Press Releases
January 28, 2022—2022 Hip History Contest Launched
July 6, 2021—Hip History Contest Ends in Success as Winners Bring Buxton, Iowa, History Alive
May 6, 2021—Vote for Your Favorite Buxton Contest Entry by 5/19 to Help Students Win Prizes
March 3, 2021—New Nonprofit Launches ‘Hip’ Student Contest to Spotlight Importance of Buxton, Iowa
In the News
February 22, 2022—TravelNoire.com
Buxton, Iowa: One Of The Whitest States Once Had A Thriving Community Of Black Doctors And Lawyers
When you think of Iowa, let’s be real, you don’t think of a state that’s filled with Black people.
In fact, the most recent U.S. Census data shows that Iowa ranks in the top 10 of the Whitest states in the country where an estimated 90 percent identify as Caucasian.
February 16, 2022—Hello Iowa!, WHO-13 Des Moines
Contest Helps Students Unite Through History
An organization is helping students unite through history. Rachelle Chase, Author of “Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa” and founder of Uniting Through History, shares the details about the second annual hip history contest.
February 2, 2022—Legacy Foundation
Hip History Contest Unites Through History
“A 2020 survey of Wapello County youth grades 6-12 showed a staggering 16.7% of youth in the county have been treated negatively based on their race, ethnicity, or orientation.” Based on our county demographics, that number equals nearly our entire BIPOC and LBGTQ+ population (2021, Resilient Communities Wapello County, Community Needs Assessment).
January 28, 2022—BlackNews.com and Black Enterprise.com
Historian/ Educator Launches $2K Scholarship Contest About Predominantly Black Town in Iowa
Nationwide — Most people haven’t heard of Buxton, Iowa — a thriving, integrated coal mining town of 5,000 residents established in 1900, where Blacks and whites were treated equally, and Black Americans were doctors, lawyers, teachers, business owners, and leaders in the community. Rachelle Chase, the author of two books about Buxton and the founder and the Executive Director of Uniting Through History, wants to change that.
June 19, 2021—Ottumwa Courier
Rachelle Chase witnessed Ottumwa Mayor Tom Lazio sign a proclamation officially recognizing June 19 as “Juneteenth,” the day in 1865 when Union Soldiers announced the freedom of the final slaves in Galveston, Texas.
“It’s symbolic because we are celebrating something important,” said Chase, one of the leaders of Ottumwans for Racial Justice. “But it’s the start of talking about the contributions African-Americans have made in history and today, and that we continue to make.”
June 18, 2021—KYOU-News, Ottumwa
Juneteenth celebration to be held in Ottumwa
Author and Ottumwans for Racial Justice member, Rachelle Chase, says this is a holiday that should be celebrated by everyone.
“Black history is everyone’s history so it is a significant day but it’s not just for African Americans, this is a day everyone should be participating in and learning about. Come out and learn about Juneteenth, learn about the contributions African Americans have made, learn about the history behind Juneteenth and come and celebrate with us.”
April 9, 2021—KNIA and KRLS, Knoxville, Pella, and Indianola
Knoxville Library Promotes “Hip History” Contest
The Knoxville Public Library is inviting area students to participate in a “Hip History” contest sponsored by the organization United Through History and author Rachelle Chase of Ottumwa. The contest is based on Chase’s book Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa, which highlights the unique history of the old coal mining town.
March 8, 2021—”Talk of Iowa” on Iowa Public Radio
Uniting Through History Launches Contest To Highlight Black History
Rachelle Chase is an author and journalist. She has written romance novels and two non-fiction books about Buxton, Iowa, a fully racially integrated coal mining community that thrived in the early part of the 20th century.
Chase has now founded a new non-profit called “Uniting Through History,” and has launched a Hip History Contest, in an effort to bring the history of Buxton to life.
February 23, 2021—KNIA and KRLS, Knoxville, Pella, and Indianola
It’s Black History Month. What does the Iowa town of Buxton have to teach us about history? Join us today as Dr. Bob Leonard goes “In Depth” with Rachelle Chase, author of Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa.
February 20, 2021—KYOU-News, Ottumwa
Local author makes her mark in the community for Black History Month
Rachelle Chase, who is an author and community activist, was originally a California native who moved to Iowa in 2014 after researching the history of Buxton. She says it led her to switch her story writing from what it once was to what it is now.
February 19, 2021—ROC Nation Real Talk
ROC NATION REAL TALK – Rachelle Chase (video version / audio version)
Rachelle Chase, author of Creating the Black Utopia of Buxton, Iowa and Lost Buxton, has given more than 80 presentations about the amazing town of Buxton. Rachelle’s work with Buxton coupled with George Floyd’s murder last year, motivated Rachelle to launch her new nonprofit, Uniting Through History, this month.
February 18, 2021—WHO 13 Des Moines, Hello Iowa!
Author Rachelle Chase Starts Uniting Through History
Life is about the chase. Those are the five words Rachelle Chase lives by. She really does it all. She is an author, public speaker, business owner, and model. Now she’s adding Executive Director to the list. She recently launched the non-profit Uniting Through History.
For more media appearances by Rachelle Chase speaking about Buxton, Iowa, visit: https://rachellechase.com/media.