Columbus Neighborhoods
Springfield's Hattie Moseley Mural
Clip: Season 8 Episode 6 | 5m 35sVideo has Closed Captions
A new mural by artist Gaia honors Hattie Moseley.
When Hattie Moseley arrived in Springfield, Ohio, from Georgia in 1922, she walked right into one of the most tumultuous times in the history of the city, marred by bigotry and an active KKK. Remembered as “a nice lady, a church-going lady,” though “firm…very firm,” when it came to civil rights, she persisted and never gave up. A new mural by artist Gaia honors her lifetime as an activist.
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Columbus Neighborhoods is a local public television program presented by WOSU
Columbus Neighborhoods
Springfield's Hattie Moseley Mural
Clip: Season 8 Episode 6 | 5m 35sVideo has Closed Captions
When Hattie Moseley arrived in Springfield, Ohio, from Georgia in 1922, she walked right into one of the most tumultuous times in the history of the city, marred by bigotry and an active KKK. Remembered as “a nice lady, a church-going lady,” though “firm…very firm,” when it came to civil rights, she persisted and never gave up. A new mural by artist Gaia honors her lifetime as an activist.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> MY NAME’S TOM STAFFORD AND I WROTE A STORY ABOUT THE HATTIE MOSLEY MUSEUM.
RESISTANCE IS A COMMON PART OF EVERY SOCIETY.
IT IS DISCOVERED WHEN THERE ARE MOMENTS OF GREATER RESISTANCE.
THAT IS WHY PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THESE STORIES ABOUT HATTIE.
>> IN THE 1920S IT WAS A LARGE INDUSTRIAL CITY AND IT REALLY ATTRACTED THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HATTIE IS ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GREAT MIGRATION.
SHE IS LOOKING FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN SHE ARRIVES, SHE FOUND THAT THIS TOWN HAD A LOT OF THE SAME CONDITION SHE CAME FROM.
THERE WAS STRONG RACISM YEAR AND SINCE IT WAS GROWING IN POPULARITY, IT WAS ALSO VERY ANTI-CATHOLIC.
IMMIGRANT GROUPS THAT WERE MOVING INTO THE COMMUNITY.
>> THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR SPRINGFIELD.
HAD OF THE OPPORTUNITY HEADERS.
THAT IS WHAT IS KEY TO THE STORY AND MAKES IT SO INTERESTING.
SHE ENGAGED IN THE ANTI- SEGREGATION CAMPAIGN BECAUSE SHE KNEW THE EXPERIENCES OF SEGREGATION.
>> WE DON'T KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT HATTIE.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS EXTRAORDINARY.
>> MY NAME IS DIANE AND I AM THE GREAT-NIECE OF HATTIE MOSLEY.
HATTIE'S STORY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF HER FIGHT FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR BOTH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WHEN SHE FOUGHT TO DESEGREGATE THE SCHOOL.
THAT IS WHY SHE IS REALLY WELL KNOWN.
>> ONE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS, LIKE MOST HISTORICAL STORIES, IT IS MORE NUANCED.
THE IDEA OF IF WE WILL HAVE A SEGREGATED RULE, THERE WAS ALSO THE OFFER ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD THAT WAS PROPOSED BY BLACK PEOPLE IN SPRINGFIELD TO HAVE BLACK TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOLS.
>> THEY WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING AN ALL-BLACK SCHOOL.
EVEN THOUGH AT THE IT WAS NOT ALLOWED BY THE COMMUNITY.
>> A COUPLE OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TRIED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT TO CREATE A SEGREGATED SCHOOL SYSTEM.
STARTING WITH FULTON ELEMENTARY.
THAT IS WHERE HATTIE GOT INVOLVED IN THE PROTEST BECAUSE SHE HAD SEEN THE DIFFICULTIES OF SEGREGATION IN GEORGIA WHERE SHE HAD COME FROM.
MAYBE THIS IS THE ORIGINAL FULTON SCHOOL.
JUST LOOKING AT THE BUILDING AND IMAGINING THAT THIS IS WHERE MY AUNT HAD HER BIGGEST FIGHT.
>> IN SOME WAYS, SHE IS A ROLE PLAYER.
IF SHE DID NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE, WE MIGHT NOT KNOW HER NAME.
WE KNOW WHAT SHE WAS DOING IN THAT BOYCOTT.
SHE WAS FOCUSED ON REGISTERING WOMEN TO VOTE.
WOMEN HAD JUST GOT THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THE UNITED STATES.
SHE KNEW THAT THE VOTE WAS POWER.
SHE KNEW THAT GAVE AFRICAN- AMERICAN WOMEN A VOICE THEY HAD NOT HAD BEFORE AND THAT VOICE WAS POWER.
>> SHE WOULD REALLY FIGHT FOR YOU.
FIGHT FOR WHAT SHE KNEW WAS RIGHT.
FIGHTING FOR WHAT SHE THOUGHT WOULD BE EQUALIZE US AS AMERICANS.
SHE WOULD FIGHT FOR THAT.
>> NEVER STOPPED BEING IMPORTANT, IT IS IMPORTANT TODAY, WE CAN FOCUS ON ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS IN A WAY, THAT IS REALLY POWERFUL.
THE ISSUES WE ARE FACING TODAY ARE NOT NEW.
THEY HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE OUR FOUNDING.
A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT HATTIE WAS FIGHTING AGAINST IN THE 1920S, SHE WOULD STILL BE FIGHTING AGAINST THEM TODAY BECAUSE THINGS ARE NOT CHANGED.
>> IN CELEBRATING WHAT HATTIE MOSLEY DID, THE MAYOR ALSO BEARS WITNESS TO WHAT SHE HAD TO ENDURE.
THAT IS A UNIVERSAL AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
YOU CANNOT HAVE ONE OF THOSE THINGS WITHOUT THE OTHER.
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Video has Closed Captions
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipColumbus Neighborhoods is a local public television program presented by WOSU