Community Life
A Unique Region
The Missouri Bootheel is an area that cannot be easily defined or categorized. As part of Missouri it can be called Midwestern, yet it lies on the border of North and South and has deep southern ties. It is bordered by four other states and got its nickname because part of the region extends into Arkansas like the heel of a boot. It forms the upper part of the Mississippi River Delta, setting it apart geologically from the rest of Missouri and tying it agriculturally to parts of Arkansas and Mississippi. At the turn of the twentieth century it was still a frontier, isolated by swamps, annual flooding, and disease. That soon changed when forests were cut down, swamps were drained, and levees were built. The region underwent a significant physical and cultural transformation and became a destination for people from the Ozark and Appalachian regions as well as the upper Midwest and Deep South. For some it was a permanent home, for others it was temporary. Many different groups of people left their mark on the region and one of the most significant, yet least documented groups was African Americans.
Hidden History
It is difficult to find information on African American community life in the Bootheel during the early twentieth century. Only scattered bits and pieces can be found in museums, books, or local newspapers. Unless you are inclined to dig deeply or talk to older citizens, you might even think it did not exist. In fact, there were very vibrant African American communities all over the Bootheel who were engaged in civic, political, religious, and educational affairs at the local, state, and national level.
In order to gain an understanding of community life in the early twentieth century, it must be pieced together. Local white newspapers give tantalizing glimpses of life, with occasional mentions of black baseball games, church gatherings, or marriage licenses. Rarely, the death of a black community member will garner attention. For the most part, press given to African Americans in the Bootheel during this time relates to the following: crimes perpetrated by African Americans, crimes against them (especially as migrant were moving into the area), or other negative incidents.
Black newspapers tell a different story and are a window to another world. The Anchor was an African American newspaper begun ca. 1912 in Caruthersville, yet only one issue exists that we know about. Published July 30th, 1921, it discusses local and personal news, such as the editor’s plan to attend the Centennial Celebration at Sedalia. It posts the services of the Church of God in Christ as well as numerous advertisements. Meeting times for the local A.F. & A.M. lodge are included and there is a comment about how the white press negatively affects race relations by attacking the Negro, singling out the Sikeston Standard in particular. Another valuable source is the St. Louis Argus because it posted a weekly “Out of Town News” section with reports from around the state. Government documents, court records, and oral histories are other avenues for information.
Website Purpose
The purpose of this website is to start piecing together community life in the early twentieth century and to make information accessible to everyone. At this time it focuses on 1900-1930. It is a work-in-progress that will take years to fully develop. The site contains some topic pages which provide context on different issues like religion and education and are supported by local examples. On individual county pages you will find more factual information such as names of schools or teachers. If you have feedback, information or photos to share I would love to hear from you.