A civil rights pioneer from Bloomington is being remembered as a respected and thoughtful leader who fought for racial justice for decades.
Longtime Illinois State University faculty member and community leader Charles Morris died recently at age 92.
Morris told WGLT in a 2023 interview he’s seen great progress toward racial equity over the years, but said there's a long way to go.
“There’s still those who deny that systemic racism exists,” Morris said.
ISU's social justice library at its multicultural center is named for Charles and Jeanne Morris, his wife of 67 years who was also a longtime ISU faculty member. They were named McLean County History Makers in 2017.
The McLean County Museum of History noted in a social media post the Morris’ confronted racial discrimination in housing and other areas of life in the Twin Cities upon their arrival in 1966 at ISU, where he came to teach mathematics.
“People would put their signs out ‘for rent.’ We’d go up and express interest. No luck,” Morris recalled in that 2023 interview. “One owner met us at the driveway and told us ‘No, go away.’”
The Morrises would later advocate for African American students to gain access to off-campus housing.
They also were involve in numerous charitable organizations in Bloomington-Normal, including The Bady Fold, Habitat for Humanity, Heartland Head Start and Western Avenue Community Center.
A celebration of life for Morris is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church of Normal. Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m.
