March 21, 2018

Two Iowa mothers—Charlotta Smith, a former slave, and Mary Jane Dove, the wife of a respected minister—were determined in 1874 to end the unconstitutional exclusion of black children from Keokuk, Iowa’s public schools. They took to the courts to challenge school segregation in Keokuk. Their successful efforts, which brought them to the Iowa Supreme Court, are depicted in Cross-Examined, a play written by University of Iowa MFA student and playwright, Margot Connolly. The work is largely based on historical research by Leslie A. Schwalm, Professor of History and Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Iowa. The free staged readings in Keokuk and Cedar Rapids are sponsored by Arts Share at the University of Iowa Office of Outreach & Engagement. Cross-Examined is directed by Tempestt Farrar, UI MFA student, who acts in the production along with other UI Arts Share students.

Southeastern Community College
Keokuk, IA