Segregation in all its forms, shaped how and where certain populations lived, shopped, played and worshiped. This is more noticeable in large urban centers, easily supported by population density. A symptom of this is seen in auto-segregation or self-segregation, mostly among ethnic or religious groups. In the Midwest, examples of this can be seen in […]| Indiana Historical Society
The first acknowledgement of the Indiana Harbor barrio came in newsprint; The Lake County Times (now The Hammond Times) on July 10, 1923, labeled this area “little Mexico.” This nickname would be used continuously to describe Indiana Harbor throughout the decades. As this lakefront area grew, so did the approximately half-mile square known as Block […]| Indiana Historical Society
Lately, I have processed two collections in particular that featured couples who enjoyed long marriages. I always find it fascinating to see photos of people in different stages of their lives. In this case, it was interesting to see these couples when they were young and enamored with each other, and then when they were […] The post Growing Old With You appeared first on Indiana Historical Society.| Indiana Historical Society
It’s so easy in Indiana, and specifically in Indianapolis, to focus on the Indy 500 or other events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when seeking out materials illustrating National Motorsports Month. However, except for the lovely illustration of that race shown above, I managed to track down a variety of other motorsports and events to […]| Indiana Historical Society
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In August, we observe many obscure days. Some of my favorites have to do with pets, especially dogs, but as I have tackled at least one of those previously, I decided to look at a couple of the other days included for the month. This led me to National VEEP Day, celebrating the line of […]| Indiana Historical Society
July marks the celebration of Independence Day, when people come together to honor the nation’s history. Across the country, families and friends gather for festive barbecues, parades, and dazzling fireworks displays that light up the summer night skies. It’s also a time to enjoy classic American traditions, including delicious food, cold refreshing treats like lemonade, […]| Indiana Historical Society
Director of Collections Management Maire Gurevitz (aka my supervisor) and I have spent most of 2024 processing the records of the Junior League of Indianapolis, or JLI. The JLI is a women’s service organization that uses the power of voluntarism to affect positive change in our community. The Junior League has its roots in the […]| Indiana Historical Society
Sometimes you acquire a collection for one reason and then are pleasantly surprised at the unrelated richness of the material. Let me explain. In 2016 we received donations from the daughter of Mercer Mance and Kathalyn Stuart Mance. This was a collection of things acquired by our dear departed friend and colleague Wilma Gibbs Moore. […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) proudly announces students have been selected to advance to the National History Day in Indiana (NHDI) State Contest after a successful South Central region contest on Saturday, March 1. The contest included students from Brown, Bartholomew, Hamilton, Hendricks, Knox and Marion counties. Approximately 100 students took part in Saturday’s contest […]| Indiana Historical Society
In February, we celebrate National Library Lovers Month. I would argue that there are no greater lovers of libraries than the librarians who staff them, me included. Did you know, the Indiana Historical Society is a special library and some of our staff identify as librarians, archivists, and/or historians? When you walk through our library’s […]| Indiana Historical Society
While April showers may bring May flowers, March has been dubbed National Umbrella Month. It’s unclear why Thomas Edward Knibb, the founder of the celebration back in 2003, selected March, but it is thought that it had to do with ensuring you were prepared for the rainy season with the proper gear. In Indiana, and […]| Indiana Historical Society
In 2021 I wrote about the history of Cinco de Mayo in the United States which led to my discovery of the first documented celebration in Indiana in the early 20th Century, decades before the American commercial popularization of this holiday that we all know of today. On May 9, 1910 the Indianapolis Star published […]| Indiana Historical Society
General William Henry Harrison was a senator, Indiana territorial governor, and president, but many forget that “Old Tippecanoe” was also a minister in South America. By the time of his presidential election, the only reminder of this experience was a colorful bird he’d brought back in 1830, a macaw described in a letter by family […]| Indiana Historical Society
In November of 2002 at Union Station in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana’s first and only foreign consulate would open its doors to support Mexican citizens. However, this is not the first time in Indiana’s history that there existed a foreign consulate office in Indiana. On that day, no one realized this history began 95 years earlier. […]| Indiana Historical Society
In 2021, when I uncovered the lost history of Indiana’s Mexican consulate, with Russell Harrison appointed as its first (honorary) Vice-Consul in 1907, I thought that I put this topic to rest. The Russell B. Harrison papers are here at the Indiana Historical Society and fall short of any mention of his connection to Mexico […]| Indiana Historical Society
Spanning three generations, the Harrisons played active roles in the political and economic development of Latin America during a century of transformation. The 19th century was a time when European imperial powers were waning, and newly independent Latin American nations were emerging. It was also a period when the idea of Pan-Americanism began to take […]| Indiana Historical Society
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The Indiana Historical Society (IHS), in partnership with the Asian American Alliance Inc. (AAAI), is proud to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with the 19th Annual Asian Fest, a vibrant, family-friendly celebration of culture, community and connection. Asian Fest 2025 will take place on Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to […]| Indiana Historical Society
Through its Heritage Support Grants program, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) awarded more than $49,000 to 16 local history organizations representing 14 Indiana counties. The program provides funding for high-priority projects in the areas of collections stewardship, capacity building, sustainability, and planning at local, county, and regional historical societies, museums, and sites across Indiana. Heritage […] The post Indiana Historical Society Provides More Than $49,000 to Local H...| Indiana Historical Society
Some of my earliest memories include watching my grandmother sew and sleeping with the quilts that she and my great-grandmother made for me. I thought of this while searching for an article topic for the Spring/Summer 2024 issue of Connections. I wanted to choose something that was not only personal to me but also to […]| Indiana Historical Society
Depending on the genre of music you enjoy, you may or may not be familiar with the wheezing sound of the accordion. Whether the button variety, played by Bob Annis above, or the piano accordion, played by his friend, accordions have been used throughout time. Invented in the 1820s, the accordion is most known to […]| Indiana Historical Society
At eleven o’clock on a Wednesday morning in 1930 government dignitaries and civic leaders gathered to lay the cornerstone for a structure that represented, according to an editorial writer for the Michigan City News, “a new industrial era” for the city—a $9 million generating plant for the Northern Indiana Public Service Company. The writer envisioned […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) proudly announces several Indiana students received special awards and honors at the National Contest for the National History Day® (NHD) program that was held from June 8-12 at University of Maryland, College Park. Among the top winners: 2nd place in Senior Group Documentary went to Benjamin Lu, Divya Ariyur, Emma […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is proud to announce that 65 students from across Indiana have qualified to participate in the 2025 National History Day® (NHD) National Contest, to be held June 8–12 at the University of Maryland, College Park. These students were selected from a pool of nearly 400 participants in the 2025 National […]| Indiana Historical Society
Part two of this blog series examines the aftereffects of Urban Renewal Project No. 1 from 1964-1969. The previous blog in this series examines the planning and start of this project from 1957-1963. A new mayoral administration in 1964 noted that Urban Renewal Project No.1 had built no residential buildings. Instead, it parcelled away the […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is proud to announce Michael Browning, Greg Gibson, Cathy Langham and Myra Selby are being recognized as its 2025 Indiana Living Legends. This year’s class of Living Legends will be honored at the annual gala on Friday, August 15, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, located at […]| Indiana Historical Society
I LOVE peanut butter, I like peanuts. I grew up a typical 80s/90s kid consuming peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and marshmallow fluff (fluffernutter) sandwiches regularly. I always took enjoying peanuts for granted until my nephew was born with a severe peanut allergy which also became an allergy for my sister. While I […]| Indiana Historical Society
I am in the process of digitizing and cataloging a collection of nearly 100 historic Junior League of Indianapolis (JLI) member portraits, which my coworker Matt Holdzkom wrote about in his blog Haunting and Elegant last year. As Matt noted, the photographs are a “rare visual record of these women” at the center of the […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) proudly announces that a group of IPS students has been selected to advance to the National History Day in Indiana (NHDI) State Contest after a successful regional contest on Wednesday, February 26. The finalists listed below will advance to the 2025 NHDI State Contest on April 26 at Marian University […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) proudly announces students have been selected to advance to the National History Day in Indiana (NHDI) State Contest after a successful Northwest region contest on Saturday, February 22. The contest included students from Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall, Porter and St. Joseph counties. Approximately 265 students participated in Saturday’s contest at John […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) proudly announces students have been selected to advance to the National History Day in Indiana (NHDI) State Contest after a successful Northeast region contest on Saturday, February 15. The contest included students from DeKalb, Fulton, Lake, Noble and Whitley counties. Approximately 95 students took part in Saturday’s contest at Columbia […]| Indiana Historical Society
As February progresses, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) continues to commemorate Black History Month with insightful workshops and programs throughout the month. On Feb. 25, the IHS will host “That Sounds Like Black Excellence” – a homeschool workshop suggested for grades five through 12. In this workshop, participants will learn about the role of music […]| Indiana Historical Society
In collaboration with the Smithsonian, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is proud to host Dr. Theodore S. Gonzalves for a free evening exploring Asian Pacific American history and culture on Thursday, Jan. 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing group in the United States and include approximately 50 distinct ethnic groups, […]| Indiana Historical Society
INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 6, 2025) — In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s service to communities, the Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is celebrating community and Dr. King’s birthday with free admission as part of a daylong celebration on Monday, January 20. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., guests are invited to enjoy a series […]| Indiana Historical Society
Trying to search for a surname like Johns proved to be interesting. I had to work to determine the best terms and ways to remove terms to get the best search possible. In this instance, I ran a search for: Johns -Johnson -Johnston. This weeded out the more common surnames Johnson and Johnston and made […]| Indiana Historical Society
“I bashed his head in with a hammer … I pleaded guilty hoping to get life. I got what I deserve…” – Clarence Thomas. This chilling confession echoes through history, drawing us into a harrowing tale that unfolded in a small Indiana town. On July 3, 1936, the quiet steamy summer morning was shattered at […]| Indiana Historical Society
As Halloween looms closer, the IHS was abuzz with one of our favorite events of the year – Whodunit? This year was no exception as we celebrated the seventh live murder mystery event based on a real Indiana murder. We’ll share the details of the story on Halloween; for now, I wanted to share the […]| Indiana Historical Society
This month we celebrate our appreciation for photographers. Whether amateur or professional, photographers are important to the historical record. At the Indiana Historical Society, we have millions of photographs representing many photographers. It was a struggle to decide which photographer’s collections to highlight. Here are the ones that I decided to share: Cephas M. Huddleston […]| Indiana Historical Society
Americans began to call for women’s suffrage as early as 1850, 70 years before the 19th Amendment granted white women the right to vote, and 115 years before women of color won the right to vote with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Do you know when Hoosiers began their participation in the women’s suffragist […]| Indiana Historical Society
You can take the ‘Rat’ out of the ‘Region,’ but you can’t take the ‘Region’ out of the ‘Rat.’ I was in college before I really learned what it meant to be a ‘Region Rat,’ despite having lived there my entire life. As one of my colleagues pointed out, though, the ‘Rat’ moniker supposedly stems […]| Indiana Historical Society
Welcome back to our monthly installment of “Are We Related?.” This time we’re exploring the Cheek family. My colleague Tamara provided some links to this surname, specifically noting her grandfather, Gail Austin Cheek. While seeking out Cheeks in the IHS collection, I came across a couple of options, but one really stood out. In our […]| Indiana Historical Society
September is probably best known for a celebration like Labor Day. Continuing our National Days blog series, I’ve highlighted two other day celebrations in the month as illustrated by materials from the IHS digital collection. In 2022, the American Hotel and Lodging Association along with National Day Calendar began celebrating September 1st as National Hotel […]| Indiana Historical Society
In the Fall/Winter 2023 issue of Connections magazine, available through the IHS Member Login tab, Purdue University Extension specialist Frederick Whitford writes of the beginning of the Purdue Extension Agent program and the agents’ work through the Great Depression and World War II. The article is based on a book Whitford authored about the same […]| Indiana Historical Society
In honor of Newton Arvin, I dedicate this blog to the struggles, both personal and community-wide in the LGBTQ+ population, and to celebrate this year’s Pride month. Arvin was a native of Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, identified above by the courthouse he would have passed during his younger years spent in Indiana. Lately, I have […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Women’s Department Club was started in Indianapolis in 1912 by Mrs. Luella McWhirter. While still presently active, this club and its members focus their efforts on community service, arts, and education related causes and projects. This club was and still is presently known to host a public lecture series. On October 10, 1945, the […]| Indiana Historical Society
The Viva Kennedy campaign was mostly known to exist in the American southwest, originating in Arizona. It is reported that a low-level Mexican-Irish campaign worker, a Latino member of his senatorial staff, or a well-known progressive Los Angeles politician came up with the idea for the Viva Kennedy campaign, as to which is unclear. What […]| Indiana Historical Society
This month we explore a family name with a common issue…multiple or changing spellings. My colleague, Lauren, is one of the first members of her direct line to leave the family stronghold in Pennsylvania. When she got here and started working with Indiana-related materials, she saw a name similar to another found in her family […]| Indiana Historical Society
July’s best-known celebration day is likely Independence Day, which commemorates the founding of the United States of America. But even before the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776, the Post Office of the United States (a precursor to the U.S. Postal Service) was established in 1775 with Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General. […]| Indiana Historical Society
One of my favorite fine art forms is watercolor. I can’t say why as I am not generally an art connoisseur, the paintings just speak to me more than some of the other mediums. July brings us World Watercolor Month, a celebration as noted in the National Day Calendar, was founded by Charlie O’Shields (Doodlewash […]| Indiana Historical Society
Another month, another cause to celebrate! In keeping with our National Day Calendar-inspired series of monthly observances, I am pleased to write that this month is National Dairy Month. June bears many important advocacy titles (Pride Month, Men’s Health Month, etc.), but one of the lighter associations is dedicated to the staple American food group. […]| Indiana Historical Society
I am fascinated by the power of narrative in medicine. And what better and enjoyable way to accomplish the goals of this book than by storytelling. After all, everyone loves a good story. Narratives in the medical humanities literature almost always flow in the direction of how physicians enhance the health and wellbeing of their […]| Indiana Historical Society
June is probably best known for their major celebrations like Father’s Day, Juneteenth and others. However, to continue our National Days blog series, I’ve highlighted two of the lesser celebrations as illustrated by materials from the IHS digital collection. One particular day, in the list of many for June, standing out to me was National […]| Indiana Historical Society
Notre Dame Students Stand Up to the KKK At the height of the power of the Ku Klux Klan in May of 1924, they planned a rally in the city of South Bend, Ind. The city was home to many Jewish and Catholic residents and the University of Notre Dame, where many Catholic students attended. […]| Indiana Historical Society
Along with more popular holidays like April Fool’s Day and Earth Day, April also has some lesser-known, yet still noteworthy, National Days. To continue our National Days blog series, I’ve highlighted two of these intriguing holidays with images from the IHS digital collection. April 30th is National Hairstylist Appreciation Day. This holiday was established to […]| Indiana Historical Society
Though previously unaware of the Headwear Information Bureau (HIB) prior to finding out that April is National Straw Hat Month, I am glad to know of this organization’s existence now. Founded in 1989, HIB promotes hat making (or millinery) through contests and public relation promotions. National Straw Hat Month is just one of many celebrations […]| Indiana Historical Society
