Rising from the bricks: the historical development of East St. Louis State Community College, 1969-2004

This dissertation studies the historical development of State Community College of East St. Louis, a local educational institution of extreme value to the economic and educational prospects of the residents and the city of East St. Louis. It looks at the ways in which the residents of the predominantly poor, African American city of East St. Louis showed tremendous agency and forethought in fighting to establish this institution. This history traces the development of the two-year institution from its infancy stages through the reorganization and eventual closing of the institution. It further examines the struggles, joys, and accomplishments that went into establishing this two-year institution to provide access to higher education for residents. The study utilizes archival research and oral history narratives to show firsthand accounts of the relevance and importance of the institution to the residents of East St. Louis and how in their eyes State Community College removed barriers to a higher education for a city and its residents that were previously isolated from higher education. In chronicling the historical development of the State Community College between 1969 and 2004, this dissertation provides an institutional and social history of the State of Illinois??? only public community college funded 100% through state appropriations