Indiana Historical Society Launches Collecting Initiative to Document COVID-19 in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is launching a collecting initiative to document the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Indiana in real time.

IHS requests the input and collaboration of Hoosiers throughout the state for “Telling Your Story: Documenting COVID-19 in Indiana.” Hoosiers are encouraged to send writings, photos, drawings and even short videos to IHS via an online form — helping capture this unique historical moment so future generations can understand what this experience was like for Hoosiers.

To submit your stories, photos and other items, please visit: https://rb.gy/owyugb.

“While this situation feels new to many of us, history shows what we’re experiencing is hardly unique — just a couple of examples are the Spanish Flu in 1918 and the Asian Flu in 1957,” said IHS President and CEO Jody Blankenship. “In addition to looking to the past for lessons, it’s also important we take time to document what’s happening right now. Capturing the stories of individuals, families, businesses and communities is essential to providing future generations valuable lessons and perspectives that can help shape actions in their time.”

The IHS has collected items that document Indiana’s past since 1830. There are thousands of letters, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, slides, albums and graphics in the IHS archives documenting the Hoosier experience. And now, IHS wants to add the story of how Hoosiers and their families are understanding and experiencing the current “new normal” of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Items in our collection let us hear the voices and see the people from our past who are living all the ranges of human experience and emotion,” Blankenship said. “It’s a rare occurrence that we get to collect history in real time, but that’s what we’re experiencing right now. Future researchers and visitors to the Indiana Historical Society will have Hoosiers today to thank for sharing a part of their lives for others to understand our current lived experience.”

To learn more about the “Telling Your Story: Documenting COVID-19 in Indiana” collecting initiative, visit: https://rb.gy/owyugb.

For more information, visit www.indianahistory.org or call (317) 232-1882.

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