Photo Courtesy of the Cleveland State Library Special Collections Credit: Photo taken just moments before Bruce Klunder's death.

Photo Courtesy of the Cleveland State Library Special Collections

  • Photo taken just moments before Bruce Klunder’s death.
  • Photo Courtesy of the Cleveland State Library Special Collections

A Cleveland elementary school which was once the site of a tragic civil rights-related death will soon be torn down.

The Cleveland school board recently approved the demolition of Stephen E. Howe Elementary School, the same school where a 27-year-old minister was run over by a bulldozer for protesting the school’s construction in the 1960s.

The PD reports that the school’s construction sparked protests in 1964 from opponents who considered it an attempt to prevent racial integration.

Bruce Klunder, a 27-year-old minister, was killed on April 7, 1964, after protesting the school’s construction by lying down behind a bulldozer.

The bulldozer’s driver backed over Klunder after other protesters placed themselves in front of the machine.

Despite the attempts of onlookers to shout warnings to the driver, he was unable to hear them over the sound of the bulldozer’s engine.

This article appears in Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2013.

Alaina Nutile is the Web Editor who oversees all digital content and social media initiatives for Cleveland Scene Magazine and Detroit Metro Times. Before joining the staff in June 2013, she interned at Business Insider in New York City, and at La Hora in Quito, Ecuador. Alaina is a graduate of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where she double majored in English and Spanish. Her interests include Japanese food, Breaking Bad, and career development advising.

2 replies on “The Cleveland School Where a Minister Was Once Run Over by a Bull Dozer Will Be Torn Down”

  2. Interesting writing , I am thankful for the points ! Does someone know if I might be able to acquire a blank IRS W-9 copy to complete ?

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