Photograph will be placed here . . . .

There were very few Black families in Champaign-Urbana before 1900. Those who were here seemed to live a pretty good life.

One of the prominent Black families in Urbana was the family of General Cass Lee. Mr. Lee, born in Missouri in 1857, came to Urbana with his parents in 1865. He met Luetta Smith, the daughter of Jethro and Carolyn Smith, who was born in Urbana, Illinois in 1864. They were married on January 14,1883. Mr. Lee opened the first six-chair barber shop on Main Street in Urbana, and Mrs. Lee opened the first or second beauty shop. They moved from Main Street to Clark Street in Urbana and later moved to East White Street in Champaign. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lee were very active in the Bethel AME Church, the first Black church in Champaign-Urbana. He was one of the first trustees of the church. They were also both active in the Masonic family. In fact, Mrs. Lee was instrumental in organizing Deborah Chapter #27 O.E.S. in Champaign, Illinois. She was active in the local and the Grand Chapter.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee were the parents of Carrie Alice Lee who was born January 6, 1892 in Urbana, Illinois. She attended school in Urbana (Lincoln School.) The family later moved to Champaign where Carrie graduated from Champaign High School in 1910.

Another family of note in the 1880's was the family of George W. Pope. Mr. Pope was also born in Missouri in 1861. He came to Champaign County when he was just a small boy. He lived in Sidney for a while. It was there that he met his wife, Sarah Allen, whose family lived in Sidney. They were married on March 19, 1885. They had two children, Cecil Pope and Mary Kathryne Pope- Means. They moved to Champaign when their children were school age. Mr. George Pope was also very active in the early church. He too was one of the first trustees.

The children attended grammar school at the old Avenue School located on University Avenue and Lynn Street. Champaign Central High School occupies that location today. They also attended Gregory School on Columbia Avenue and Randolph Street, which is now the Gregory Apartments. They graduated from Champaign High School, located on the corner of Randolph and Hill Streets in downtown Champaign.

Cecil Pope, son of George and Sara Allen Pope, and Carrie Alice Lee, daughter of General Cass and Luetta Smith Lee were married September 16, 1917, thus uniting two of the oldest Black families in Champaign County. To this union was born: George Lee Pope, Cecil Allen Pope, Carrie Luetta Pope Banks, Sarah Elizabeth Pope Potter, Esther Genevieve Pope Scroggins, and Paul Lawrence Pope.