurner, Donny Turner, David Turner,
Dickie Reed , Mike Reed, Joyce Collins, Harold Thompson and Frank Turner
Order Of The Eastern Star
40th Anniversary of Electa Grand Chapter 1947
Front row: Francis A. Baker, Ruth Perry, Bridie Carlton, Sam Perry, Marjorie Blakey,
Paulette Clark
Back row: Natlee Dugan, Minnie Cherry, Wineva Haas, Gertrude Harrison, Ann Turner,
Vivian Smith, Gladys Taylor
 |
| SILVER LEAF CHAPTER 1958 |
Back row: unknown, Midge Wilson,, Paulette Gibson , Sam Perry, Nina Woodson, unknown, unknown
FIRST NAACP YOUTH COUNCIL OF CEDAR RAPIDS
NOVEMBER 4, 1944
Row 2: Billy Joe Cutchlow, Mayo Perkins, Eloysie McLeroy- President, Betty Wingfield, Freda Blakey, Odessa Gibson, Mary Lou Parks
Row 3: Mrs. Leila Hurst, Effie Gibson, Aljean, Brown, JoAnn Charles, Lewis Patterson, Jewel Jobe
Row 4: LeRoy Miller, Hugh Gibson, Lillian Wingfield, Dorothy Gray, Juanita Gibson, Clyde Mae Davis, Mrs Mary Lee Parks, Mr. W.L, Warren.
FIDELITY - ELKS LODGE
MASONS
