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The Civil Rights-Era Activist Who Cleaned Up Indianapolis Long before Keep Indianapolis Beautiful had us planting trees and adopting blocks, Mattie Coney campaigned for cleaner streets. April 7, 2021 Mattie Coney understood the Declaration of Independence promised the pursuit of happiness, but insisted, “You got to work for it.” Known for her big hats and blunt ideas, Coney promoted good citizenship and civic responsibility in the Black community. After 30 years teaching for Indianapolis Public Schools, she founded the Citizens Forum with her husband, Elmo, in 1964. According to Olivia Hagedorn, a history doctorate candidate at the University of Illinois who has studied Coney, she worried the Civil Rights Act and a citywide Open Housing Ordinance would trigger resistance to integration. “She especially feared that whites would use poor neighborhood conditions in Black communities as a wedge,” Hagedorn says.

New yorkUnited statesUniversity of illinoisGerardo ruiz tovarMattie coneyOlivia hagedornFay williamsHudnut clean city committeeCitizens forumIndianapolis public schoolsCivil rights actOpen housing ordinanceBlock clubsClean city committeeKeep indianapolis beautifulRuiz tovar