February 2019 105 C&RL News New Releases From PBS The British colony of Jamestown, Virginia, is shaken up when the fi rst women arrive in this wilderness. While love triangles, bitter rivalries, and fi erce competition cause confl ict for the residents and the native inhabitants, they are bound together by their resolute will to survive and thrive. FRONTLINE investigates a series of warnings from insiders and outsiders that went unattended by Facebook as the company grew from a dorm room project to a global empire. Traveling into a past that is eerily current, this intimate look at the history of Iraq is told in the words of Gertrude Bell, an explorer, spy, archaeologist, and diplomat who helped shape the Middle East after World War I in ways that still reverberate today. Set in 1920s Toronto, follow the adventures of Frankie Drake and her partner Trudy Clarke at Drake Private Detectives, the city’s only all- female detective agency, as they fi nd themselves fi ghting crime in the age of fl yboys, gangsters, rum-runners, and speakeasies. As the deadliest drug epidemic in US history rages, follow the cutting-edge work of doctors and scientists as they explore how addiction aff ects the brain, and how we should address our opioid crisis. FRONTLINE and ProPublica expose the white supremacists and neo- Nazis involved in the 2017 Charlottesville rally and a neo-Nazi group that has actively recruited inside the U.S. military, showing their terrorist objectives and how it gained strength after Charlottesville. Jamestown The Facebook Dilemma Letters from Baghdad Frankie Drake Mysteries Addiction Documenting Hate New Releases From PBS Find these DVDs and more at Teacher.Shop.PBS.org When we first volunteered to be on the Local Arrangements Committee for the ACRL 2019 conference, and to write this specific piece for our colleagues who were coming to our city, neither of us had a clue that the entire third season of the true crime podcast Serial1 would focus on the criminal justice system of Cuyahoga County. But since it was so popular, we considered it a good framing device for a discussion about social justice in Cleveland. If you haven’t lis- tened to Serial, the short version is Cleveland and Cuyahoga County’s criminal and juvenile justice system are shin- ing examples of the inequity that exists in the region. Poverty, segregation, violence, food deserts, crime, and an unfair justice system are all parts of the larger system that remains unjust and unequal in the heart of a Rust Belt city desperate to rise again. Cleveland’s been in the news a lot in the past few years, thanks in part to the Republi- can National Convention in 2016. Much of the press coverage is rather glowing. Cleveland has a growing foodie and craft beer scene, increasing technology jobs, excellent higher education, museums, professional sports teams, medical jobs, and it’s affordable. But while there is definitely a resurgence taking place, there are still pockets of Cleveland that are not thriving. Like many Rust Belt cities, Cleveland suf- fered greatly as factory jobs left, unemploy- ment skyrocketed, and the economy tanked. Then the housing crisis in 2007 took what were pockets of prosperity and decimated them. Foreclosures and abandoned proper- ties covered impoverished neighborhoods throughout the inner city. Now, as pros- perity comes back to downtown and to some surrounding neighbor- hoods, they become an even starker contrast to other areas (especially on the east side), includ- ing the Hough neighborhood, the city of East Cleveland, the Buckeye-Woodland neighbor- hood, and the Glenville neighborhood. Recent press concerning Cleveland in- cludes a report from federal marshals noting that the Cuyahoga County jails are so deficient2 that they put staff and inmates at risk, and the rate of inmate suicide is rising. The police in the city of Cleveland are still under a federal consent decree due to the use of excessive force.3 Recent years have seen high-profile shootings by police of blacks, including Amy Wainwright is outreach and student engagement librarian, email: awainwright@jcu.edu, and Michelle Millet is library director, email: mmillet@jcu.edu, at John Carroll University © 2019 Amy Wainwright and Michelle Millet Amy Wainwright and Michelle Millet Social justice, history, and inequity in Cleveland An overview ACRL 2019 mailto:awainwright%40jcu.edu?subject= mailto:mmillet%40jcu.edu?subject= C&RL News February 2019 106 12-year-old Tamir Rice.4 Despite these realities, Cleveland has a long history of social justice activism which continues today. An Underground Railroad connection Cleveland sits at the intersection of the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie and was founded in 1796 by Moses Cleaveland, on behalf of Connecticut’s Western Reserve. Throughout Cleveland’s history, the citizens of North East Ohio have shown their pas- sion for social justice issues. In the years leading up to the Civil War, Cleveland was a key stop on the Underground Railroad. As the last major city stationed on Lake Erie, escaping slaves could flee to Canada. Cleve- land was home to many groups of abolition- ists and activists working through religious, business, and community connections to aid the anti-slavery movement. During your visit to Cleveland, visit St. John’s Episcopal Church, the Cozad-Bates House,5 and other prominent historical land- marks. For information about these local landmarks, virtually visit Cleveland Histori- cal’s webtour, “In Search of the Underground Railroad.”6 Cleveland continues to celebrate the his- tory of the Underground Railroad through an annual event titled Station Hope7—a reference to the code name for St. John’s Episcopal Church. This evening of theater, performance, and dance will be held May 4, 2019. For those of you in Chicagoland, promi- nent Chicago artist Dawoud Bey recently pho- tographed in Cleveland as part of the FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial exhibition.8 The complete series will be on display at the Art Institute of Chicago from January 11 through April 14, 2019, in the exhibition titled, “Night Coming Tenderly, Black.”9 The 1960s in Cleveland Throughout the 1960s, Cleveland was fraught with civil rights clashes, mirroring the state of unrest throughout the country. Change and growth in the city of Cleveland led to population shifts, which contributed to racial tensions. The tensions in Cleveland most often blossomed in poor neighbor- hoods, and throughout the 1960s, African Americans in particular expressed their need for equality, pushing back on the sys- temic problems. In 1966, the Hough neighborhood10 on Cleveland’s east side was one of the first areas to reflect the nation’s civil rights struggles. White business owners and long-time resi- dents of Hough did not immediately adapt to the new black families, which resulted in a conflict at the Seventy Niner’s Cafe. Black neighbors gathered near the cafe11 to protest discrimination, and when the police were called, violence between civilians and police resulted. Riots in Hough lasted for five days. Four black residents died, many were injured, and there was over $1 million worth of damage. In 1968, the Glenville shootout,12 named after the location of the neighborhood where a confrontation between police and the Black Nationalists of New Libya occurred. Glenville, like Hough, is a mostly black east side neigh- borhood that became another stepping stone of the civil rights fight. Although the story has different perspectives, it appears that police took out racially fueled anger on neighbor- hood residents, whether they were involved with the nationalists or not. Through the lens of the history of the Civil Rights era, Hough and Glenville have come to be seen as a part of the parallel story of community strength and social justice focus. These neighborhoods and other areas, in- cluding the city of East Cleveland, are still struggling to fight through setbacks. To read more about segregation, social justice, and African American history in Cleveland, follow a webtour from Cleveland Historical13 or watch a lecture14 about Cleveland, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the 1960s. Poverty and food deserts Access to fresh foods is a piece of the equity and justice conversation that has attracted much attention as of late. Neighborhoods and populations without fresh food are often the unhealthiest. The pervasive exis- February 2019 107 C&RL News tence of food deserts throughout the areas with the most poverty in Cleveland contrib- ute to the systems of social inequality. Take a ride through the east side neighbor- hoods and you will have a hard time finding a full-service grocery store, though Dave’s, a family-owned regional chain, does attempt to provide groceries in as many neighborhoods with access to public transportation. Other large Cleveland-area chains have closed stores or only build in more affluent parts of the city and suburbs. The most recent Cuyahoga County Com- munity Food Assessment plan15 noted two startling statistics: about 50% of all Cleveland residents, and 25% of all Cuyahoga County residents, live in a food desert. Of the Cleve- land residents living in a food desert, 60% describe themselves as “non-white.” In order to alleviate the stress on local food banks and fill gaps in accessibility to fresh produce, Cleveland continues a long tradition of public and urban farming. The city’s local urban farms16 are home to know- ledgeable folks who would like to pass on gardening tricks while giving service to their communities. Listen to a collection of stories about Cleveland’s urban farming tradition from Cleveland Growing Strong.17 Answering the call for social justice While the picture we lay out here might seem to be bleak, there are a lot of organi- zations that are working to respond with an equity and justice goal. We’d like to high- light a few organizations and businesses that contribute to that cause. • Empowering Youth, Exploring Justice. This Cleveland nonprofit focuses on giving young people the tools to express themselves through healthy dialogue, creating networks of support for teens, and leadership education to build self confidence. • Social Justice Institute at Case West- ern Reserve University. Located at Case Western Reserve University in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, the Social Justice Institute is home to educational tools and resources, lectures and discussion-focused events, and scholars who research fields re- lated to social justice issues. Shortly after the conclusion of the ACRL 2019 conference, the institute will host its final event of the season titled, “Using Photovoice to Capture Diverse Experiences of Cleveland’s Opioid Crisis,” April 16, 2019. • Tamir Rice Foundation. While there is not an official website or physical home to the Tamir Rice Foundation, both are in the works. Samaria Rice, Tamir’s mother, is active in her community and in pushing for police reform. Groundbreaking for the Tamir Rice Afrocentric Center is scheduled for 2019 and will be home to programming and arts for children. Additionally, we would love for you to visit either of these establishments that actively pro- mote social justice through their businesses. • EDWINS Leadership and Restaurant Institute. Brandon Chrostowski, founder and CEO of EDWINS,18 started his fine dining training and restaurant to break the circle that leads people back to prison. Formerly incarcerated adults get a six-month training in the hospitality industry and access to em- ployment, legal aid, medical care, clothing, job training, literacy programs, and housing. This program began in 2012 and boasts 95% employment after graduation and 1.4% re- cidivism. Chrostowski recently opened the EDWINS Butcher Shop, a couple of blocks from the restaurant, adjacent to the EDWINS Second Chance Life Skills Center. It’s the first fresh meat vendor in the Buckeye-Woodland neighborhood in 50 years. EDWINS is in Shaker Square. • Chateau Hough. Chateau Hough19 is an urban winery in the Hough neighborhood. Founded by Mansfield Frazier, the winery employs parolees from a local halfway house. Frazier began building the winery in 2007 and added a biocellar recently. The vineyard and biocellar accommodates visitors by ap- pointment only. We hope we’ve provided some back- ground information for you to enjoy Cleveland and the ACRL 2019 conference, appreciate C&RL News February 2019 108 some of the city’s history, and understand its continued struggles. There are, no doubt, wonderful organizations and work being done in Cleveland that we didn’t get to in this short piece, but we hope we gave you an honest introduction to the real tensions and inequities that exist in our wonderful city. Notes 1. Sarah Koenig, Serial: Season 3, directed/ performed by Sarah Koenig (2018; Chicago: “This American Life” and WBEZ Chicago, 2018), podcast audio. 2. Nick Castele, and Matt Richmond, “U.S. Marshals Say Cuyahoga County Jail Puts Staff And Inmates At Risk,” Ideastream, aired November 21, 2018, on 90.3 WCPN, https:// www.ideastream.org/news/us-marshals-say -cuyahoga-county-jail-puts-staff-and-inmates -at-risk. 3. United States Justice Department and City of Cleveland, Division of Police, 2018, Doc- uments pertaining to agreement, http://www. city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home /Government/CityAgencies/PublicSafety /Police/PoliceSettlementAgreement. 4. Laura Westbrook, “Tamir Rice Shot ‘within two seconds of police arrival,’” November 27, 2014, BBC News, https://www.bbc.com/news /av/world-us-canada-30220700/tamir-rice-shot -within-two-seconds-of-police-arrival. 5. University Circle, Inc. Cozad-Bates House, https://www.universitycircle.org /destinations/cozad-bates-house. 6. CSU Center for Public History + Digital Humanities, “In Search of the Underground Railroad,” Cleveland Historical, 2019, https:// clevelandhistorical.org/tours/show/44. 7. Cleveland Public Theatre, to be per- formed May 4, 2019, https://www.cptonline. org/station-hope/. 8. D a w o u d B a y , “ N i g h t C o m i n g Tenderly,Black,” 2017, commissioned by FRONT International, installation at St. John’s Church, Cleveland, 2018. https://frontart.org /artists/dawoud-bey/. 9. Dawoud Bay, “Night Coming Tenderly, Black,” 2017, on exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago, January 11–April 14, https://www. artic.edu/exhibitions/9038/dawoud-bey-night -coming-tenderly-black. 10. C l e v e l a n d H i s t o r i c a l t e a m , “Hough,” Cleveland Historical, 2019, https:// clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/7. 11. Kyla Murray, “Cleveland’s Hough Riots of 1966,” Blackpast.org, California, n.d. https://blackpast.org/aah/cleveland-s-hough -riots-1966. 12. Lorraine Boissoneault, “What hap- pened when violence broke out on Cleve- land’s east side 50 years ago?” Smithsonian Magazine, July 24, 2018, https://www. smithsonianmag.com/history/complicated -history-1968-glenville-shootout-180969734/. 13. Cleveland Historical team, “African Americans in Cleveland,” 2019, Cleveland Historical, https://clevelandhistorical.org /tours/show/43. 14. James Robenault, “Ballots and Bullets: Cleveland’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement,” talk at the City Club of Cleve- land, July 20, 2018, https://www.cityclub. org/forums/2018/07/20/ballots-and-bullets -clevelands-role-in-the-civil-rights-movement. 15. Cuyahoga County Planning Com- mission, 2016-2017 Cuyahoga County Com- munity Food Assessment, prepared for Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Janu- ary 31, 2017, www.ccbh.net/wp-content /uploads/2017/09/2016-2017-Cuyahoga -County-Community-Food-Assessment-Report_ Pt-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L8n02BqSqQikOzWAfwm rCJ0p6pnXlNPAAs29eA93RU7tDq0uPcL1eG3U. 16. Brad Masi, photos by Annette Bed- way, “Cultivating the Land,” Edible Cleveland, Spring,2017, http://ediblecleveland.com/stories /spring-2017/cultivation-stories#readmore. 17. StoryLenz team, “Cleveland growing strong: an oral history,” 2016, www.cleveland- growingstrong.com. 18. EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant In- stitute, https://edwinsrestaurant.org/about-us/. 19. David Sax, “How a winery is trans- forming Cleveland’s most notorious neigh- borhood: The incredible story of Chateau Hough,” Good, February 12, 2015, https:// www.good.is/features/chateau-hough-cleveland -winery. Call (216) 469-0124 for appointments. https://www.ideastream.org/news/us-marshals-say-cuyahoga-county-jail-puts-staff-and-inmates-at-risk https://www.ideastream.org/news/us-marshals-say-cuyahoga-county-jail-puts-staff-and-inmates-at-risk https://www.ideastream.org/news/us-marshals-say-cuyahoga-county-jail-puts-staff-and-inmates-at-risk https://www.ideastream.org/news/us-marshals-say-cuyahoga-county-jail-puts-staff-and-inmates-at-risk http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home/Government/CityAgencies/PublicSafety/Police/PoliceSettlementAgreement http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home/Government/CityAgencies/PublicSafety/Police/PoliceSettlementAgreement http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home/Government/CityAgencies/PublicSafety/Police/PoliceSettlementAgreement http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home/Government/CityAgencies/PublicSafety/Police/PoliceSettlementAgreement https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-30220700/tamir-rice-shot-within-two-seconds-of-police-arrival https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-30220700/tamir-rice-shot-within-two-seconds-of-police-arrival https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-30220700/tamir-rice-shot-within-two-seconds-of-police-arrival https://www.universitycircle.org/destinations/cozad-bates-house https://www.universitycircle.org/destinations/cozad-bates-house https://clevelandhistorical.org/tours/show/44 https://clevelandhistorical.org/tours/show/44 https://www.cptonline.org/station-hope/ https://www.cptonline.org/station-hope/ https://frontart.org/artists/dawoud-bey/ https://frontart.org/artists/dawoud-bey/ https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9038/dawoud-bey-night-coming-tenderly-black https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9038/dawoud-bey-night-coming-tenderly-black https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/9038/dawoud-bey-night-coming-tenderly-black https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/7 https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/7 https://blackpast.org/aah/cleveland-s-hough-riots-1966 https://blackpast.org/aah/cleveland-s-hough-riots-1966 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/complicated-history-1968-glenville-shootout-180969734/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/complicated-history-1968-glenville-shootout-180969734/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/complicated-history-1968-glenville-shootout-180969734/ https://clevelandhistorical.org/tours/show/43 https://clevelandhistorical.org/tours/show/43 https://www.cityclub.org/forums/2018/07/20/ballots-and-bullets-clevelands-role-in-the-civil-rights-movement https://www.cityclub.org/forums/2018/07/20/ballots-and-bullets-clevelands-role-in-the-civil-rights-movement https://www.cityclub.org/forums/2018/07/20/ballots-and-bullets-clevelands-role-in-the-civil-rights-movement http://www.ccbh.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2016-2017-Cuyahoga-County-Community-Food-Assessment-Report_Pt-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L8n02BqSqQikOzWAfwmrCJ0p6pnXlNPAAs29eA93RU7tDq0uPcL1eG3U http://www.ccbh.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2016-2017-Cuyahoga-County-Community-Food-Assessment-Report_Pt-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L8n02BqSqQikOzWAfwmrCJ0p6pnXlNPAAs29eA93RU7tDq0uPcL1eG3U http://www.ccbh.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2016-2017-Cuyahoga-County-Community-Food-Assessment-Report_Pt-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L8n02BqSqQikOzWAfwmrCJ0p6pnXlNPAAs29eA93RU7tDq0uPcL1eG3U http://www.ccbh.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2016-2017-Cuyahoga-County-Community-Food-Assessment-Report_Pt-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L8n02BqSqQikOzWAfwmrCJ0p6pnXlNPAAs29eA93RU7tDq0uPcL1eG3U http://www.ccbh.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2016-2017-Cuyahoga-County-Community-Food-Assessment-Report_Pt-1.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0L8n02BqSqQikOzWAfwmrCJ0p6pnXlNPAAs29eA93RU7tDq0uPcL1eG3U http://ediblecleveland.com/stories/spring-2017/cultivation-stories#readmore http://ediblecleveland.com/stories/spring-2017/cultivation-stories#readmore http://www.clevelandgrowingstrong.com http://www.clevelandgrowingstrong.com https://edwinsrestaurant.org/about-us/ https://www.good.is/features/chateau-hough-cleveland-winery https://www.good.is/features/chateau-hough-cleveland-winery https://www.good.is/features/chateau-hough-cleveland-winery