Evansville's Racially Divided History

[@rbb152]

I grew up in Evansville and when I was in junior high school we moved from the Melody Hills neighborhood by the old airport (the Evansville Aces plane crashed less than a half mile from where I lived) to live on Bayard Park Dr. right on the park. This was in the late 1970s. My parents deliberately moved us into an integrated neighborhood - both racially and economically - so that we could meet people who had different lived experiences than we did.

[@lisamariehale8116]

Kelly Coures is a walking history book. Appreciate his knowledge of Evansville’s past.

[@allabored4443]

I disagree he downplayed murder and torture by a racist mob.

[@natebullock6555]

​@@allabored4443no he didn't

[@markbeck8384]

I grew up in Evansville: about 3-14 years old. Since then, I have lived elsewhere; but always remembered most of my Evansville growing up as good. I came from a more wealthy family. We had a black maid. I knew she lived in a row of shotgun houses in a segregated neighborhood. I don't think there were any black kids in my grade school. I'm in my mid-70s now, about to retire. I didn't realize, growing up, that Evansville was quite as Southern as it was, although I think my grandma's meals were all deep South, and I was told we spoke with a "twang". I wish Evansville well, as I remember it's Beauty; but I hope it has moved on to be more multi-cultural. Thanks for your posting. I grew up at 601 College Highway, went to Washington Grade School, danced at Hodgini's, used to skate in the Courier-Press sponsered New Blades ice show at the old Roberts Municipal Stadium, took piano lessons at Evansville college, attended Redeemer Lutheran Church, swam at Rolling Hills Country Club.

[@PlantbasedCurt]

So how is it now?

[@NikiRiat]

Hoping for more of these incredibly insightful videos. Thank you! Praying for diversity + unity in our city.

[@Christian.Nation]

I found this video very...refreshing. I live in Evansville. I was born here and grew up here for awhile. I am only 24 currently. Sadly, Evansville is still VERY decided from my experience and point of view. I wasn't raised in the nicer areas. I was always living in the rough. There's still neighborhoods here if your the wrong color of skin, people will watch your every move and maybe even try doing something. Down town is the safest area in my opinion, because there's cameras and police officers literally everywhere. If anyone harasses you there's not a whole lot they can do to you without it being video taped or the police on scene within maybe 1 minute or 2. Personally the worst I've been bothered down town was maybe someone yelling out their vehicle because they blew a red or a stop sign and I went to cross the street. Which happens anywhere. Now. Another thing about Evansville is the gang culture. It's heavy in some areas still, and if you wear the wrong colored clothing or say the wrong wording of something they'll for sure try pressing your buttons. Even if your minding your own business. It's all for a reaction though. If you ignore them and show them no fear, they'll yell more but probably won't bother you. Because they'll assume your crazy. That's generally in the rough areas. Over the last 5 years Evansville has gotten better though. The gang task force has cleaned the streets up a lot and some of the worst neighborhoods back then are now cleaned up or gated. So. Just be mindful and careful. Should be fine. Evansville can be enjoyable! Especially down town area. The river is a real highlight of the city.

[@lonewolf9724]

Live here and agree

[@thegamedudeguy]

really well made stuff

[@Christian.Nation]

Also a lot of folks don't know how deep the history of Evansville really goes and the history of some of the buildings and businesses. There's some pretty cool stuff/stories if your into history!

[@markryan7879]

As a pre-teen, my family lived at 961 S Morton. That is where Morton meets Washington Ave, In the mid to late 1960's the area north of there was a neighborhood becoming racially integrated Stanley Hall Elementary was integrated. The effects of the oppression of blacks could be seen in the kids at that school at that time.

[@redgr81]

very well done, i learned a lot

[@myrelynch]

Love this!!!!!

[@davidlester8379]

Not sure who you are, but do you really believe this is an Evansville problem? You could do this exact same thing on about any city in America.

[@ForEvansville]

Hey David! If you're in the Evansville area, we'd love for you to check out our website, forevansville.org so you can get to know us and our heart for our city! Great question though - and the answer is yes and you're right! Like the illustration we used in the beginning of the film, if your neighbors were having a problem and you wanted to help solve it, you'd have to ask, "What happened here?" A lot of neighbors can have problems, but not for the same reasons, just like cities all over America are dealing with racial (dis)unity, but for different reasons. Since we are specifically working to make Evansville a place where everyone can flourish, we want to find out what happened here so we can work to solve its problems.

[@scottschnell851]

@@ForEvansville well said

[@daltonhayhurst8501]

@@ForEvansvilleyour talking about things that happened before anyone here was even born, how is that relevant today? If this were the case we are gonna have to go back ALOT farther.

[@MikeInIN]

My first time landing on this KZbin. Thank you for the work you've put into these! Kelly is so knowledgeable in history. I'll definitely be sharing!

[@DevinNixonDavis]

This is great.

[@bruceweir9931]

Evansville was known as the "northernmost southern city." In 1935, thousands of Klansmen marched down Main Street. During the Civil War, Southern forces rode through Evansville, similar to a parade.

[@laffilmfest3759]

Very interesting...

[@Coachat]

👏🏽 Great job

[@double-r940]

Wow people are so evil no excuse for it treating humans that walk talk feel cry laugh the same babies and children just hate hate hate well it all has to be answered for too late to be nice now damage is done ! 💯👍🏿

[@Wonderwonfer]

Outstanding video. Well made. Very disheartening time in history....I can only hope that we will continue to move away from such narrow minded thinking and eventually make this seemingly ongoing issue eventually obsolete. On an ending note, I'd be interested in seeing videos being made about the war history in Evansville. Just a thought.

[@funkycacahuete2933]

This is a great video shedding the light on an important yet forgotten historical event that continues to shape our town. However, I feel the video missed an opportunity to highlight local black voices to further through-line our past history with current day.

[@ForEvansville]

Thanks for watching and the feedback! We agree it's important to highlight local black voices as well - and hope to do more videos in the future. Have you checked out our podcast? In our first two episodes, we cover these same stories as well as others. We have Dr. Rob Shelby, Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Evansville join Kelley in Episode 1, and in Episode 2, we take a more "now what?" / current day approach with Tanisha Carothers, Principal Attorney at T. Carothers Law Office, Owner of Her Space Co., President of Evansville's Black Chamber of Commerce & Logan Miller, Director & Producer of Love: Undivided, Owner and Filmmaker at Kriss Films. You can listen to those at forevansville.org/podcast

[@patriciaclay6631]

@ CURTIS HOLBERT NOTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED

[@christiemadden7366]

I never understood the whole East vs West issue in Evansville. Was it racially-motivated as well? I grew up on the East side {Lorraine Park area} and I have aunts who all were born and raised and lived on the West Side. When I was growing up, my aunts absolutely REFUSED to visit because we lived on the East side. It's like you're from another country if you lived on the other side of HWY 41

[@lonewolf9724]

Its not a race issue, but more of a fuck you issue. I lived in Newburgh, East and and now West. West is like your rich people and east is your everyday person. Not 100% accurate, but I like West because it's quite when it needs to be and there's fun at the bars on west. East got cool shit like the mall and famous restaurants, but west got the good times. They even throw events on west...

[@MidwesternPsycho]

Yep...

[@anthonyjackson4213]

Dude what a beautiful and awesome video of downtown Evansville , was loving the skyline scenery stuff and listening to what you were speaking about at the same time which is unfortunate, a lot of that existed in many cities and places across America, but that’s humans for ya” it’s like the animal kingdom, where as animals for the most part are suspicious of each other and attack each other for dominant control or when they are hungry, humans should know better, and i liken this to the fall of Adam and Eve rather people believe in that fall or not... But again great video and hopefully you will do some downtown stuff showcasing your city especially the downtown and Indiana’s 3rd largest city on a different note, and always thanks for sharing...👍🙌🏼👌🏾👊👏🏼😃

[@benhurt896]

Are u sure?

[@jonm4501]

Well done, delivered in a non-political way.

[@johnniepegues305]

So sad the same story told all over the world racial issues indifferences and if race is a test from God many have failed

[@lesterhansford8726]

This is Everywhere we are having BlackFlight and WhiteFlight today in many states.

[@waynemuehlenbein2281]

They’re walking down Lynwood Ave. My grandmother’s house was at 1159 South. I can tell you, growing up in Evansville in the 50’s and 60’s, Evansville was racist as it gets. Probably still is . . .

[@natebullock6555]

Not really anymore

[@bryceword1768]

And this is why they hate Bosse High School. Evansville, Evil-ville, Evans-hell!!! 🤢🤮

[@Sexton_Hardcastle]

👍

[@johnniepegues305]

Evansville is still very divided and very racist it's not a lot to do here for African-Americans is not any great restaurants here Evansville was really not inclusive and not very transparent

[@natebullock6555]

No it's not

[@johnniepegues305]

@@natebullock6555 as usual in denial don't want to face the truth but I got called a Niger right on Washington Street by the fire station and my son got called in Niger on Michigan I seen somebody in the projects riding arund in a red truck with a truck Trump flag and a Confederate flag Evansville still racist and divided there's a few exceptions many don't want to be inclusive or have equality

[@johnniepegues305]

Let me give you another example I work in the school system and I work summer school this summer and it was a white kid who didn't want to do what the black instructor told him to do because she was black so been taught that racism at home you're not born racist you become one by teaching by example social media influences

[@remo1wodmnetwork9605]

There's no denying the racism and actions in our past, but I disagree on the current status you suggest. What you call racially separated today is actually the areas black families have taken as part of their heritage, former generations growing up there. The great houses on Washington , Blackford, Linwood, Bayard park were all white only neighborhoods of old now fully immersed in colors & cultures today. My grandfather built our family house on a dirt road of farmland with four neighbors. By my birth 60 yrs ago we were 1 of only 3 white families in a 2 block range. That's within 10 years of the Tuxedo park incident. The part you're leaving out : it was the wealthy whites who refused to be open & adapt, not the everyday white people. I went to Glenwood & Bosse and still live in a black neighborhood, know, respect & protect my neighbors as they do me. Perhaps the young man and you still see still think this distrust and separation exists because you never lived in one of them; the fear may be yours.

[@b.m.3807]

It’s a lot of this type of history throughout the state of Indiana and if you truly close your eyes and just listen to the words it’s the exact same layout of January 6th actions (different situations but the same). How can anyone attack a building and the people there not fear for their lives (unless it’s a “certain” group of individuals attacking)? Had the people been any other color people would fear for their safety and engage with their weapons no if and butts about it. This story is repeated over and over and over. So sad I watch a lot of history and say the more things change they’re truly the same. The power system is setup a certain way to play on one’s emotions and those people can’t figure out that “we” (the have-nots) are all on the same team.

[@violajohnson3726]

Interesting that you are trying to learn Black Evansville stories from someone who is not Black. If you *really* wanted to hear those stories you should have asked someone who lived them while walking through Baptist Town.

[@ForEvansville]

Fair point Viola. Although Kelley brings an extensive historical knowledge to this conversation, there's nothing like hearing someone's firsthand experience. We'd love the opportunity to share such stories. If you have someone specific in mind we should connect with, please send me an email ([e-mail]). Thanks for watching and for sharing your perspective. -Jonathan

[@johnniepegues305]

Arrogance and ignorance you cannot buy good health or common sense

[@dandwun562]

Lynch photography = early selfie. Haha! Seems like this Canadian is really digging to find racial divide in Evansville.

[@mackjuan2232]

I'm from Memphis and my family roots are in Mississippi,I spent time growing up in both, I've lived in Memphis, Atlanta, Dallas and North Carolina, I've lived here in Evansville for about 4yrs and I have to say this place is more prejudice, segregated and has more racist people than anywhere I've ever been and lots of the people talk that"color blind"sh.t but like the person who referred to "OTW"(other than white) as"colored is a perfect example how it really is here but the rent is cheap and is fairly safe....but that's it.

[@bobskelton9432]

I have a lot Colored friends ..I definitely dont feel that way...Not all Caucasian are racist ! 😳😠

[@Brook1392]

@David Lightman The leadership of the organization desires to keep the name to honor the original founders and to maintain a lasting reminder of the conditions that necessitated its founding. It pays to think. You should try it.

[@John-wr6yo]

It should be more like what happened in mt. Vernon indiana. Oh yes....... at the cout house annex in mt. Vernon you can still see the nazi german eagle above the front entrance and on each side of the eagle embedded in the masonry tile work you can see the remnants of the swastika emblems.

[@John-wr6yo]

Evansville is not unique to racial conflicts of the past. So what is the big deal.