Connections Murals Public Art Project
THE GRINNELLIANS

Photo courtesy of Drake Community Library Archive. Contributed to the Poweshiek History Preservation Project by Edith Renfrow Smith.

Mural Location:
First Interstate Bank, 1030 Broad St
West wall

The Renfrow sisters, 1945. From left: Evanel (1909-1994), Edith (b. 1914), Alice (1906-1997) and Helen (1904-1968). Each graduated from college and had impressive careers, as did their two brothers, Paul (1917-1974) and Rudolph (1907-1972).


Lee Augustus and Eva Pearl Craig Renfrow married in Grinnell in 1901, coming from established Grinnell families. Both of them had parents who had been born into slavery. All of their six children attended college, a family expectation, and went on to distinguished and successful careers.

  • Helen (1904-1968), far right above, attended Fisk University and the University of Iowa, where she was later a research technician in the internal medicine lab. She and her husband, Allyn Lemme, became civil rights leaders in Iowa City, supporting Black university students who weren’t allowed to live on campus. The Helen Lemme Elementary School in Iowa City is named in her honor.

  • Alice (1906-1997), second from right above, attended Hampton University in Virginia, then accepted a position at the Library of Congress and worked there for over 40 years. She is buried in Hazelwood Cemetery with her family.

  • Rudolph or “Rudy” (1907-1972), below, also attended Hampton University, where he was valedictorian of his class. He was a veteran of World War II. He settled in Washington, DC, employed in sales and engaging in civil rights work. He is also buried in Hazelwood Cemetery.

  • Evanel (1909-1994), far left above, received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Iowa and went on to be a Professor of Home Economics at Savannah State University for 27 years.

  • Edith (b. 1914), second from left above, was the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College and went on to get a Masters in Education and a teaching career in Chicago.

  • Paul (1917-1974), below, became a master sergeant during World War II and was a part of the D-Day invasion. He attended the American School for Opticians in Chicago and practiced his profession in Washington, DC, for nearly 30 years.

 
 
 

Lee Augustus Renfrow and Eva Pearl Craig Renfrow at home in Grinnell, c. 1940.

 

Today, Grinnell is home to many individuals and families like the Renfrows, working, living, raising families and pursuing their interests. Grinnell is full of stories! As the lives of the Renfrows demonstrate, a story doesn’t have to be loud or conventionally heroic to be deeply inspirational and impactful. Each individual’s story is closely intertwined with others, in their family, in their community and across time. Let’s keep telling more stories!

A project of the Grinnell Area Arts Council.

A special thank you to First Interstate Bank for hosting this mural.
Thank you to Monique Shore for her collaboration and support of this project.

Support for this project is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority, as well as by Grinnell College, the City of Grinnell, Friends of Drake Community Library, Drake Community Library and Grin Cupola.