African Americans In YS Section

• Village elders reflect on the Black experience, Pt. II

  By Cheryl DurgansDecember 4, 2021

  

  Villagers Paul Graham and Phillip Lawson spoke about their experiences growing up and living in integrated communities in Dayton and Yellow Springs.

• Village elders reflect on the Black experience, Pt. I

  By Cheryl DurgansNovember 29, 2021

  

  Longtime villagers Frances Smith and Geneva Brisbane reflected on their experiences with racism and segregation during the “Elders Speak” virtual event held last month. The event was sponsored by The 365 Project.

• Wheeling Gaunt sculpture unveiled in downtown Yellow Springs

  By Reilly DixonOctober 12, 2021

  

  Standing over six-feet tall and glinting with a deep bronze exterior, a lifesize statue of 19th-century Yellow Springs resident, philanthropist and formerly enslaved man Wheeling Gaunt, was unveiled on Saturday, Oct. 2, to joyous celebration and fanfare.

• 365 Project — Exploring Black ancestry at Glen Forest Cemetery

  By Cheryl DurgansAugust 5, 2021

  

  On Saturday, July 24, people slowly trickled into Glen Forest cemetery, lingering near the cannon commemorating the service of veterans during the Civil War, including Black soldiers who are buried in the cemetery.

• Reparations fund to address past injustice

  By Lauren ShowsJuly 9, 2021

  

  Though the national conversation around reparations began again in earnest last year as Americans took to the streets in protest over the police killings of Black Americans, that conversation continues to stall over a series of sticking points: What should reparations look like? To whom should they be granted? And who should pay them?

• Juneteenth celebrations in the village

  By Lauren ShowsJune 18, 2021

  

  In January of this year, Village Council passed a resolution that recognized Juneteenth as an official holiday in Yellow Springs; in March, the day was adopted as a paid holiday for Village employees. This weekend, the community at large will observe Juneteenth with two celebrations on Saturday, June 19.

• The Briar Patch— A dilemma with good reason

  By Cheryl DurgansFebruary 16, 2021

  

  The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already catastrophic healthcare crisis in Black communities across the United States. The conversation around vaccinations must extend beyond forced mandates or anti-vaxxer tropes.

• The Briar Patch— Mortgaging humanity: Property values and the life of Wheeling Gaunt

  By Cheryl DurgansJanuary 4, 2021

  

  There is clear distinction between Gaunt’s humanitarian-based business structure, and the economic system of slavery upon which our mortgage system is based. Bundling enslaved people — captives — into securities had benefits for the slave owner.

• A path to progress on race?

  By Audrey HackettNovember 9, 2020

  

  This is fourth in a series on the impacts of racism in Yellow Springs and local anti-racist efforts and approaches.

• Leading while Black in Yellow Springs

  By Audrey HackettAugust 5, 2020

  

  In this week’s article, the third in the News’ current series, “Facing Race,” we take a closer look at the interplay of race and representation in the village, based on interviews with six Black villagers in elected and other leadership roles locally.