Friends,
Happy Black History Month! This tradition dates to 1976 at a nationwide level, and back to 1926 when “Negro History Week” was launched to coincide with the February birthday week of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln and was embraced by more and more cities through the years.
Our community celebrates Black History Month energetically, and deep appreciation goes to Beverly Calender-Anderson and Shatoyia Moss of Bloomington’s Community and Family Resources Department and the many, many volunteers who tirelessly help coordinate the month’s many activities.
Last Tuesday, our city took one important, specific step – formally launching the new name of Eagleson Avenue, replacing the former Jordan Avenue. The former street name recognized an Indiana University President who had promoted pernicious and racist beliefs including eugenics.
Names matter. They reflect and extend our history. By adding Eagleson Avenue to Bloomington’s names of major public streets, we are honoring a powerful and distinguished family story. Halson Valshon Eagleson, born into slavery in 1851, came to Bloomington in the 1880s. He became a prominent local businessman, and four generations of this family have made very significant contributions to the city, university, state, and nation. Read more about this incredible family here.
The name “Eagleson” will be spoken over and over by thousands of Bloomingtonians for generations to come. Names matter, and as that beautiful and inspiring name is voiced again and again, as the story of that family is learned, we help to reflect and extend our history and make it more full, fair, and inclusive.
Several generations of the Eagleson family gathered for a moving unveiling of the new street signs last week. Another ceremony will be held in the warmer weather to come – watch for it! In the meantime, we’ll all be advancing Bloomington history when we all say the new Eagleson Avenue name.
Democratically yours,
John
P.S. Hold the evening of Thursday, February 24th for the 2022 State of the City event. We’ll review our progress and chart our future together. Details on in-person and/or virtual options to come.