I live in Springfield, Illinois and created a documentary film called Eva Carroll Monroe and the Lincoln Colored Home. I began research in May 2020 and finished the film four months later. Many people helped me find sources such as letters, books, business documents, maps, academic articles, newspaper articles, oral histories, objects, geneaological records, deeds, and photos.

 

Eva Carroll Monroe was born between 1867 and 1869 near Kewanee, Illinois and lived in Illinois most of her life. Her father was a former enslaved person, Civil War veteran, and racial activist. Her mother died when Eva was 12. Eva had eight siblings and moved to Springfield, Illinois in the late 1890s. Before that she was married and had a daughter. The Lincoln Colored Home and civic engagement eventually became her life's work and even after the Lincoln Colored Home closed she continued to live there.

 

Eva was professionally engaged in the home from 1898 to 1933; however, I looked at her whole life from her birth to 1950. During that time she had direct and indirect experience with slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, Mary Lawrence, Susan Lawrence Dana, Frank Lloyd Wright, and social welfare reform.

 

The documentary is copyrighted and available electronically and on DVD for educational purposes only. It is not available for sale or commercial use. If you would like to schedule a virtual showing or obtain a DVD please contact me.