HD SHORTS & SONS
DISCOVER THE REMARKABLE HISTORIC JOURNEY OF HD SHORTS AND SONS
Learn about the African-American business that helped shape downtown Iowa City's history.
OUR MISSION
We believe that understanding and celebrating the past is essential to creating a better future for all. Join us on this journey to discover the untold stories of Iowa City's African-American entrepreneurs.
We are dedicated to preserving the rich history and contributions of African-American and minority businesses in Iowa City.
A triumph of vision.
A monument to hope.
HD Short was born circa 1871. By 1905 HD was operating a shoeshine business inside a barber shop at 18 South Clinton in Iowa City. In 1921, HD, along with his sons Kenneth Belle and Laurence Short transformed his role in someone else’s business into a brick and mortar storefront of his own. This business was known as “Short’s Shoe Repair.” By the early 1950’s, the family purchased the building that housed their shop and created “HD SHORTS & SONS”
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WHY SUPPORT THE EFFORT
A Story Worth Telling
THE CITY COUNCIL CAN PASS A LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT WILL PROVIDE FURTHER PROTECTION FOR THIS BUILDING.
CONTACT THEM AT: council@iowa-city.org
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THE IOWA CITY HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION CAN PLACE THIS BUILDING ON ITS AGENDA.
CONTACT THEM AT: jbristow@iowa-city.org
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We are committed to sharing our knowledge and resources with the wider community. Located across the street from the University of Iowa’s Pentacrest, the building at 18 South Clinton is a living testament to the intersection of Iowa’s early commitment to higher education and economic opportunity for people of all races and ethnicities.
From owning a shoeshine box to accumulating a real estate portfolio HD Short, his sons and grandson comprised three generations of Iowa City African-Americans whose legacy cannot be replicated. The building that now stands at 18 South Clinton was the family’s first acquisition and remains a vital part of the history of Iowa City’s downtown.
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Haywood Belle was, himself, a student of art and architecture and a supporter of his own local historic preservation society. When Mr. Belle died, the care of this building fell to the trust department of MidWestOne Bank. Unfortunately without Mr. Belle’s guidance and care for this building, it has been left in disrepair.
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The City will not seek local protection for this building. The City will not force the trustee to fix the building. Iowa City has an ordinance in place designed to prevent “demolition by neglect” of buildings like the one at 18 South Clinton that are eligible for the National Register, but the City and the Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission refuse to act. Once the building is gone, it cannot be rebuilt.
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We value a complete narrative. The Short and Belle families worked for nearly a century to build their business and the building at 18 South Clinton remains a living tribute to their success. To pretend that the only buildings worth saving are those that house stories of white success is a lie. The people of Iowa can prevent this building from crumbling by demanding action.
