CIVIL RIGHTS SELF GUIDED TOUR

Civil Rights Self Guided

Walking Tour

This Civil Rights Tour shows the lives, mistakes, and progress our city has made in the fight for rights. This tour would not be possible without the help and resources of The Wayne County Public Library, Wayne County Historical Society, The Daily Record, Jeffrey Musselman, The College of Wooster Digital History Project, Lydia Thompson and the team at Main Street Wooster (Shannon Waller, Kerri Manley, Kiera Smith).


We would also like to thank Q Media Wooster for the recordings and Earnest L. Hudson Jr. for the voiceovers.

Tour works best with WiFi OFF

This tour was made possible through the generous support of:

Donald & Alice Noble Foundation, Inc.

Audio provided courtesy of:

Q Media Wooster (WQKT/WKVX)

Click for Audio below for the introduction of the tour.

Wooster, Ohio has witnessed and been an active participant in the journey of Civil Rights since its founding in 1808. Although there have been mistakes, Wooster's full story with the fight for civil rights for African Americans, Women, and the Jewish Community can be seen in our historic downtown. In the brick of every building there are stories of individuals who made a name for themselves, pushed Wooster's boundaries, and stretched its perspective to one of inclusivity that created its welcoming and historic community today. There are things to be proud of and things to not be proud of. There are things in history that should not be forgotten, but should be a part of the lens that shapes what the City of Wooster represents in the world today.

The people who reside here live the stories of those who came before. It is a privilege to see the great legacies alive today in our vibrant streets, as you embark on this tour, we invite you to appreciate and reflect on the cherished stories that remain with us today. These stories will be a part of our city throughout its past, present and future.

Stop 1: 201 East North Street

NOW: Buckeye & North Street

THEN: Greyhound Bus Station


Following the Civil War, many African Americans migrated North. The start of the journey for black families moving to Wooster began at the southeast corner of Buckeye and North Street. This was the location where buses from Southern states brought black individuals looking for new lives and opportunities that Wooster could offer them. The Black community in the city started small, but the first Black families in Wooster brought creativity and new perspectives that were used as seeds that would continue to transform the city.

Stop 2: 243 North Market Street

NOW: Wooster United Methodist Church

THEN: Methodist Episcopal Church of Wooster


The United Methodist Church stands where the Methodist Episcopal Church of Wooster once stood. This church was the meeting place for the Wayne County Anti-Slavery Society, founded in 1836. It is one of the 120 well connected and communicative branches of the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society. Their main mission and purpose was abolishing slavery and fighting for freedom for all. This fight included playing a vital role in the Underground Railroad in Wooster. Eugene Pardee, a man heavily involved in the society, even housed runaway slaves on their journey north. His house still stands on 124 Massaro Avenue. 

Stop 3: 246 North Market Street

NOW: First Baptist Church

THEN: Second Baptist Church


Once shared with First Baptist Church's building during the era of segregation was Second Baptist Church, the first Black congregation in Wooster following the Civil War. It was the home and anchor of the African American Community in town and continues to be a pillar even now. After originally congregating in the fire station on Spink Street, the community was invited to share a space at Bethany Baptist Church (First Baptist) at a different time than the White community in 1892. Eventually, the African American community leaders, Richard L. Morrison, Henry Follis, Samuel Johnson, and Sally Craig, decided to raise money and build their own space on Vine Street.

Stop 4: 212 East Liberty Street

NOW: The Daily Record

THEN: Morrison Barbershop


The Daily Record was once the site of Richard Morrison Sr.'s barbershop. Richard Morrison was born into slavery, but after the emancipation and through time, he found his way to Wooster where he and his family are believed to be the FIRST documented Black family of the city. At his location on East Liberty Street, he cut hair of people in town and worked with his sons, Charles, Harry, and Richard "Dick" Jr., and another young man by the name of Ewart Pringle. More and more African American families progressively moved to Wooster, and unfortunately, if they would have liked to get their hair cut, they had to wait until after hours. The daytime was reserved and prioritized for the white citizens.

Stop 5: 123 East Liberty Street

NOW: Broken Rocks Cafe & Bakery

THEN: Arcadome Hall


The Clark Building is today the home of Broken Rocks Cafe & Bakery. However, it has a rich past that is still seen in the legacy of the building today. The Clark Building was previously the sight of the "Arcadome Hall", a performance hall built in 1857 by Jos. H. Baumgardner. While the hall was used for different purposes, it was also a site where Frederick Douglass gave two lectures during the campaign tour for the re-election of Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. Famous author, Samuel L. Clemens or Mark Twain also visited and spoke at Arcadome Hall in January of 1872. Unfortunately, in 1874 the original building burned down in a fire. It was replaced with the Clark Building in 1875, built with the same footprint and style as the original building.

Stop 6: 131 South Market Street

NOW: E&H Ace Hardware

THEN: The Carver Club


Located on the southwest corner of the square, two doors west of the Wooster Provision Co was once the home of the Carver Club. The club was named after George Washington Carver and founded by a group of Black men in 1942. Its grand opening in the public square was in 1944 with refreshments and a soda bar provided for everyone. The Wooster Daily Record wrote on January 13th, 1944 that the purpose of this club was "for the betterment of the social, recreational, and civic life of the colored people of Wayne County".

Stop 7: Historic Downtown Wooster


In June of 2020, the Wooster/Orrville National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held a peaceful march for justice on Juneteenth. The whole Orrville and Wooster community banded together and marched from Cornerstone Elementary and Second Baptist Church to public square with signs, posters, and voices fighting for justice. It was an incredible moment that showed unity and support from the community. Protests have stayed consistent in the square for over 1,000 consecutive days, never allowing the push and need for justice to die out.

Stop 8: Wooster Public Square Historic District

Over 100 years ago, the square was also used as a center for civil rights: specifically, women's rights. While the fight for women's rights started long ago and has been ongoing since, the Women's Suffrage Movement started in Seneca Falls, New York in 1848 and grew and expanded across the whole country. Women everywhere were connected by a common goal and a common fight. In the City of Wooster, there were many suffragists who held meetings, formed associations, and created petitions.


At the College of Wooster a Senior suffragist Club formed with members from the graduating classes of 1913, 1914, and 1915. Another community club, the Equal suffrage club was made of Wooster women who prepared each other for voting rights and who discussed papers and writings on Women's Rights and Suffrage. They were important in promoting women's rights to the community.

Brenner Brother's: One prominent Jewish family in Wooster was the Brenner Family. Brothers: Abraham, Samuel, and Simon Brenner opened a clothing store in 1920. Their shop was located at 116 E. Liberty Street, now the site of Blue Spruce Boutique. There are "Bs" along the top of this art deco style building as well as the art in the entrance of the store that marks the memory and legacy of these brothers.

Stop 9: 116 E. Liberty Street

NOW: Blue Spruce Boutique

THEN: Brenner Brother's


The Jewish Community has a long history within Wooster. Its journey began in 1841 with Abraham Greenbaum, the first documented Jewish merchant in town with a shop on Liberty Street. The population of the Jewish community started slow with mixed feelings of reception. When the Cleveland & Southwestern Rail Company placed a line from Cleveland to Wooster, it allowed many advantages and opportunities for the Jewish people in the Wooster area. The Jewish community in Wooster had grown to 92 listed families in the 1940's.

Freedlanders:

Another prominent Jewish family in the Wooster community was the Freedlander family. The Freedlander name prior to moving to America was spelled Friedlander. This name was changed to "Americanize" it and assimilate into Wooster's culture. In 1844, David Louis Freedlander, a Jewish immigrant from East Prussia opened the "Buffalo One Price Clothing House" on South Market Street (The City Square Steakhouse building). As the store was passed down from son to son and from generation to generation, it began to expand and grow into "Freedlander's" a department store on W. Liberty Street. Although the store is no longer, the family's legacy is still seen all around the City of Wooster.

Additional Audio Clips:

Click to learn more about Thomas Eckert in Wooster, Ohio.

Click to learn more about Charles Follis in Wooster, Ohio.

Click to learn more about Clarence Beecher Allen (First Black Student to graduate at the College of Wooster).

Click to recap the tour in the Civil Rights Walking Tour Outro.

Citations & Resources - Click Here

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