Belleville and Illini rise above bigotry
Columnist James-Ingram
Belleville, IL and the University of Illinois rose above decades of bigotry, on last week, with some saying that “it’s about time” and others fretting that tradition is being abandoned in the name of political correctness.
In the spirit of Black History Month, Bill Clay, Belleville’s first African-American police officer, was sworn in as Belleville’s first black police chief, despite Belleville’s historic reputation as a bastion of racism.
And, in spite of Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert and Chief Clay’s attempts to divert attention away from the historical and social significance of the moment, the facts still remain.
Fact is that for 181 years, from it’s founding (in 1814) to 1995, Belleville’s police department remained lily white. In 1993, local news revealed that Belleville cops were targeting black motorists, with 75 percent of all traffic tickets written to black drivers.
Belleville, then, earned an infamous national reputation when Steve Kroft (of “60 Minutes”) interviewed former Mayor Richard Brauer and Police Chief Robert Hurst.
With “Archie Bunker” written all over their faces, Brauer had the audacity to tell Kroft that he never noticed that there were no black faces at City Hall, while Chief Hurst stated, “I know I’ve done what’s right” in reference to Belleville’s targeting and harassment of black motorists.
It was only after the U.S. Department of Justice found Belleville guilty of racial and gender discrimination, in 1995, that the city agreed to a consent decree, which granted oversight of hiring and firing and ushered in the employment of, among others, Bill Clay.
So it is a major step forward for Belleville to swear in its first African-American police chief when, 16 years ago, Belleville had zero black employees.
Also (last week) The University of Illinois (after 81 years) kicked its mascot, Chief Illiniwek, to the curb after pressure from the NCAA and other political and educational entities. And it’s about time.
For eight decades, young white men (not Indians) were selected to don Native American garb and put on a frenetic halftime spectacle which, frankly, was offensive, disrespectful, racist and, in many respects, a caricature of Native Americans.
Many bigots and old-school alumni insist that Chief Illiniwek was, in some sick way, a tribute to Native Americans. That’s because the Chief didn’t dehumanize their culture and history in the name of entertainment.
Just as Al Jolson’s blackface routine was an insult to African Americans, Chief Illiniwek’s buffoonish caricature of the proud legacy of Native Americans was a slap in the face to those from whom this country was stolen.
Unfortunately, it was economics, not enlightenment, which caused U of I to do the right thing. I’m just glad that the chief has danced for the last time, and good riddance.
Email:jtingram_1960@yahoo.com.