Clifton Jackson

The Forgotten Eldorado Story: One Town’s Journey to “Sundown”

The presentation on the forgotten story of Eldorado, Illinois involves the story of a man named Jefferson Douglas Alston. He was born a slave, became an educator and teacher and community leader, and set out on a lifelong career of advancing education for black youths in the community. The heart of the story involves his mission and a school he started in Eldorado, Illinois based on the Tuskegee model. The presentation will explain and describe what the Tuskegee model was and the overall movement across the country at the time.

The presentation will also describe the attack on the school and what happened in the aftermath to the remaining Black population in Eldorado and the subsequent conflict that raged for four months between the local mob and the state militia, which had been sent in by the Governor to control the situation. The presentation will also put into perspective this incident and similar incidents that were going on in neighboring states and across the nation at this time.

Audience Recommendations

This presentation is appropriate for ages 16 and up. Historians, educators, and residents curious about exploring their own town’s past might find this presentation particularly interesting.

Program Logistics

This presentation is 45 to 60 minutes long. The host should provide a laptop, projector, screen, and a chair for Mr. Jackson. Any audio or video recording must be discussed with and approved in writing by Mr. Jackson prior to the presentation.