African-American Labor History in Waterloo: The Exhibit

Abstract: This study uses a labor history lens to research African American labor impacts in Waterloo, Iowa. During the Great Migration, African American laborers travelled to Iowa to work on the Illinois Central Railroad. In time, they began to work at the Rath Packinghouse and helped to build the community. This work is being developed into a public history exhibit at the Grout Museum, furthering knowledge of African American contributions to the Mid-West; countering the idea that African Americans have only been politically active during the Civil Rights Era. Historical records, artifacts, and personal interviews provided the data for this research.