Indiana Historical Society Announces Annual Award Honorees from Across the State

INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 6, 2024)— The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is proud to announce its Annual Award Winners for 2024. Each year, IHS recognizes outstanding individuals whose efforts have enriched the lives of others by conveying awareness and appreciation of Indiana’s history on local, regional and statewide levels.

“Many Hoosiers have been inspired by these individuals and organizations and their dedication to history, as they share their knowledge and work throughout their communities and across the state,” said Jody Blankenship, president and CEO of the Indiana Historical Society. “We’re thrilled to present these awards in person to each of our winners, celebrating their contributions and recognizing the tremendous value they bring to keep Indiana history alive in our communities.”

Below are the IHS 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. The award honors the article that best serves the magazine’s mission. This mission involves presenting thoughtful, research-based articles on Indiana history in an attractive format to a broad audience of readers.

Emiliano Aguilar and Roxanne Mills have been named co-winners of the 2024 Jacob P. Dunn Jr. Award for the best article in Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History.

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 IHS 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.

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.

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, Glenview, Illinois

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.

For more information about the Indiana Historical Society, call (317) 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org.

Share this post:

<Previous Story Newest IHS Press Release Highlights the Lost-to-Memory People, Places and Culture of Indianapolis

>Next Story Indiana Historical Society’s Annual Holiday Tradition The Festival of Trees – Tickets on Sale Now!