Stand with the Bailey Family

The Bailey Family, one of the first Black families to live in Washington County, Illinois, is affectionately known across Nashville, Illinois and Washington County as a community-oriented, funny and thoughtful family who has faced racially-charged violence over the past 3 decades. Over Memorial Day weekend, the Bailey family faced yet another racist attack at a pub and grill in Ashley, Illinois, leaving our mother, Patricia Bailey, tazed and brutalized by police. Then, on the evening of Saturday, July 22, the son of the man who assaulted members of the Bailey family showed up at our home issuing death threats against multiple members of our family.

This is only the most recent in three years worth of racial violence and attacks against the Bailey children and their family home. The police have refused to act as we have lost wages, dealt with bodily harm, and property damage, and now death threats. This has taken a huge mental and psychological toll on the family as we fail to find safety, dignity and respect in their community, while the police refuse to take any action. We must rely on ourselves in this time of crisis. Please support the Bailey’s so we can cover legal services and fees, cover lost wages and to stand up and say RURAL BLACK LIVES MATTER.