Nominate Indiana History Movers and Shakers

Caleb Mills Indiana History Teacher of the Year is awarded to a teacher (grades 4 through 12) currently teaching American or Indiana history and recognized by his or her colleagues as making a significant contribution to the understanding of these two fields by his or her students. This award is named in honor of Caleb Mills, the father of Indiana’s common schools.

Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award recognizes a historian who has made distinguished contributions to a) the field of historical scholarship on the state of Indiana, including publications, presentations, use of materials, and preservation, or b) the affairs and activities of IHS. Dorothy Riker was a 50-year employee and editor for the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau from 1929 to 1979.

Eli Lilly Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who has made extraordinary contributions over an extended period of time to a) the field of history and/or b) the affairs of IHS. This award is named after philanthropist Eli Lilly, a lifelong leader of the Indiana Historical Society.

Hubert Hawkins Local History Award is made annually to a local historian for his or her distinguished service and career in local history. Hubert Howard Hawkins was executive secretary of IHS and director of the Indiana Historical Bureau. He was instrumental in increasing membership through visits around the state and with the Indiana Junior Historical Society.

Willard C. Heiss Family History/Genealogy Award is awarded to a family historian for his or her distinguished service and career in Indiana family history, helping genealogists discover connections between themselves and their ancestors through source material, family records, and well-documented stories. Presentation may include articles, books, use of materials, preservation, workshops and lectures, or it may include work in a library or archive, helping the public with questions about genealogy and family history over a long career. Willard C. Heiss was a preeminent authority on Indiana Quaker history and genealogy, and is credited with bringing order to the archives of Indianapolis.

Indiana History Outstanding Event or Project Award recognizes an organization for an exceptional educational event or history project implemented during the past year, either one-time or ongoing, which relates to that organization’s mission. Examples include reenactments, publications, innovative media usage, exceptional teacher training and displays/exhibitions.

Outstanding Collaborative Project Award recognizes an exceptional project by a historical or heritage organization in Indiana with one or more partners implemented during the past year. Projects must be a history-based event or project, either one-time or ongoing. Special consideration will be given to projects that share county or regional history.

Outstanding Historical Organization Award is presented to a local or county historical society, organization, or site in Indiana which has demonstrated remarkable service to and programs for its community, and has demonstrated excellent application of professional standards and best practices. Consideration will also be given to nominations that demonstrate organizational transformation within two years preceding the nomination deadline.

The nomination deadline is July 1, 2025.
All nomination forms and supporting documents must be submitted by July 1, 2025 to be considered. Late nominations will not be accepted.

Nomination forms must be submitted online, and supporting documents must be emailed to localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org.

Entry Guidelines:

• Nominations must pertain to some aspect of Indiana history – state or local.
• A completed nomination form, including the nomination narrative, must accompany each submission.
• All nominations must be submitted with at least two letters of support.
• Articles, brochures, and other supporting documents are encouraged.
• Nominations must be completed online and all supporting documents emailed by July 1, 2025 to be considered.
• Late nominations will not be accepted.

NOMINATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Fill out the online nomination form and click Submit.
   There are four sections to fill out on the nomination form:
   • The award category for the nomination
   • The name and contact information for the individual or organization being nominated
   • The name and contact information of the person submitting the nomination
   • The nomination narrative: Introduce the project, organization, or individual and describe the achievements and impact on the community served. (Max. 350 words) For nominated individuals, highlight their achievements and their contributions to the field of state and/or local history.  For nominated projects and organizations, highlight how the work supports the organizational mission, increases engagement with history, and, if applicable, encourages community collaborations.
2. Send supporting documents (2 required letters of support and optional supporting documents)
   by email to: localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org

QUESTIONS?
Contact Tamara Hemmerlein, Local History Services director
themmerlein@indianahistory.org 
(317) 234-0170

The Awards Committee is composed of IHS staff and Trustees, and community members as appointed by
IHS. The Awards Committee reserves the right to move nominees into different categories, award multiple
nominees within a category, or decline granting of an award within a category, as appropriate.

All nominators will receive notice of results, and award winners will be contacted in September 2025.
Awards will be presented in-person at local community sites.

Congratulations to the 2024 award winners!

Jacob P. Dunn Jr. Award
The Jacob P. Dunn Jr. Award is named after the Indiana historian and author and is given annually to the author of the best article in Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History, published by the Indiana Historical Society Press.

Emiliano Aguilar, East Chicago – Emiliano Aguilar was honored for his article “‘Nothing Short of a National Disgrace’: The Farm Labor Organizing Committee versus Morgan Packing Company,” which appeared in the magazine’s Summer 2024 issue. A lifelong Hoosier and native of East Chicago, Indiana, Aguilar is an assistant professor of history at the University of Notre Dame, where he teaches courses about Latinas and Latinos in the United States.

Roxanne Mills – Mills was honored for her article “‘I Could Not Remain Silent’: An Indiana Lawyer’s Journey to Vietnam,” which appeared in the magazine’s Winter 2024 issue. Mills is a retired professor of English from Oakland City University. She is the coauthor of two books about Hoosiers in combat, Unexpected Journey: A Marine Corps Reserve Company in the Korean War and Summer Wind: A Soldier’s Road from Indiana to Vietnam.

Caleb Mills Indiana History Teacher of the Year
The Caleb Mills Indiana History Teacher of the Year Award, named in honor of Caleb Mills, the father of Indiana’s common schools, is made annually to a teacher (teaching grades 4-12) currently teaching American or Indiana history and recognized by his or her colleagues as making a significant contribution to the understanding of these two fields by his or her students.

Mark Olesh, Pekin – In addition to teaching English, U.S. History and Government at Eastern High School, Mark is also an accomplished cross country and track coach, as he is always incredibly involved in his school. Mark has a bachelor’s degree in both History and Criminal Justice from Indiana University. He recently worked towards his master’s degree in History and wrote his thesis on local newspaper coverage of the Civil War. And, he still has interest in obtaining his PhD! Additionally, he is planning to conduct more local research on some not well-known topics, including doing a story covering the Poor Farm in Washington County, Indiana.

Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award
The Dorothy Riker Hoosier Historian Award is named for Dorothy Riker, who was a 50-year employee and editor for the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau from 1929 to 1979. This award is made annually to a historian who has made distinguished contributions to the field of historical scholarship, including presentation, use of materials and preservation, or the affairs and activities of the IHS.

Stephen T. Jackson, Anderson – Stephen T. Jackson is no stranger to history. In 2008, he was appointed as the Madison County Historian. He has authored five published books about Madison County history, written over 300 newspaper and magazine local history articles, and he’s presented more than 1,300 local history programs to numerous groups and organizations totaling over 37,000 Madison County citizens. In addition, Stephen has won numerous awards recognizing community service in the field of history, including The Circle of Corydon from Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, The Anderson Herald Bulletin Newspaper – Person of the Year, Indiana Lions Foundation – W.P. Woods Fellowship, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution – Excellence in Community Service, Madison County Chamber – Public Servant of the Year, Indiana Historical Society – Hubert Hawkins History Award, and induction into the Anderson Community Schools Hall of Fame.

Willard C. Heiss Family History-Genealogy Award
The Willard C. Heiss Family History-Genealogy Award is awarded to a family historian for his or her distinguished service and career in Indiana family history, helping genealogists discover connections between themselves and their ancestors through source material, family records and well-documented stories. Presentation may include articles, books, use of materials, preservation, workshops and lectures, or it may include work in a library or archive, helping the public with questions about genealogy and family history over a long career. Willard C. Heiss was a preeminent authority on Indiana Quaker history and genealogy and is credited with bringing order to the archives of Indianapolis.

Andrew Olson – Andrew is a retired intellectual property attorney and an executive search consultant for top international firms in the telecommunications sector. Over the years, he has written several articles for IHS’s Traces and Connections magazines including “The 1818 Saint Mary’s Treaties” and “The History Behind Your Hoosier Genealogy,” featuring ancestor David Kilgore. In 2017, he published Forging the Bee Line Railroad, 1848–1889. Additionally, he has given a myriad of talks and written for various societies and institutions around and about Indiana history.

Indiana History Outstanding Organization Event or Project Award
The Indiana History Outstanding Organization Event or Project Award recognizes an organization for an exceptional educational event or history project implemented during the past year, either one-time or ongoing, which relates to that organization’s mission.

Cedar Lake Historical Association’s The Museum at Lassen’s Resort, Cedar Lake – Through a partnership with Chef Erik A. Hinds, the Cedar Lake Historical Association has developed a series of experiences that use culinary programs to present Cedar Lake stories and establish their Museum at Lassen’s Resort as a thriving historic attraction. Examples of culinary concepts include Taste of Nostalgia sunset dinner cruises, meals that incorporate Potawatomi heritage and small-batch craft-made ice cream inspired by historic resort menus. The incorporation of Potawatomi culinary heritage initiated a relationship with citizen members of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians that will expand to future collaboration. The innovative programs attracted new audiences and volunteers to the museum while engaging existing volunteers in a new way.

Marshall County Historical Society & Museum, Plymouth – The Historic Crossroads Center tells the story of Marshall County through the lens of transportation, from the Potawatomi origin story through mid-20th century travel and tourism. The result has been a much deeper dive into Potawatomi history, a look at deforestation in the face of modern road building, the agricultural push into the migrant era and the movement from small plot farming to agribusiness. The exhibit also explores transportation-based industry and the impact of five major highways on trade and tourism through the midcentury. One important outcome of the project has been the development of a relationship between the Historical Society and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center in Shawnee, OK. Additionally, the project springboarded a partnership with local elementary schools to enrich the fourth-grade history curriculum around westward migration into and beyond Indiana. Some features that are included in the exhibit are interactives such as a three-quarter-sized wigwam, a Potawatomi language station, a road surfaces box, a settler’s cabin façade and a large electronic map of the United States highlighting the five major highways.

Outstanding Collaborative Project Award
The Outstanding Collaborative Project Award recognizes an exceptional project by a historical or heritage organization with one or more partners implemented during the past year, particularly for projects that share county or regional history.

Crossroads Discovery Center: Hamilton East Public Library, Noblesville – In 2023, renovations to transform this library space began, becoming yet another expansion of Hamilton East Public Library’s resources as they continue to improve access and expand possibilities. Through this, the Indiana Room was revamped into a transformative space, which not only includes the original collection but now offers so much more. The Crossroads Discovery Center (CRDC) reimagines genealogy and local history services at the Hamilton East Public Library by blending the Indiana Room collection of reference and circulating materials, and it brings new technology and interactive experiences to patrons. The CRDC is proud to offer new equipment for preserving family histories for future generations. Users can take advantage of available scanners which include overhead, flatbed and book cradle, and learn to convert old media to digital formats including VHS, cassette, Super 8, 8mm, photo negatives, slides, DVD/CD and floppy disk. Guests can also utilize a recording booth to focus on creating oral histories with microphones, pop filters, headphones, a USB audio box and recording software, and finalize their projects with the new book binding machine. With this new equipment made available, the CRDC is making it easier than ever to connect the people of Hamilton County to their community and their personal histories.

Outstanding Historical Organization Award
The Outstanding Historical Organization Award is presented to a local or county historical society, organization or site in Indiana which has demonstrated remarkable service to and programs for its community, and has demonstrated excellent application of professional standards and best practices.

The Society of Indiana Pioneers, Indianapolis – The Society maintains a database of nearly 10,000 ancestors of members past and present with documentary proof – protected and preserved in its archives – of their lineage to the applying member and of their having lived in Indiana during the pioneer period, prior to 1850. For nearly 100 years, the Society has offered annual Pilgrimages to points of historical interest throughout the state and beyond. Open to members and their guests, recent trips have included the Madison/Hanover area, the Cumberland Gap entryway for so many of our pioneer ancestors, early seats of the territorial and state governments – Vincennes and Corydon, and many others. Continuing the practice of encouraging and supporting the efforts of other organizations and individuals, during the 2024-2025 school year, the Society offers $5,000 in Fellowships to assist graduate students in researching early Indiana history, offers 10 grants of $800 each to schools K-12 throughout the state to help defray the costs of field trips for their students to sites important in early Indiana history, and awards two John H. Holliday Awards of $1,000 each to teachers or school groups in recognition of extraordinary efforts to enhance the learning experience of their students engaged in studying Indiana history.

Click Here to see the full list of Indiana Historical Society Award winners from previous years.

Where can I get a nomination form?
See the Online Nomination Form. Contact Tamara Hemmerlein, Local History Services director, at themmerlein@indianahistory.org or (317) 234-0170 with any questions.

What information do I need to have in order to fill out the nomination form?
There are four sections to fill out on the nomination form:

• The award category for the nomination
• The name and contact information for the individual or organization being nominated
• The name and contact information of the person submitting the nomination
• The nomination narrative: Introduce the project, organization, or individual and describe the achievements and impact on the community served. (Max. 350 words) For nominated individuals, highlight their achievements and their contributions to the field of state and/or local history.  For nominated projects and organizations, highlight how the work supports the organizational mission, increases engagement with history, and, if applicable, encourages community collaborations.

Which award category should I choose?
Choose the category that you feel best describes the work of the person or organization being nominated. You can learn more about each of the awards by clicking on “Award Categories.” The Awards Committee reserves the right to move nominees into different categories, award multiple nominees within a category or decline granting an award within a category as appropriate.

What material is required along with the nomination form?
All nominations must include the nomination form and a minimum of two letters of support. Additional material which helps to document the individual’s or organization’s work may include additional letters of support, newspaper articles, brochures, photographs, book title pages, resumes, mission statements, and project summaries. All supporting documents must be emailed to localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org.

What should a letter of support contain?
Letters of support should clearly state the nominator’s relationship to the nominee and knowledge of his/her/its achievements. Letters may also address the quality of work undertaken by the nominee and/or describe the nominee’s impact on the community.

To whom do I address the letter of support?
Letters of support should be addressed to the Annual Awards Committee, and emailed to localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org.

Can I nominate myself?
There are no rules to discourage self-nomination. However, the nomination should include at least two letters of support from people who know you or your organization.

Should I nominate the organization or one person from the organization?
The three organization awards – the Outstanding Historical Organization Award, the Indiana History Outstanding Event or Project Award, and the Outstanding Collaborative Project Award – are given to an organization rather than an individual. A nomination for these awards should still include the name and contact information for someone at the organization who can be the main contact in the event that the organization is selected as an honoree. If the achievements of an individual from an organization meet the qualifications for any of the other award categories, that individual may be nominated separately.

Who makes up the award selection committee?
The Awards committee is composed of a diverse panel of Indiana Historical Society staff, trustees and community members as appointed by the IHS Executive Committee.

When will I be notified of my nomination’s status?
All nominators will be notified in writing about the outcome of the Awards selection in September. Award winners will also be contacted in September.

I missed the deadline. Can I resubmit my nomination next year?
Nominations will be accepted only if they are submitted on or before July 1, 2025. If you miss the deadline, you are welcome to resubmit your nomination the following year. With the exception of the Indiana History Outstanding Event or Project Award and the Outstanding Collaborative Project Award, nominations may be resubmitted if the person or group has not received an award in the previous years.

I have additional questions. Who do I contact?
Please contact Tamara Hemmerlein, Local History Services director, at themmerlein@indianahistory.org or (317) 234-0170.