Ottumwa Public Library

Unconditional Loyalty

Presented by the African American Museum of Iowa

The Ottumwa Public Library has partnered with the African American Museum of Iowa (AAMI) to host a discussion on the historical involvement of African American service members while fighting in U.S. military conflicts. Lead by AAMI Museum Educator Michelle Poe, this 40-minute presentation and open discussion, called “Unconditional Loyalty” will be held Tuesday August 30, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in the Ottumwa Public Library.

Topics covered will include African American Iowans during the Civil War, the Buffalo Soldiers, the Tuskegee Airmen of WW II, and the desegregation of the armed forces, among others. Poe said, “Des Moines was chosen during WW II as the first place in the nation to train African American soldiers to become officers because of Des Moines’ positive race relations. Iowa has a fascinating part in African American service member history and we’ll explore that in this talk.”

Made possible by a grant through Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities, this event is 1 of 23 events in a series of statewide programs designed to educate the public on the military involvement of African Americans throughout U.S. history. Other programs are taking place in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Dubuque. The series of statewide programs takes place in conjunction with the AAMI’s current temporary exhibit Unconditional Loyalty, which will be on display until December 17, 2011

This event is free and open to the public. For more information on this or other programs visit the AAMI website at www.blackiowa.org or call 319-862-2101 ext. 22. The African American Museum of Iowa is open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and is located at 55 12th SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.