Redlining – the discriminatory practice by which banks refuse or limit mortgages to people of color, ethnic minorities, and low-income workers within specific geographic areas- still defines much of where we live or can live in Indianapolis. These federal government policies, established by the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation in 1933, reinforced segregation and disinvestment in […]
Probably unknown to most Hoosiers is Indiana’s rich history with cryptids, animals that claim to exist but have never been proven. With Halloween just around the corner, now is the best time to learn about the 3-foot-tall creature lurking in the forests near you. Many Indigenous people have legends of the Pukwudgies, but one of the most popular places to see […]
We’ve kicked off our new Indianapolis bicentennial exhibit, You Are There 1920: Celebrate Indianapolis with a four-part program series on the history of redlining. Redlining is the discriminatory practice in which banks, mortgage lenders, and insurance companies refused or limited loans, mortgages, and insurance within specific geographic areas, particularly in older and city center neighborhoods, to Black […]
What do hot air balloons, elephants and lawyers have to do with the fight for female suffrage in Indiana? They were all creative ways used by various suffragists to advertise their platform and spread their message demanding equal voting rights. On November 6, 1894, Helen M. Gougar attempted to vote in Lafayette, Indiana rebelling against the Indiana State Constitution that forbid […]
Ever wanted to party like a suffragist? Well, now’s your chance. In the years leading up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment, suffragists found all types of ways to spread their message and fight for the right to vote. In June of 1912, they found a social way to give their cause a boost […]
Sashes were a key way for women to show support for the fight to gain equal voting rights. While they came in a variety of patterns and with different phrases, they were frequently worn at rallies, parades and speeches. While all suffrage organizations in the United States adopted gold as one of the colors for the movement, the National Women’s Party […]
While we typically associate Independence Day with the Fourth of July and America declaring independence from Great Britain, all over Indiana there are various Independence Day celebrations throughout the year that celebrate the independence of many different countries. Here at the Indiana Historical Society, our collections have documentation for a variety of different cultures celebrating […]
Each year the Indiana Historical Society accepts nominations for several awards to be given to individuals and organizations throughout the state that are working in the fields of history. The emphasis is on excellent scholarship presented in engaging, public-facing ways. As managing editor of the IHS Press, I have enjoyed the honor of reviewing the […]
Due to the Covid-19 precautions, our previously scheduled Ethnic Eats: Myanmar on April 16 was postponed. Inspired by our multicultural collecting initiatives, our Ethnic Eats series began in 2017 exploring the food of the many cultures who call Indiana home. While learning together is certainly preferable to virtual gatherings, we can still learn about the […]
On Friday, Oct. 18, the History Center was rocked by another historic murder, during this year’s Whodunit? event. No fear, our detectives were on the case to put the clues together and solve the 100-year-old Hoosier crime. New Philadelphia, Indiana, a small hamlet four miles west of Greenfield was rocked by tragedy in the summer […]
