PROJECT BACKGROUND

In 2024, the C-RAC Special Project Subcommittee launched a Storytelling project to document and celebrate the cultural heritage of BIPOC neighborhoods across the Quad Cities to capture how Quad Citizens are connected to the Mississippi River. Guided by the Mississippi River Equity Vision (MREV), the project uplifts community voices- especially those historically excluded from environmental decision-making.

Through oral histories with local residents, including Gaye Shannon Burnett, Marsha Ross, Randy Moore, Oran & Bernice Turner, Wiley Ross, Shelly Moore Guy, and Maria Cardosa, the project highlights lived experiences that bring depth to regional history. As a whole, this project reflects stories from of immigration, resilience, and leadership 

Black communities played vital roles in shaping the riverfront—building levees, powering the steamboat industry, sustaining food systems through fishing and hunting, and creating cultural traditions in music and business. Their resilience is also reflected in hidden histories such as the Underground Railroad.

Hispanic and Latino communities contributed through navigation, agriculture, and labor organizing, with Mexican migrant workers supporting Midwestern farming and meatpacking industries. Their traditions of environmental stewardship and cultural celebrations continue to enrich the region.

Indigenous peoples inhabited the Quad Cities long before colonization, leaving behind evidence of thriving settlements and trade networks. While forced relocation disrupted their way of life, Indigenous communities remain active today, carrying forward cultural practices, language, and advocacy.