African-American Indiana History
Several of our digital images collections highlight the African-American experience in Indiana.
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Madam C.J. Walker (M 0399)Madam C.J. Walker was a self-made businesswoman who became a national figure and philanthropist. In 1910, she moved to Indianapolis, setting up a factory and beauty school. The collection contains the personal and business papers of Madam Walker, A’Lelia Walker, Freeman B. Ransom and others who worked for the company, records relating to operations and the beauty schools and agents, and materials from businesses located in the Walker Building in Indianapolis. This digital collection is a sample of the materials found in the collection. |
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The Indianapolis Recorder (P 0303)The Indianapolis Recorder is the longest continuously operated African-American newspaper in Indiana, and it regularly carried articles of interest to the African-American community statewide. The collection dates from circa 1900 to 1987. The digitization of this collection is a work in progress. |
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Robert F. Kennedy's Visit to Indianapolis, May 4, 1968Sen. Robert F. Kennedy declared his candidacy for president on March 16, 1968. In April and early May, he made many campaign stops in Indiana. On May 4, he visited several Indianapolis neighborhoods, including one at 21st and Harding streets depicted in these photos taken by Katherine “Katie” Palmer. This visit was exactly midway between the dates of two tragic events: On April 4, Kennedy spoke to an Indianapolis crowd that had just learned of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Kennedy was killed a month later on June 5. |
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Flanner House CollectionFlanner House, a social service agency, was founded in 1898. It was the first agency in Indianapolis devoted solely to meeting the social service needs of African-Americans and is nationally recognized for developing groundbreaking programs that foster a spirit of self-reliance. The collection provides insight into this historic organization and its important role in shaping the social and economic landscape of Indianapolis. It's part of an LSTA 2006 Digitization Grant in which IHS partnered with IUPUI. Their Flanner House collection can be viewed here. |
