Glencoe Historical Society
at the
Eklund History Center & Garden

Close to two dozen people braved heavy winds and rains to join the Glencoe Historical Society’s Black History Month Celebration and speak about the effect of the election of Barack Obama on the African American community.

The program, held February 25 at the Glencoe Public Library, featured a panel of three Glencoe-related individuals of different ages: Hildie Wheeler Carter, who grew up in Glencoe, lives in Highland Park and works at a Winnetka realty office; April Perella, who also grew up in the village but today lives in Highland Park, and the Rev. Dr. John Halbert, pastor of Glencoe’s St. Paul A.M.E. Church. They began the evening by responding to questions put to them by Moderator Evey Schweig, GHS’ president.

All three felt that Obama’s election was not an anomaly but an indication that America had passed through the civil rights era. “TV gives you a visual image,” said Carter. “Today, we know what we can do; whites now need to know.”

The television show “Cosby” was “in our life in Glencoe, but many just saw it as a sit-com,” Carter said. “The dominant culture instead saw the African-American community as the 6 o’clock news.”

Perella agreed, noting that the country had watched a decline and no respect for a white president for the past eight years. Now there is a new face and respect. Added Rev. Halbert, “Hope is in all men, hope is still alive. We have to continue to create that hope.”

When an audience member noted that it is a powerful message to see a black face in the White House, Perella challenged the group to “reach across the tables and face your image of minorities. How many of you have more than one black friend?” she said; “How many of your kids have more than one black friend? What will you do if your granddaughter brings home a black friend from her bat mitzvah? We’re peppered on the Shore, but maybe we need more (minorities here).”

“What was best for me was how Obama dealt with race; he faced it straight on,” said Rev. Barbara Javore, from the audience.

Leonard Thigpen, an audience member, said he wanted to “throw a cold dash” on the discussion, noting that parts of America are terrified by the election and are arming themselves. “Our feelings are not universal,” he pointed out. Yes, agreed Carter, but noted “we hope they’ll get it.” And, added Perella, now we can look at deeper issues and look at what (the society) will do about them.

Bob Haight, also speaking from the audience cited instances where he said “things happen in back rooms—to me, to my children. I’m not certain if they have stopped.” He recalled examples of children being branded “not college material” and so not put into athletic events at Evanston Township or New Trier Township High School because of their race. “If that changes, America changes,” he said. “Where we are being held down is in the back rooms.”

Ann Hoenig, speaking from the audience, said she grew up in Hyde Park and at a recent high school reunion found almost everyone was a success. “We didn’t know black or white but (we did know) places where blacks, white or Jews couldn’t go. … If we look in the world today we see anti-Semitism and issues with the Middle East happening all over.”

Haight noted that “we always hear, ‘it must be better now.” But courage means seeking to correct things even if you didn’t see them happen. I’m glad to see Obama is keeping America first. He has wisdom and dedication in his job to do that. Our job as individual Americans is to check out the back rooms and make a change.”

Thigpen agreed that racism may be unspoken, but it exists. “We’re all on the Titanic; we all go down—steerage and first-class alike.”

The way to conquer your enemy is to make them your friend. Rev. Halbert said. Perella added that “we have no enemies, just fear. She told a story of hearing remarks regarding black characters from behind her when she attended a movie with her children. She was “ready to punch them out” but was astounded that when she turned back she found that the people making the derogatory remarks were black themselves.

Thigpen feared that the discussion was “talking to the church choir.” He expressed fears about seeing people having their children get shot or attacked.

Another audience member noted that equality is not everyone going to college in the Ivy League. Equality is when the average schnook will be treated equally.

Haight related that his upbringing in Glencoe was positive but it is different when you can see that how even the mail to different households varies from one place to another, indicative of different opportunities. He added that when his father was looking for homes, the realtor took him to see larger homes because while the smaller ones were meant for “your people,” his name was not known in the community and he could purchase a larger one. He said too often when people came to the door they would ask his mother whether she was the housekeeper or, if finding out that it was her house, run back, yelling, “Mommy, it’s her house.”

Perella confessed that she loved growing up in Glencoe. But things changed when her father was discriminated against. (Her father was Bill Hendrix, a black public safety officer who successfully sued the village for discrimination in awarding promotions.) She said Glencoe has changed and she sees racial profiling here and in Highland Park.

Carter described being in Glencoe as being in Disneyland…but with a crutch.