DIVERSITY OF IOWA * THIS WEEK'S EVENTS * Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter * Vol. 11 * Oct. 16, 2010
CELEBRATING THE
DIVERSITY OF IOWA
THERE are many people who see Iowa as a place lacking cultural diversity. On a national level, a debate about Iowa's diversity occurs every four years when dates are set for the political caucuses. Even among friends, there are questions: How can you live someplace where everyone is the same?
But events like this weekend's Latino conference illustrate once again that Iowa is a rich tapestry of people with many roots. For those who know our state, there is plenty of diversity.
And this is not new. The roots of this palette of cultures go back a long time.
Did you know that the oldest mosque in North America is her in Iowa? It is in Cedar Rapids. (Click on this link for a history of Islam in Iowa from Saudi Aramco magazine: http://islam.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=islam&cdn=religion&tm=19&f=00&tt=11&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/197606/islam.in.iowa.htm)
Did you know that one of the oldest African-American newspapers in the US is in Iowa. It is the Bystander, published in Des Moines since 1894. (Click on this link to see a recent issue online: http://beepdf.com/doc/33410/iowa_bystander.html)
And did you know that families with Mexican roots have been coming to Iowa for more than a century. The earliest families settled in Fort Madison, Muscatine, Bettendorf and Davenport. (Click here for a link to a link to an article about Latinos in Iowa: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/exhibits/friends/latinos.html)
Still, it can be hard to find these stories. It has been a struggle to get this history included in the "official" history collected by local historical societies. And it has been a struggle to get this history acknowledged by Iowa colleges and universities, including the University of Iowa. Our history has been "bleached," Malcolm X once said, leaving out the stories of African-Americans, Mexican-Americans and others.
The Latino conference is a sign that more voices are being included in the story of our state. It is a reason to celebrate.
COMING THIS WEEK
AT UPTOWN BILL'S
Sunday, Oct. 17
3 pm -- Benefit for Sonny Lott
Monday, Oct. 18
Noon -- AA Meeting (An AA meeting is held each weekday at noon.)
Tuesday, Oct. 19
1 pm -- Tree planting ceremony
6 pm -- Live broadcast of Tom's Guitar Show (PATV, Channel 18) from Uptown Bill's
Wednesday, Oct. 20
6:30 pm -- Rehearsal for "Good Evening" show
Thursday, Oct. 21
6 pm -- Art & Music Night. This week's theme is autumn
Friday, Oct. 22
7 pm -- Open Mic
Saturday, Oct. 23
1 pm -- Iowa City 'Go' Club. 'Go" is a board game which originated in China
7 pm -- Saturday Night Music: Scott Cochran
Sunday, Oct. 24
2 pm-- CD Release Party for Gwendolyn Countryman
For more information on these and other events, check the Uptown Bill's page on Facebook. Or call(319) 339-0401.
COFFEESHOP WASN'T
FIRST IDEA FOR BILL
BILL Sackter didn't come to Iowa to manage a coffeeshop. And when his
friends helped him look for a job, making coffee wasn't the first thing
that came to their minds. In fact, it was at least the third, according to
the people most involved.
Bill came to Iowa from Minnesota with Barry and Bev Morrow. Barry had been
recruited to come to Iowa by Tom Walz, then the head of the UI School
of Social Work. Bill came along when it appeared likely that he would
be sent back to Faribault State Hospital.
Barry's job was to be an audio-visual specialist. But what about Bill?
"Barry and I wracked our brains to come up with a job for him," Tom Walz
recalls in his book the Unlikely Celebrity.
Bills' first job was as a custodian. That was a "fiasco." Then he was
trained to refinish furniture. That appeared promising until a fire
destroyed the room in North Hall where the furniture work was being done.
It was Barry who suggested the third job idea for Bill. He recalled Bill's
love of coffee back when he worked at the Minikahda Country Club in
Minneapolis. He also noted the tremendous amount of coffee Bill drank
while refinishing furniture.
Tom Walz picks up the story from there: "Why not put Bill in charge of the
coffee for the school?...It sounded like a great idea. Barry even thought of
some possibilities for a nook along the main corridor of the school where a
coffee machine could be placed....This, in fact, is how Bill's Coffee Shop
was born."
FULL STORY IN THE
UNLIKELY CELEBRITY
The story of Bill's Coffee Shop is just part of the story of the life of
Bill Sackter. You'll find the complete story of Bill in The Unlikely
Celebrity by Tom Walz. Copies of the book are for sale at Uptown Bill's.
YOUR REFILL OF
COFFEE QUOTES
Many people claim coffee inspires them. But, as everybody knows, coffee only
makes boring people more boring -- Honore de Balzac
If you want to improve your understanding, drink coffee -- Sydney Smith
Our culture runs on coffee and gasoline -- the first often tasting like the
second - Edward Abbey
After all, coffee is bitter, a flavor from the forbidden and dangerous realm -
Diane Ackerman
Have a favorite coffee quote? Send it along. Tea quotes welcome, too.
__________________________
Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's. Published since 2000, it is written by Tom Gilsenan a former manager of Wild Bill's and now the director of Uptown Bill's.
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. Located in North Hall, it has been a part of campus life at the University of Iowa for more than 35 years.Wild Bill's is open weekdays from 8 am. For more information, call (319) 335-1281. Also, check out the Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop page on Facebook.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of the original coffeeshop. Now located at 730 S. Dubuque, It includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Uptown Bill's is open every day from 8 am. For more information, check the website at www.uptownbills.org or call (319) 339-0401. On Facebook, look for Uptown Bill's Small Mall.
_________________
THERE are many people who see Iowa as a place lacking cultural diversity. On a national level, a debate about Iowa's diversity occurs every four years when dates are set for the political caucuses. Even among friends, there are questions: How can you live someplace where everyone is the same?
But events like this weekend's Latino conference illustrate once again that Iowa is a rich tapestry of people with many roots. For those who know our state, there is plenty of diversity.
And this is not new. The roots of this palette of cultures go back a long time.
Did you know that the oldest mosque in North America is her in Iowa? It is in Cedar Rapids. (Click on this link for a history of Islam in Iowa from Saudi Aramco magazine: http://islam.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=islam&cdn=religion&tm=19&f=00&tt=11&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/197606/islam.in.iowa.htm)
Did you know that one of the oldest African-American newspapers in the US is in Iowa. It is the Bystander, published in Des Moines since 1894. (Click on this link to see a recent issue online: http://beepdf.com/doc/33410/iowa_bystander.html)
And did you know that families with Mexican roots have been coming to Iowa for more than a century. The earliest families settled in Fort Madison, Muscatine, Bettendorf and Davenport. (Click here for a link to a link to an article about Latinos in Iowa: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/exhibits/friends/latinos.html)
Still, it can be hard to find these stories. It has been a struggle to get this history included in the "official" history collected by local historical societies. And it has been a struggle to get this history acknowledged by Iowa colleges and universities, including the University of Iowa. Our history has been "bleached," Malcolm X once said, leaving out the stories of African-Americans, Mexican-Americans and others.
The Latino conference is a sign that more voices are being included in the story of our state. It is a reason to celebrate.
COMING THIS WEEK
AT UPTOWN BILL'S
Sunday, Oct. 17
3 pm -- Benefit for Sonny Lott
Monday, Oct. 18
Noon -- AA Meeting (An AA meeting is held each weekday at noon.)
Tuesday, Oct. 19
1 pm -- Tree planting ceremony
6 pm -- Live broadcast of Tom's Guitar Show (PATV, Channel 18) from Uptown Bill's
Wednesday, Oct. 20
6:30 pm -- Rehearsal for "Good Evening" show
Thursday, Oct. 21
6 pm -- Art & Music Night. This week's theme is autumn
Friday, Oct. 22
7 pm -- Open Mic
Saturday, Oct. 23
1 pm -- Iowa City 'Go' Club. 'Go" is a board game which originated in China
7 pm -- Saturday Night Music: Scott Cochran
Sunday, Oct. 24
2 pm-- CD Release Party for Gwendolyn Countryman
For more information on these and other events, check the Uptown Bill's page on Facebook. Or call(319) 339-0401.
COFFEESHOP WASN'T
FIRST IDEA FOR BILL
BILL Sackter didn't come to Iowa to manage a coffeeshop. And when his
friends helped him look for a job, making coffee wasn't the first thing
that came to their minds. In fact, it was at least the third, according to
the people most involved.
Bill came to Iowa from Minnesota with Barry and Bev Morrow. Barry had been
recruited to come to Iowa by Tom Walz, then the head of the UI School
of Social Work. Bill came along when it appeared likely that he would
be sent back to Faribault State Hospital.
Barry's job was to be an audio-visual specialist. But what about Bill?
"Barry and I wracked our brains to come up with a job for him," Tom Walz
recalls in his book the Unlikely Celebrity.
Bills' first job was as a custodian. That was a "fiasco." Then he was
trained to refinish furniture. That appeared promising until a fire
destroyed the room in North Hall where the furniture work was being done.
It was Barry who suggested the third job idea for Bill. He recalled Bill's
love of coffee back when he worked at the Minikahda Country Club in
Minneapolis. He also noted the tremendous amount of coffee Bill drank
while refinishing furniture.
Tom Walz picks up the story from there: "Why not put Bill in charge of the
coffee for the school?...It sounded like a great idea. Barry even thought of
some possibilities for a nook along the main corridor of the school where a
coffee machine could be placed....This, in fact, is how Bill's Coffee Shop
was born."
FULL STORY IN THE
UNLIKELY CELEBRITY
The story of Bill's Coffee Shop is just part of the story of the life of
Bill Sackter. You'll find the complete story of Bill in The Unlikely
Celebrity by Tom Walz. Copies of the book are for sale at Uptown Bill's.
YOUR REFILL OF
COFFEE QUOTES
Many people claim coffee inspires them. But, as everybody knows, coffee only
makes boring people more boring -- Honore de Balzac
If you want to improve your understanding, drink coffee -- Sydney Smith
Our culture runs on coffee and gasoline -- the first often tasting like the
second - Edward Abbey
After all, coffee is bitter, a flavor from the forbidden and dangerous realm -
Diane Ackerman
Have a favorite coffee quote? Send it along. Tea quotes welcome, too.
__________________________
Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's. Published since 2000, it is written by Tom Gilsenan a former manager of Wild Bill's and now the director of Uptown Bill's.
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. Located in North Hall, it has been a part of campus life at the University of Iowa for more than 35 years.Wild Bill's is open weekdays from 8 am. For more information, call (319) 335-1281. Also, check out the Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop page on Facebook.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of the original coffeeshop. Now located at 730 S. Dubuque, It includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Uptown Bill's is open every day from 8 am. For more information, check the website at www.uptownbills.org or call (319) 339-0401. On Facebook, look for Uptown Bill's Small Mall.
_________________
posted by Tom Gilsenan @ 1:12 PM
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