Alexander Clark - (Kent Sissel) - Part 1

February 25 is the birthday of Muscatine’s famous residents, probably the most famous Black Iowan of the 19th century.

Alexander G. Clark was born on Feb 25. 1826 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, to John Clark, a former slave, and Rebecca Darnes Clark. He was a barber, lawyer, diplomat, and activist.

In the late 70s, Kent Sissel bought Clark’s home in Muscatine Iowa in order to save it from a City demolition that was underway. Mr. Sissel has been owning and living in that house for 40yrs.  

In this episode, I talked with Kent Sissel, the preservationist of the  Alexander Clark house and who is arguably to be the best historian of Alexander G. Clark in the country.