Alyssa Touch and Ariel Pocket
22 minutes ago
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Sioux City's African American history dates back to the 19th century, but it wasn't until 2023 that it was compiled into a book.
“I think Toni Morrison said, 'If there's a book that hasn't been written yet, write it.' And that's what I did.” Jim Tillman, videographer, photographer, and historian says.
Back in 2013, Tillman set himself something no one had ever done before: write a book about Sioux City's black history.
“After going to the Sioux City Public Library and seeing what its limitations were, I realized that there was nothing written about African American history in Sioux City.”
In 2023, Tillman published his first book documenting the history of African American culture in Sioux City. This history began in his 1804 year with a young African American named York who made important contributions to the Lewis and Clark expedition. York was the first African American to enter the Siouxland area.
Forty-four years later, John Brazeau became the first African American to reside in Sioux City. 175 years later, more than 3,000 African Americans call Sioux City home.
“My grandparents immigrated here from the South, so Sioux City was a great place to stop and come from the South. Many black people who came to Sioux City were educated in Sioux City and went to the larger I headed west to California in search of opportunities, but Sioux City will always be home.”
Tillman's book documents the people and places that contributed to the cultural roots of his birthplace.
“There are some encouraging stories out there that will inspire everyone: perseverance, overcoming obstacles. And they will learn a lot about people.”
Tillman wrote “Journal of African American History – Sioux City, Iowa” to reach audiences of all ages and races in the hope that all readers would gain something they had not previously learned.
“They're going to read it and learn something about themselves. We all have different biases and different ideas and preconceptions about certain people. But if they read my book, they'll learn something about themselves. You'll find that many of the stories are similar to someone else's.”
With each story recorded, we are given a glimpse into Black history that extends beyond the Siouxland region.
“This is Sioux City's African American history, but it's still a Sioux City story. So it becomes an Iowa story. So we're all learning in this, and the more we learn about each other, the better we become. .”
With the rich history of black culture in his hometown as a backdrop, Tillman has already expanded his Journal of African American History, sharing a second volume and new stories.
“I think it's about sharing stories. When we share stories, we learn from each other.”
Tillman is currently working on a decades-long historical series documenting Sioux City's black history starting in the 1950s.
