Telling the truth about Iowa’s history with race

Navigating the map

There are several ways to explore the map. You can click around wherever you see markers directly on the map and it will zoom in to more details. You can move the map by clicking on a section and dragging or by zooming in or out using the + and - symbols. You can also select a chapter (region) of the diocese on the left bookmark and read through an index of the events from that area. Click on any of the entries in that bookmark and the map will zoom into that location. You can click the X at the top of the left bookmark and hide it if you prefer to just click around the map. If you would like to explore by a specific category (events or people, for example) you can check those layers at the top right and move the slider at the bottom to see different time periods. *If you are viewing on a phone, you can click the X at the top right to close the index in order to view the map.

Click on the search icon to search the map’s timeline by keyword.

Additional resources for congregations

This congregational guide is intended to support investigations into and conversations about history. We hope that it will help congregations have active, truthful and loving dialogue about our racialized past; lead us into active discussions about our current experiences with race and racism in our congregation and community; and encourage courageous steps towards reconciliation and repair.

It is not uncommon for people who live in Iowa to mention that they grew up knowing very few people of color. As we are often reminded around caucus time, Iowa remains the 6th whitest state in the nation. How and why did that happen?

Dr. Charles Connerly walks us through Iowa’s history—from the Indigenous nations who resided here until the land was taken from them to the establishment of “black codes” that restricted who could move here. He will highlight the ways that Iowa has at times welcomed and also excluded different groups of color. We’ll look at some of the milestone civil rights decisions in Iowa as well as some of the decisions and events that serve more as millstones, weighing us down and holding us back from becoming a place where every Iowan can thrive.

Diocesan History

As part of our work on truth-telling, we are in the process of reviewing our archives and examining our history with race. Check back often as we continue to add information.

Important Acts of General Convention from 2022

Race-related resolutions poured into the General Convention from dioceses, committees, task forces, and other bodies. We’ve curated this list of resolutions passed and concurred by both houses of General Convention. They include commments to:

• telling the truth about our history with Indigenous Boarding Schools and allocating resources toward healing the generational trauma from them.

• conduct a comprehensive review of all our liturgical materials in regard to the colonialist, racist, and white supremacist, imperialistic, and nationalist language they contain.

• conduct historical research on the financial and other assets of The Episcopal Church that are tied to enslavement, the theft of Indigenous land, and other historical and racial injustices.

• develop best practices that intentionally increase equitable hiring and access to leadership positions for People of Color and that promote a healthy and safe work environment for them in the church.

• acknowledge and grieve our church’s participation in colonialism in regard to how we approached mission work in different areas around the world and that colonialism is antithetical to the Gospel.

• allow The Episcopal Church in Navajoland to establish its own rules and procedures for calling a bishop that reflect the values, teachings, and traditions of the Dinè.

Trace the Racism Timeline

Timeline of major laws, policies and events affecting US race and immigration.