Archive Record
Metadata
Accession number |
A2003.004 |
Collection |
Cecil Reed |
Title |
The Cecil Reed Collection |
Catalog Number |
A2003.004 |
Object Name |
Archive |
Credit line |
Collection of the AAMI - Courtesy of Cecil Reed |
Physical characteristics |
Boxed documents span 1.25 linear feet |
Dates of Creation |
1885-2002 |
Access Conditions |
Open for research. |
Copyrights |
no known restrictions |
Scope & Content |
The Cecil Reed Papers date from 1885 to 2002 and measure 1.25 linear feet. The papers are arranged in five series: Personal, Professional, Activities, Speeches, and Photographs. |
Biographical History |
Cecil Reed was born on October 23, 1912 in Collinsville, Illinois. He was born to Julia Reed and her husband William Garrett Reed, who was of Blackhawk Indian and Irish descent. The Reeds had a total of eight kids: Laura, George, Frances, Lulu Bell, Wallace, James, Edith, and Cecil, although Laura died before Cecil's birth. Julia Reed was a teacher, and William was employed by the railroad, and worked as a deputy sheriff in the evenings. William's job caused them to move, and in 1923 when Reed was 10, the family moved to Cedar Rapids. For the first time Reed saw black entrepreneurs running businesses, and this had quite had an impact on him. He began carrying newspapers, learning the first steps to running a business. Reed was known as "honest and reliable", and continued to deliver papers through his teen years. Reed attended Adams Elementary School, where he was constantly teased and harassed. At a young age, Reed was forced to learn to survive threatening and humiliating experiences. In 1928, at the age of 15 Reed had a variety of jobs, including lawn work and a paper route. He attended Washington High School, where he socialized with other black teens, organized dances, and learned money making skills such as auto and electric repairs, building maintenance, cooking, and carpentry. Reed spent his summers working for the police; driving a police vehicle, cleaning cells and feeding prisoners. Reed also became involved in show business. Reed performed and played instruments in the Three Gold Flashes, a group he formed with his brother Wallace and sister Edith (Edie). The group was named for their finale, where they appeared under flashing lights in gold costumes. Reed would attend school during the day, shine shoes for extra money, and then perform with his siblings in the evenings. Later, after Wallace moved and Edith had married, Reed continue to perform with a fellow dancer, Jack Brinkly. In addition to shoe shining at the Roosevelt Hotel in Cedar Rapids, Reed worked a variety of odd jobs. He would wash windows, cut grass, and change storm windows and screens. He also worked at a beauty shop for whites, where he cleaned, made shampoo solutions and acted as a general "fix-it" man. He got along well with the shop's owner, so on the side he taught the owner's daughter how to tap-dance. In 1933 at the age of 20, Reed met Evelyn Collins, the daughter of a local minister. They married in 1936, and shortly thereafter had their first child, daughter Carol. The Reeds had three other children as well: Richard born in 1943, Michael born in 1948, and David born in 1952. Over the years Reed continued to work a wide variety of jobs. After getting married he worked at the YMCA health club doing massage and acting as a lifeguard. He also worked as a dishwasher, short order cook, chef, and waiter at the Old Hickory Nightclub. In addition, Reed's experience running the Foxhead Tavern, peaked his interest in entrepreneurship. He started a Cecil's Make Believe Band, a DJ'ing business that was a predecessor to American Bandstand. This was just a small endeavor in comparison to what Reed had planned. In the mid 1940s, Reed and his family began a floor maintenance business that became a sizeable operation, and provided the main source of income for the family. Later, inspired by the difficulty of finding lodging while traveling, Reed opened the Sepia Motel in 1953. The motel was intended as a welcoming place for those of all races and religions. Reed's commitment to the community, in combination with the growing tension of the 1960s, eventually inspired Reed to run for public office. In 1966 Reed ran for the Iowa State General Assembly as a Republican, and was elected in 1967. Reed's victory made him the first black Republican to be elected in the Iowa House of Representatives. While in the legislator, Reed was concerned with a number of issues. One of his major focuses was getting black history studies in schools. Eventually such programs were implemented in Iowa schools, and Reed developed the curriculum for a course called "History of Black America." In 1967, after being in the legislature for five months Reed was asked to be the head of the Iowa Employment Security Commission. At the time, it was the highest appointment for state office ever held by an African America in Iowa. Reed was bestowed with yet another honor. Before leaving the House he was given the opportunity to be Speaker of the House for a day, making him the first African American to ever preside over the Iowa House of Representatives. Reed went on to hold a number of state and federal jobs, all dealing with labor policies. In 1969 Reed became the Executive Assistant for the Regional Administrator for Equal Opportunity, Department of Labor. Then in 1971 Reed became the Assistant Administrator for Job Corps in Kansas City, where we worked until 1974. In 1974 he moved on to become the Assistant Regional Administrator for the United States Department of Labor, Area Operations for Employment and Training Programs. Then in 1979 he became the Assistant Regional Administrator for Job Service. As a business man and legislator, Reed was involved in many committees and organizations. In 1968 he became the chairman of the Iowa division of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Always working to break down racial barriers, in 1968 Reed began the Northern Brotherhood Leadership Conference (NBLC). Reed finally retired in 1983 at the age of 70. |
Finding Aids |
Box no.___Description_______________________________________________________ Box 1 Personal Award certificates, 1968-2000 Reverend E. Gladstone Scott, undated Biographies, 1967-2002 and undated "Cecil Reed: An American treasure," undated Correspondence, 1956-2002 and undated Family "A family profile," undated The Goldfinch cover photo, Spring 1996 Carole Reed, 1995 David Reed, 1973 Edith Reed Atkinson, 2000 George Reed, 2001 Michael Reed, 1975-1976 Richard Reed, 1994 and undated Fly in the Buttermilk, 1994 Michael Davis portrait, undated "A new black voice bridges the people gap," undated Newspaper clippings 1967-1978 and undated "Small businessman, big citizen," Des Moines Register, February 23, 1964 Poetry, undated University of Colorado at Denver Distinguished Service Award, 1996 Activities African American history, 1968-1974 and undated Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission, 1999 Correspondence, 1968-1971 Improved, Benevolent, and Protective Order of Elks of the World, 1948-1949 Elks Grand Lodge Convention, 1976-1989 Box 2 Activities Elks, "The John Brown Reader", 1949 Elks Programs, undated, 1970 Interracial Home Visits, undated Lincoln Park, Cedar Rapids, undated NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, 1997 New Life Ministries,1978 Northern Brotherhood Leadership Conference, 1968-1969 and undated Purdue University Old Masters' Series, 1972 Republican Party, 1969-1981 and undated United Methodist Church, 1969 United Nations, Iowa Division, Human Rights Committee, 1968 Washington High School class of 1932 50th class reunion, 1982 Professional African American travel guides, 1957-1965 Business cards and stationery, undated Iowa Employment Security Commission, 1967-1969 Iowa House of Representatives, 1966-1967 and undated Motel Sepia, 1953-2000 and undated National Veteran's Training Institute, 1987-2000 Reed's Floor Sanding and Floor Products, 1965 and undated Professional training workshops, 1971-1980 and undated U.S. Department of Labor, 1969-1983 and undated Speeches "Getting the best out of people: care enough to make a difference," Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1996 Introduction for Cecil Reed by John E. Brunzo, Urban League of Greater Little Rock, November 26, 1968 "The questions we always needed to ask to find out the talents of the unemployed, but were afraid to ask," undated "Train for what?-Train for work!" undated "Who is my neighbor?" undated Untitled speech on the self-perception of African American youth, undated Untitled speech on the "ethic of personhood," undated Box 3 Speeches Correspondence, 1964-1977, 1978-2000 Handouts, undated Newspaper clippings, 1964-1975 and undated Notes, undated Programs, 1968-2001 Speaking engagements inventory, 1968 Photographs A.M.E. Church, 1937 and undated Activities, 1974 and undated Awards, 1974-1989 and undated Box 4 Portraits Reed's Floor Care Store, undated Sepia Motel, undated Speaking engagements, 1964-1998 and undated Stage performances, undated Unidentified, undated Slides CD Box 5 Cecil Reed family, 1940-1964 and undated Photographs, Friends, 1958, 1983, undated Photographs, Law Library, 1992 Cecil Reed Portraits, undated Club Photographs, undated Collins Family, 1885-1980 and undated Duke Ellington visits Cedar Rapids, undated Evelyn Reed, 1934-1964 and undated Fly in the Buttermilk book signing, 1994 Lincoln Park, Cedar Rapids, undated Professional Activities, 1967-1975 and undated Operation Photo Rescue Reprints of various photos Box 6 Negatives, 1952-1965 and undated OS Collection -Black and white photo of the Legislative Ladies League Iowa 62nd General Assembly 1967 |
Search Terms |
Cedar Rapids Quad Cities Davenport African Methodist Episcopal Churches Churches - Cedar Rapids Bethel Ministers Pastors Families Businesses - African American Owned Legislators Fair Housing Iowa Legislature Governments Labor relations Parks Activists Political campaigns Campaigns Floor care Carpet cleaners Republicans Conferences Elks Masons Masons - Prince Hall Prince Hall Masons Children A.M.E. - Bethel of Cedar Rapids Domestic life Fraternal lodges Political offices African American business owners Businesses |
People |
Reed, Cecil Reed, Julia Reed, William G. Reed, Lee Wallace Reed, Wally Reed, James M. Atkinson, Edith Reed Reed, Frances Reed, Lulu Bell Reed, George Collins, Evelyn Reed, Evelyn Collins Collins, John Reed, Carole Reed, Richard Reed, Michael Reed, David Reed, Edith Brinkley, Jack |
Creator |
Cecil Reed |