The Black Experience at Grinnell College Through Collected Oral History and Documents, 1863–1954

Note: The questionaire mentioned in this response can be viewed by opening this link in a new window.

Harrietta Stevens: Formerly Harrietta Martin. Black Alumni Study Questions:

Stevens: Number 1: A) My mother is presently a laborer at the Research Medical Center and my father is deceased. While he was living he was a freight handler for the Rock Island Railroad. My father received little or no education at all‚ my mother received no education.

B) I would say that my home town environment is segregated.

C) At the time I went to my high school‚ it was strictly academic‚ but now‚ I understand‚ it is presently an academy for accelerated students and includes a variety of programs in addition to the academic skills required for graduation.

E) Both my parents are Democratic.

I chose Grinnell because they offered me the largest scholarship-academic. My friends did not know very much about the school‚ especially the location‚ but were pleased that I received such a large scholarship. My parents were very‚ very excited about me attending Grinnell.

Number 3: I was actively recruited during College Days at my local high school. At the time‚ I was considering Cornell‚ also‚ but received a better scholarship from Grinnell‚ and understood after checking it out that it was a better college to attend as far as the standings.

Number 4: I had already made up my mind in my junior year in high school that I was going to be in theater one way or another. And when I attended the College‚ I had already decided on my major.

Number 5: My number one primary concern was academic‚ my number two concern was my social 1 ife and the people that I would be involved with.

Number 6: I didn't find it very difficult adjusting. I believe this was because‚ in addition to the College's New Student program‚ the black alumni also had a program that made it very easy to adjust and feel somewhat at home‚ and explained all the information I needed in reference to starting.

Number 7: At first I was somewhat lonely and homesick for my home town‚ since I hadn't ever been in another city alone by myself‚ but I adjusted fairly quickly because of the black alumni at Grinnell and their concern and helpfulness.

Number 8: I believe there were 62 blacks attending Grinnell at my time of enrollment. Some of the names that stand out were Denise Iverson‚ who was from Kansas City‚ and I had met her early in August before coming to Grinnell. She attended Paseo High School and was aware of the fact that I was coming and decided to look me up in Kansas City before my trip to Grinnell to let me know and give me some ideas and helpful hints on things that I would need in addition to things you would normally take when leaving town. She explained the faculty‚ other students that had attended and her likes and dislikes about the College. Also was Roxanne Brown‚ who also attended Paseo H.S. and was going to Grinnell from my home town. There was also one other student that attended Grinnell at the same time I did that was recruited from my high school‚ and her name was Pauletta Moss‚ Wayne Wiley from Ft. Worth‚ Texas‚ Dennis Moss from Miami‚ Florida‚ Sheila Cochran‚ I believe‚ from Indiana.

Number 9: Basically‚ I believe that along with everyone as far as the black students are concerned‚ I would say that there was only a handful of black students that were in any organized group of any sort. The majority of the black personnel and alumni were associated with the Concerned Black Students. I believe the most memorable experience that I could have had with these students was being a member of the Grinnell Black Gospel Choir that was formed in '72.

Number 10: No‚ I did not have a white roommate.

Number 11: My first two years attending Grinnell my roommates were picked. And these were picked by the black students‚ Black Concerned Students of the College. We were always rooming with older students‚ and during your junior and senior year you were given the choice of either staying by yourself or choosing your own roommate. I was never encouraged or discouraged from living with other blacks or white studentso

Number 12: I would say‚ on the whole‚ that the white students usually reacted somewhat discreetly. As far as myself‚ I never really had any problems.

Number 13: I never had anyone confront me as to my feelings on being black in a predominantly white environment.

Number 14: I would have to say no‚ because there was always the Black Cultural Center and the identity there was real. Sometimes I did consider myself to have a separate identity as far as the whites were concerned.

Number 15: I would have to say that usually‚ on the whole‚ as far as the majority of the blacks are concerned‚ there was very little interaction‚ especially socially. But there was always that handful‚ that were never really a part of our functions‚ but more so of theirs.

Number 16: I tried to stay as busy as possible. I was a member of the dance department‚ in their company‚ I took classes in jujitsu‚ I usually tried to go swimming at least three times a week‚ I used the gymnasium quite a bit‚ I used to run‚ exercise‚ I even tried the golf range. I was involved in almost every play that was taking place at the College at that time‚ because I was a theater major‚ and it was a part of my studies and the most important thing was that I was a member of the Grinnell Black Gospel Choir. I also took part in a lot of the functions and the preparations that the Concerned Black Students were involved in.

Number 17: I wouldn't say that I was discouraged‚ but simply because there were very few blacks in certain activities that were available at the College‚ I would say‚ as a whole‚ that the blacks did not get interested or into these programs simply because of that fact. I wouldn't say that any of the activities were restricted from the black students‚ just a lot of the times that they did have activities the different lectures‚ dances or whatever were not of our interest.

Number 18: I did not feel isolated or insulated from the real world‚ but at the end of my stay at Grinnell‚ I did feel very isolated. But I don't believe it was because of Grinnell‚ it was personal problems. I say this because I did go home quite often and if I did not go home‚ my family came to see me on a regular basis. So it did keep me in touch with the real world‚ and especially my black identity.

Number 19: Yes‚ I was aware of the national events taking place and Civil Rights activities. I simply became a part of that.

Number 20: I believe a lot of the activities of Martin Luther King were not accepted by the majority at our school‚ but all of the blacks were aware of the things happening and tried to act on that particular activity at that time. The Concerned Black Students also made it known to Grinnell that we knew what was happening and that we would be a part of it‚ too.

Number 21: I love Nikki Giovanni. I also love poetry. But I especially like Nikki Giovanni. I also had Black History while at Grinnell which involved several black authors‚ of course.

Number 22: No‚ I never did feel any obligation‚ but became a part and did participate in several activities‚ especially during home vacations.

Number 2J: The only black organizations I was involved with were the Concerned Black Students of Grinnell College and the Black Gospel Choir‚ of course.

Number 24: Again‚ I·d have to say that the reactions by the white students were somewhat discreet. This is only my reaction only‚ and I·d say that yes‚ the issues were discussed openly and there was activity from both sides.

Number 25: No‚ I was not involved.

Number 26: No.

Number 27: I would have to say that the most positive personal experience that I experienced was the openness and the helpfulness from the instructors‚ especially the black instructors‚ and the involvement and participation in the Black Gospel Choir. We had a message and eventually our message was accepted at the College. At first‚ it was a little up in the air‚ but once we were accepted‚ we did a lot of activities that made us known at the school. I would have to say that the most negative personal experience was my experience right before I left the school‚ semester break‚ November of '74‚ when I was almost literally assaulted by one of the black students attending Grinnell at the time. I had just gone through a great ordeal with my family and the fact that my father had passed that summer‚ and I was carrying a very heavy load and working two part time jobs at the time and eventually almost had a nervous breakdown‚ to say the least.

Number 28: I'd have to say my family.

Number 29: Yes‚ my girlfriend Denise‚ from Kansas City‚ we're still now friends. No‚ I do not have any white students that are still friends of mine.

Number 3O: Some of the reactions that I came across were very‚ very negative ones as far as the township was concerned. Some of the problems that I encountered was when I'd walked into a store the eyes would be glued on me from the moment I entered until I left‚ and it was almost as if every time when you walked in that your presence didn't necessitate any help‚ but to be watched. Also‚ at that particular time‚ I believe there was only one or two other black families in town‚ but I do not know who these families were at the present time.

That was Number 31.

Number 32: I draw a blank.

Number 33: Yes‚ I was happy at Grinnell until my departure in November of '74.

Number 34: After leaving Grinnell‚ I was under the doctor's care for several months thereafter and then‚ in '75‚ I began working with the Missouri Repertory Theater and I also attended the University of Missouri at Kansas City.

I then received a job working for a major paper manufacturer‚ Crown Zellerbach. I was married July 4 of '81. I have no children. I also am a dance instructor at the Charlie Parker Dance Academy in Kansas City. It is a fine arts academy‚ and it features instruction in instrumental‚ voice‚ dance‚ drama‚ etc .. I also have a dance troupe that was formed in August of '78. No‚ I do not live in a predominantly black neighborhood‚ but my family does. No‚ I do not work in a predominantly black neighborhood.

Number 35: Very little.

Number 36: No‚ I was not involved with churches at Grinnell‚ and I was not a member of any particular church. I do say that my involvement was strictly with the Gospel Choir

Number 37: I wouldn't have missed it or passed it up for anything in the world‚ because I believe that the experience at Grinnell was a very helpful experience. Socially‚ no‚ but I did return home quite often. Educationally‚ very much so. Emotionally‚ I would have to say that emotionally is one of the reasons I did not return to Grinnell due to the incident that happened prior to my leaving. If I had the chance to do it all over again‚ I would go back to Grinnell.