Lafayette’s Black community was historically centered in one neighborhood, which created strong bonds around shared experiences and institutions. One institution was The Informer, an independent newspaper published by Lafayette resident Jack Lillard. Published from 1969 to around 1972, The Informer remains the only Lafayette newspaper dedicated solely to Black news.
Presented by Wabash College digital archivist Matt Meyer, this program will detail Lillard’s community service and use The Informer to examine Lafayette’s Black community, particularly during the Civil Rights era. It will highlight community landmarks, including Second Baptist Church, Al’s Bar-B-Q, and most importantly, Lincoln School. As the center of the Black community, the school’s closure in 1951 was seen as the beginning of the neighborhood’s disintegration, which lasted until the 1980s.
The program will also discuss how The Informer educated Lafayette's citizens by sponsoring events showcasing Black culture, and its response to racial discrimination, including an incident involving KKK flyers found in Lafayette in 1970. Moreover, it will detail Lillard’s reasoned, intelligent approach to Civil Rights and his efforts to create a resource for Lafayette’s Black community following Lincoln School’s closure and the slow disappearance of the neighborhood.
This progam will also be available via Zoom. Check back for the link later!
Sponsored by the National Group.
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