Indiana Historical Society Announces Annual Award Honorees

The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is proud to announce its Annual Award Winners for 2022. Each year, these awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations whose efforts have enriched the lives of others by conveying awareness and appreciation of Indiana’s history on local, regional and statewide levels.

The IHS will honor winners during a Nov. 3 virtual celebration hosted on Facebook Live at 6 p.m. View the virtual event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2655922874544688.

“We are inspired by these amazing museums, local historical societies, individuals and organizations for their tireless dedication to bringing history to light and life,” said Patti Curran, chair of the board of trustees of the Indiana Historical Society. “We are grateful for the chance to be able to reflect on and celebrate the many victories and accomplishments of so many of our partners in Indiana history.”

“History can be a source of inspiration and pride, of learning and direction — where we have been helps us determine the best paths to take moving forward,” added Jody Blankenship, president and CEO of the Indiana Historical Society. “These organizations and individuals reach so many different parts of our communities — from young to old, across geographical and cultural bounds. Together, they provide an invaluable historical resource to our communities and fellow Hoosiers.”

Below are the 2022 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.

Jodi Perras, Indianapolis

Jodi Perras is a writer, consultant and amateur genealogist whose search for an unknown grandfather led to his photograph in a 1920 Muncie minstrel show. Jodi’s article, “Embraced and Detested, Performed and Protested: Hoosier Blackface Minstrel Shows,” appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Traces. Her article examines the persistence of blackface minstrel shows in the Hoosier State from the 1850s to the 1960s, including the groups hosting the performances and others fighting for their dignity and the right to be seen and portrayed in popular culture as a human being and not as an inferior race.

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.

Steve Reeder, Cloverdale

Steve Reeder serves as the head of the social studies department at Monrovia High School, where he teaches AP History, Honors Psychology and Honors Sociology. Through local history projects, he has led his students to love their community through learning about the history of its people and places. Steve and his students have also been recognized on the floor of Congress and are part of the Congressional record for their work in community and local history.

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.

Susan Chavers, Lafayette

For more than 36 years, ArtSmart: Indiana (ASI) has maintained its vision and conviction that every fourth grader in the state of Indiana has the opportunity to learn about and appreciate Indiana’s history, art and culture. Written by Susan Chavers, ASI is a visual and interactive educational program that teaches the history of Indiana from 1800 to the present through the images of artists who were born, trained or worked in Indiana. What began as a free docent-led slide program for fourth grade social studies students has evolved into a resource for both classroom instruction and self-guided learning for any age. With the addition of a Resource Guide, a Teaching Guide, workshops for educators, a web-based version and more, ArtSmart: Indiana continues to be updated.

Hubert Hawkins History Award

The Hubert Hawkins History Award is named for Hubert Howard Hawkins, past executive secretary of IHS and director of the Indiana Historical Bureau. Mr. Hawkins was instrumental in increasing IHS membership during his work around the state and with the Indiana Junior Historical Society. This award is given to a local historian for his or her distinguished service and career in local history.

Candi Pastor Harrison, Delphi

Since 2005, Candi Pastor Harrison has devoted herself to collecting, documenting and sharing the history of Carroll County, Indiana, by fostering connections and collaborations among former and current residents of Carroll County. Her leadership in local history is guided by her love for Delphi and Carroll County and by her skills as a collaborator and researcher.

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.

Monroe County History Center, “See Her Run: Monroe County Women in Politics”

The exhibit “See Her Run: Monroe County Women in Politics” explored the local history of women in Monroe County engaging in politics and local government. Using the County Clerk’s office to index and research local women who ran for elected office, hundreds of women were found — and it was uncovered that several women ran for local office before they were even allowed to vote themselves. The century since women’s suffrage was divided into three sections, from early runners to early winners to the last 40 years of women in local government and how they helped shape the community into what it is today.

Daughters of the American Revolution, Wa-Pe-Ke-Way Chapter, Danville

The Wa-Pe-Ke-Way Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter’s military banner program began in 2020 as a trial project, with a goal of honoring area veterans and active military service members. After starting with 107 banners in four towns and being incredibly well received by area residents, town leaders and visitors, the program has grown to nearly 300 banners in 12 Indiana communities across four counties — Hendricks, Marion, Putnam and Montgomery.

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.

Cedar Lake Historical Association and Hesston Steam Museum, “Steam Through History”

Cedar Lake became a recreational destination with the 1881 arrival of the Monon railroad, and steamboats ferried tourists to resorts from the depot — an aspect of local history shared with the public by the Cedar Lake Historical Association (CLHA). The Hesston Steam Museum (HSM) shares how the advent of steam power increased efficiencies and improved lives. Out of a partnership between these two organizations, the “Steam Through History” project was born.

The single-week, limited-engagement program brought HSM’s 20-passenger, steam-powered, circa-1915 vessel onto the waters of Cedar Lake, Indiana. The 20-minute round-trip ride from CLHA’s Museum at Lassen’s Resort pier across Cedar Lake to the former site of the Monon railway depot was the highlight.

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.

Morgan County History Center and Museum

Planning for the Morgan County History Center and Museum — Morgan County’s first — began in August 2018. Organizers set out with goals of providing an excellent museum experience to the community and visitors, providing stewardship and management of the museum’s collection in accordance with established professional museum practices, increasing and maintaining financial strength and sustainability, and having a high-performing museum committee and volunteer staff.

The grand opening took place on June 12, 2021. Since its opening, the History Center has hosted more than a dozen events for the public, including teaching grade-school students and giving history presentations to civic groups. In early 2022, the History Center launched the “Memories Project” — which collects interviews from older citizens of the county to gather and save their stories for future generations to enjoy.

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