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EDITED BY John C. Parish
Associate Editor of the State Historical Society of Iowa
| Volume II |
June 1921 |
No. 6 |
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Copyright 1920 by the State Historical Society of Iowa
(Transcribed by Gayle Harper)
A COLORED CONVENTION
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In February, 1868, a series of amendments eliminating the
word "white" from five sections of the Iowa Constitution was
under consideration in the legislature, having already been
adopted by the Eleventh General Assembly in 1866. Naturally
the colored residents of Iowa—the beneficiaries of the
proposed amendments—were interested in the success of the
resolution, and a call was sent out for what was probably the
first convention of colored people held in Iowa. This
invitation was signed by twenty-two representatives of that
race, led by Reverend J. W. Malone of Keokuk and the Reverend
S. T. Wells of Des Moines. It read as follows:
FELLOW
CITIZENS: In the exercise of a liberty which we hope you will
not deem unwarrantable, and which is given us by virtue of our
connection and identity with you, as an oppressed and
disfranchised people, the undersigned do hereby, most
earnestly and affectionately, invite you, en masse, or by your
chosen representatives, to assemble in Convention, in the City
of Des Moines, on the 12th day of February, 1868, at 10
o'clock A. M., for the purpose of considering the question of
our enfranchisement, which is now before the Legislature and
will soon be submitted to the voters of Iowa for their votes.
All in favor of equal rights, come! Strike for freedom whilst
it is day!
The date set for the convention was the
birthday of Abraham Lincoln, patron saint of the freedmen; and
on that day over thirty delegates appeared at Burn's Chapel in
Des Moines where the meeting was to be held. Each delegate was
taxed one dollar to defray expenses. While a few failed to
make this contribution, it appears that five delegates not
only paid their own share but added two dollars as the amount
credited to the towns from which they came.
The
convention organized in due form with J. W. Malone of Keokuk
as president. Two vice presidents, a secretary, and two
assistant secretaries were likewise chosen. A resolution in
honor of Abraham Lincoln and a code of rules for the
government of the convention were adopted; and a committee of
three was appointed to prepare an address to be presented to
the people of Iowa.
This address, it appears, was
delivered before the assembly by Alex. Clark, the chairman of
the committee. It was a plea for the enfranchisement of
colored men by the striking of the word "white" from the
Constitution of the State. "Having established our claim to
the proud title of American soldiers", reads part of the
address, "and shared in the glories won by the deeds of the
true men of our own color, will you not heed and hear our
appeal? .... We ask, in the honored name of 200,000 colored
troops, five hundred of whom were from our own Iowa, who, with
the first opportunity, enlisted under the flag of our country
and the banner of our State .... while the franchised rebels
and their cowardly friends, the now bitter enemies of our
right to suffrage, remained in quiet at home, safe, and
fattened on the fruits of our sacrifice, toil and blood. "
At the evening session on the first day of the convention
Alex. Clark—apparently considered the Demosthenes of the
assembly—addressed the delegates "by special request". Mr.
Henry O'Connor, the Attorney General of the State, also made a
speech which was described as "clear, strong, pointed and
eloquent". Among the resolutions adopted, the first two read
as follows:
RESOLVED, That we still have confidence in
the Republican Congress of the United States and the
Republican party of Iowa, and rest in the hope that they will
do all that can be done to secure us our full rights and
protect our friends in the South from wrong and oppression.
RESOLVED, That the tendency toward enlarged freedom which
distinguishes our age, which in England bears the name of
Reform, in Ireland the title of Fenianism, in Europe the name
of Progress, and in this government the name of Radicalism,
impresses us with the firm conviction that our claims to
universal suffrage and impartial justice at home and abroad
will soon be secured to all.
The convention also
expressed its gratitude to Attorney General O'Connor "for his
independent and manly opinion, as given to the Legislature,
upon the legality of submitting the question of suffrage by
the present Legislature to the people at the next general
election. " Likewise the activities of one of their own number
in behalf of the colored people was recognized by the
following resolution:
RESOLVED, That, having watched
with much diligence and deep interest the course pursued on
all questions affecting the well being of the colored people
of Iowa by our friend and fellow citizen, A. Clark, that he
has, as he must ever have, our full confidence and grateful
thanks, but more especially in this last great and noble act
in defending the rights of our children to be admitted into
the public schools of the State, as the Constitution warrants.
This convention may be commended for economy. The finance
committee reported a total of $38.44 in cash collections; the
expenses were $11.73; and the balance was appropriated for
printing the proceedings of the convention.
A number of
ten minute speeches marked the closing session on the evening
of February 13th, although an exception was made in favor of
J. W. Malone, the president, who was allowed thirty minutes.
At the close of the meeting the members marched around the
room shaking hands and singing "Blow ye the trumpet, blow ! "
In due time the amendments were adopted by the Twelfth
General Assembly, ratified by a popular vote of 105,384 to
81,119 on November 3, 1868, and proclaimed a part of the
Constitution on December 8, 1868. Thus the colored men of Iowa
secured the coveted political equality two years before the
adoption of the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the
United States.
RUTH A. GALLAHER
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