Black History in Bloomington, Indiana

    It's 2026, and it's February. I like Black History month, because learning history is important; learning and scrutinizing our common knowledge of the present and the past helps us know better.

    We should know better.

    My hometown has a history of African-Americans, probably tracing back to the time when IU was founded around 1820, a few years after statehood for us Hoosiers. 

    I grew up in B-town; I am a long time basketball sufferer. I write this as Purdue is killing the men and giving the Hoosiers, at time hopeful this season, their 10th loss of the season. March Madness worthy? Not unless they change up their execution and toughness. I do not see it.

    The football team, a dream squad, was another matter this past year altogether. Wow.

    Lots of African-American help on that team, which we will forever cherish.

    Sports bring us together, which Bloomington celebrates.

    Bob Knight brought greatness through diversity there, with many Black players among some great white ones. 

    There is more to life and success than sports, obviously, but some things are more visible than others.

    I grew up near the IU campus, attended Elm Heights where we had some Black students, but I did not know that we had a historical Black part of town. It was past downtown, I guess between the hospital on second street (or third?) and Pigeon Hill, closer to former Dyer Middle School, which would become Tri-North. Which, not surprisingly, has had a higher concentration of African-American students and athletes.

    Much of Bloomington and the surrounding county, Monroe, is very white, over the last decades more diversity has come. This possibly represents more advancement and success among people of color, along with the growth of jobs and the university.

    

    ASIDE: Jesse Jackson died this week. More on him later, hopefully.

    Who did I know who was Black, in Bloomington?

    A good little list, I think. Some of them were adopted by white families, yes, but it all comes together, which is my greater point.

    In the country and the world, we all interact and make history together.

    Long live Black history month, and the significance of who and where and why we are.

    Blog it.