Myrtle Sheppard's history of Cape Girardeau

Myrtle Bronson Sheppard, invited to give a presentation, decided the audience should consider "What Negro Families Have Contributed to Cape Girardeau." Sheppard, a well-respected retired school teacher and civic advocate, assembled a wide-sweeping overview of individuals and families of color who lived in Cape Girardeau, circa 1895-1970. Fortunately, the manuscript of Sheppard's 1971 speech was archived and is an important compendium of Cape Girardeau's 20th century Black community.

Cape's designation as an "All-American City," (awarded in 1968 by LOOK Magazine and the National Civic League) was on Sheppard's mind. She wanted the businessmen, civic leaders, teachers, lawyers and clergy, in her majority White audience, not to overlook or undervalue "how completely inclusive my people were and still are, in whatever has contributed to the growth and progress of our 'All-American City.'" She said, "If you tear or cut the fabric from which it [Cape Girardeau] is made, you will find something which my people contributed in every little scrap of it."

In the course of her presentation, Sheppard spoke specifically of 68 families of color, spanning 75 years of community life. In warm and familiar anecdotes, she described their businesses, talents, civic participation and tax-contributing responsibilities. They were teachers, restaurateurs, mail carriers, barbers, porters, janitors and church leaders. Subtly exposing the limited opportunities for talented Black youth in Cape Girardeau, Sheppard celebrated the successes of many 1920-50s era children of Cape's generational families who had to leave the area in order to excel in careers in industry, higher education, media and the military.

Sheppard's speech omitted her own contributions, but her legacy is also deserving. Approachable, well-respected and spunky, her life story emerged from interviews in the Southeast Missourian (1971) and Sikeston's Daily Standard (1975, 1977).

Self-described as a "restless type," she was first a telephone operator, but dreamed of teaching school. With no money for college, she earned a teacher's certificate in 1915, attending summer institutes. She first taught in Needmore, Pemiscot County, Missouri. Awareness of high infant mortality in the community shaped her next dream. She studied to be a nurse, but her passion to teach drew her back to classrooms in Southeast Missouri. Political action raised her hopes of change through legislation. She moved to Jefferson City and worked as assistant bill clerk in the Missouri House of Representatives.

During World War II, she inspected small parts for airplane assembly in Utah and earned a medal for marksmanship. She amassed, in all, 18 years in various regional classrooms, including a year as matron/teacher at a correctional institution. In later years, Sheppard returned to Cape and organized wellness programs for senior adults, served on the board of the Cape Civic Center, and was appointed a commissioner for oversight of public housing. She self-published two books of poetry and dabbled in fiction writing.

History becomes relevant when it is local. Thankfully, Sheppard preserved the history of a significant number of Cape Girardeau's African-American families, providing a valuable resource for researchers and those seeking to find their roots.

(Former Missourian photographer Fred Lynch produced a blog about Myrtle Sheppard in March 2018: semissourian.com/blogs/flynch/entry/71067.)