Walk through the historic 7th Street Des Moines, and you won't miss the grand Flynn-Griffin Building on 319. Itwas built across two eras, between 1885 and 1906, hosting Peoples' Savings Bank at first. But its story is not just about bricks and mortar. This building hosted one of America’s most inspiring protests against racial injustice. The legendary figure Edna Griffin led the charge. In the year 1948, Griffin, alongside her dear daughter Phyllis, John Bibbs, and Leonard Hudson - all African-Americans, were turned away from Katz's Drug Store within this building.
Despite Iowa declaring segregation illicit, it persisted at Katz's. But our heroine refused to be sidelined. She and her comrades peacefully staged a sit-in, demanding to be served fairly. They were arrested, and in 1949, their verdict was upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court. This courageous act earned Griffin the name, 'the Iowa Rosa Parks'. The Flynn-Griffin Building serves as a touching reminder of Des Moines' complex history, while also shining as a beacon of hope, embodying the indomitable spirit within each of us to fight for equality and affirm our worth.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
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