Talking Hoosier History: Recent Episodes
Indiana Historical Bureau
Talking Hoosier History is an Indiana History podcast produced by the Indiana Historical Bureau. Join us each month to explore the people, places, and events that shaped the Hoosier state. Credits, Notes, and more info: https://blog.history.in.gov/talking-hoosier-history/
The beautiful Saint Mary Catholic Church in downtown Indianapolis is made of stone and stained glass, sure. But the most important material used by German immigrant and architect Herman Gaul was love. The building design was a present to Father Anthony Scheideler, pastor at St. Mary, who introduced Herman to his wife, who just happened to be named Mary.
This new episode of Talking Hoosier History is voiced by Justin Clark, written by Jill Weiss Simins, edited by Dr. Michella Marino and produced by A.J. Chrapliwy. A transcript, show notes, and more information on this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/.
For many, French Lick Valley was an idyllic retreat and recreational wonderland. But for Black residents, the Valley was a hotbed of violence and intimidation in the early 1900s. Many had moved to the area from the South to work in the hospitality business. The local community responded to their presence with a series of threatening letters and bombings. While these efforts succeeded in driving out some Black residents, those who remained opened businesses and established recreational opportunities.
In this new episode of Talking Hoosier History, we explore the resilience of Black French Lick residents despite contending with displacement, vandalism, violence, and eventually the organized efforts of the Klan.
This episode of Talking Hoosier History is voiced by Justin Clark, written by Nicole Poletika, and produced by A.J. Chrapliwy. A transcript, show notes, and more information on this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/.
On May 28, 1904, Chinese immigrants Moy Kee and Chin Fung hosted Chinese imperial royalty at their Indianapolis chop suey restaurant. Prince Pu Lun, the rumored heir to the Qing Dynasty’s imperial throne, was so impressed by the luncheon that he elevated Moy to Mandarin of the Fifth Rank, a prestigious Chinese social status. But how did Moy Kee, an immigrant from the Guangdong Province, end up hosting Chinese royalty? How did he gain so much influence in Indianapolis during the height of Chinese exclusion and Sinophobia? The story is a fascinating one that raises an even deeper questions that the United States still wrestles with today: What does it mean to be an American citizen? And who gets to be a citizen and who doesn’t?
This new episode of Talking Hoosier History is voiced by Justin Clark, written by Kelsey Green, and produced by A.J. Chrapliwy. A transcript, show notes, and more information on this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/.
Why would an average Hoosier leave his family and friends, his hometown and farm, not to mention comfort and safety, to answer President Lincoln’s call for troops in 1861? What would inspire a citizen soldier to risk making the ultimate sacrifice? The battlefield letters of Ossian (Wells County, Indiana) farmer-turned-Lieutenant-Colonel William Swaim to his beloved wife Hannah address those questions. And the answer may come as a surprise to those who have argued that the average Hoosier soldier did not understand the ideological causes of the Civil War. Learn about Swaim’s leadership of the 34th Regiment Indiana Volunteers (“Morton’s Rifles”), as well as his sacrifice for his moral convictions through the latest episode of Talking Hoosier History. Written by Jill Weiss Simins, voiced by Justin Clark, and produced by A.J. Chrapliwy. A transcript, shownotes, and more information on this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/.
In September of 1903, Fred Rohrer and his family awoke to the sound of explosions in their living room, as an unknown figured attempted to kill them by dynamiting the residence. Instantly, Rohrer knew that his leadership role within Berne, Indiana’s Temperance campaign was the assailant’s motive..
With the use of the Berne Witness, Rohrer helped solidify Indiana’s role in the national fight for Prohibition. In this new episode of Talking Hoosier History, learn about the way the Temperance Movement shaped grassroots organizing within Indiana as we discuss Rohrer’s unwavering commitment to the cause through the lens of his newspaper.
Written by Emily McGuire, hosted by Justin Clark, and produced by A.J. Chrapliwy. A transcript, show notes, and more information on this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/.
In 2015, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend announced in a South Bend Tribune op-ed that he was gay, making him Indiana’s first openly gay mayor. Four decades before Buttigieg’s announcement, the city reportedly outlawed same-sex dancing. In 1974, Gloria Frankel and her gay club, The Seahorse Cabaret, withstood police harassment, challenged regulations against LGBT individuals, and endured a firebombing. In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we explore the fight for gay rights in the Michiana area and the intrepid woman who lead the charge.
Written by Nicole Poletika and voiced by Justin Clark. Produced by A.J. Chrapliwy. A transcript, show notes, and more information on this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/.
As we pass the elusive Telsa Cybertruck, we’re reminded of Studebaker’s innovative electric cars produced in the early 20th century. The South Bend manufacturer’s electric cars became a mainstay of the company, providing vehicles for personal use as well as transport. They were also marketed in a unique way. Studebaker focused on city businessmen, and especially society women, as the premier customers for electric cars. While gas-powered cars became the company’s focus by 1912, Studebaker’s innovative designs and skillful presentation nevertheless made their electric cars more than a mere fad. They showed the country that electric cars could be made cost-effectively and provide customers with a reliable, affordable means of personal transportation. Written and voiced by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript, show notes, and more information on this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/.
The P-47 Thunderbolt is considered one of the most important fighter-bombers used by Allied Forces in World War II. Thunderbolts flew over half a million missions and are renowned by pilots for their durability and reliability.
Over one-third of all Thunderbolts were built at the Republic Aviation plant in Evansville. Notably, nearly half of the plant’s employees were women. Known as “Raiderettes,” they worked alongside male workers and boasted a variety of jobs including on the assembly lines, in the administrative offices, and even as test pilots. Many of the women were “two-job workers,” balancing 14-hour shifts at Republic with raising children while their partners fought overseas. Our new blog post examines the lived experiences of the Raiderettes and how they navigated being women workers in a “man’s” world, pushing against and often breaking the glass ceiling in the process.
This episode was written by Kelsey Green, produced by Jill Weiss Simins, and performed by Justin Clark. For show notes, sources, and links to more information visit the Talking Hoosier History homepage: https://podcast.history.in.gov/
In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll meet radical organizer Theodore Luesse, who agitated for relief measures during the Great Depressions. His actions culminated in a sentence at the notorious State Penal Farm in Putnamville, where he ran for governor on the Communist ticket. Luesse’s sentence increased Hoosiers’ interest in communist ideals and ignited a series of social protests, ultimately modernizing Indiana government and cultivating a new generation of organizers, who demanded more from their government.
Written by Nicole Poletika. Performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://blog.history.in.gov/the-agitator-theodore-luesse-takes-on-the-great-depression/
Images accessed Newspapers.com.
In this short episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll learn about Hoosier fighter Ray Bronson, who rocked the boxing world during the early 20th century. A horseshoe fitter-turned-welterweight champion, Bronson's considerable wins, international bouts, and successful management of other boxers put him a cut above most fighters.
Written and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://blog.history.in.gov/the-agitator-theodore-luesse-takes-on-the-great-depression/.
Image courtesy Library of Congress.
In this short episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll learn about labor organizer Mary "Mother" Jones's political partnership with John W. Kern, the U.S. Senator from Indiana, and how their alliance represented a real shift in attitudes regarding organized labor during the Progressive Era.
Written and Performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://blog.history.in.gov/the-guardian-angel-and-the-hoosier-senator-the-political-alliance-of-mother-jones-and-john-w-kern/
Images courtesy Library of Congress.
In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll explore the mayoral career of “Nixon’s Favorite Mayor,” future U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar. Learn more about Mayor Lugar’s controversial city-consolidation plan known as Unigov, how Lugar attracted the attention of the sitting president, and how Nixon’s 1972 visit to Indiana jumpstarted Lugar’s national career. Written by Kelsey Green and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins.
In this short episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll discuss the Mexican bracero workers who came to Indiana during WWII, how Hoosiers welcomed them (or didn’t), and how the braceros helped the U.S. meet wartime agricultural needs. We’ll also get a glimpse of how the Bracero Program established immigration patterns that remain relevant today.
Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://blog.history.in.gov/braceros-in-the-corn-belt-part-two/.
Image: Dorthea Lange, Braceros, photograph, ca. 1942, accessed Online Archive of California.
In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll explore how patriotism comes in different forms through a proud moment in Indiana queer history. At the 1991 Gay Pride Celebration on the Circle, protestors stormed the stage just as the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus was getting ready to perform. Join us to learn how the Men’s Chorus defused the tension using only their voices!
Written by Dr. Michella Marino and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://bit.ly/2KzYzbt.
In this episode of THH, we’ll meet the Hungarian immigrants who created a thriving community in Terre Haute. Forced to take low paying and dangerous jobs, they unionized to improve conditions. Designated “alien enemies” during WWI, these newcomers worked for citizenship in the face of persecution. Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. Transcript available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://bit.ly/3LlzcrC.
In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll learn about the German-immigrant roots of Hook’s Drug Stores, the company’s early policy of desegregation and advancement of Black employees, and how the company aimed to protect its customers through drug awareness campaigns. We’ve also got some fun soundbites from 1980s Hook's commercials that might bring you back!
Written and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://bit.ly/45t59pN
In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we visit the estate of writer George Ade where William Howard Taft launched his presidential campaign and changed politics forever. Learn about how campaigning has evolved, the origin of the “sound bite,” and Hoosier politician Samuel M. Ralston.
Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. Transcript available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://blog.history.in.gov/1908-taft-rally/.
Welcome to the first episode of the 2023 season of Talking Hoosier History. This is also our first short episode, the perfect length for classroom use. You’ll learn about the frontline efforts of Sarah M. Wilmer in WWI, how we do history with primary sources, and a related historical marker.
Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://bit.ly/3Ozpp3a.
The Indiana Historical Bureau is excited to announce a BRAND NEW season of our award-winning Talking Hoosier History podcast. We have a new host, new stories, and a new format. We’ll still be bringing you exciting and lesser-known tales from Indiana’s past, but we’ll also be talking about how we do history. And we’re serving up some shorter episodes in response to requests from teachers who want to use THH in the classroom. Find us wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe now. New season begins August 1!
On this episode of Giving Voice, we speak with long-time Fox Lake residents Grant Hawkins and Lucy Reynolds. In the course of these two short interviews, we’ll learn about the history and natural beauty of the historically Black resort community, how the neighborhood has changed over the years, and what makes it such a joyous place to visit or call home.
Fox Lake Resort provided Black Midwesterners with a refuge from the daily reality of living in a country gripped by Jim Crow. In this episode, we explore how Fox Lakers built their community and how they now are working to preserve it. Find a transcript and show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov.
Fox Lake Resort provided Black Midwesterners with a refuge from the daily reality of living in a country gripped by Jim Crow. In this episode, we explore how Fox Lakers built their community and how they now are working to preserve it. Find a transcript and show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov.
On this episode of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley speaks with Dr. Michella Marino about the intersection of motherhood and roller derby. Hear the answer to the burning question: was Leo Seltzer, founder and owner of roller derby, a feminist? You can see a transcript and read show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov.
In this episode, we skate through the history of the Roller Derby, and one Indianapolis woman's stand out career as she and her family stage a strike at the height of her game.
Find a transcript and show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov.
On this episode of Giving Voice, we speak with Gary Roosevelt alum Rosemary Anderson Davis. Gary Roosevelt, an all-Black high school in Gary, Indiana, faced Crispus Attucks in the historic 1955 IHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship game. Davis gives listeners some insight into what it was like to be on the other side of the game. See a transcript and show notes at podcast.history.in.gov.
In this episode, we explore how Crispus Attucks High School went from being excluded from the Indiana High School Athletics Association to being the first all-Black school to win a high school state basketball championship in the nation.
On this episode of Giving Voice, we talk with Dr. Margaret King, who is the director of the Center for Cultural Studies and Analysis. She also wrote the seminal article on the theme park as an art form for the Journal of Popular Culture. We talk about the innovations of Disney, the difference between amusement parks and theme parks, the role of theme parks in culture.
Find a transcript and show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov.
“Nestled in the wooded hills of southern Indiana, lies a land of fantasy...where it’s Christmas every day.”
That place is Santa Claus, Indiana. On this episode, we take a tour of the oddly named Indiana town that embraces the holiday spirit all year round. Join us!
Find a transcript and show notes for this episode here!
For this episode of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley talks with Dr. Emily Suzanne Johnson, Assistant Professor of History at Ball State University. Her Washington Post article "The Myth that has Shaped the Christian Right and the LGBTQ Rights Movement for Four Decades," examines the assumption that protests against Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade led directly to the failure of her career.
Transcripts and show notes are available at blog.history.in.gov.
On October 14, 1977, gay rights activist Thom Higgins reserved his place in history when he threw a pie in the face of anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant during a Des Moines, Iowa press conference. When Bryant made her way to Indiana less than two weeks later for a rally, gay activists welcomed her not with a pie in the face, but with Hoosier kindness. In this episode, we examine Hoosier’s reactions to Bryant’s appearances in the state during the early years of the fight for gay rights.
In this episode of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley talks with Dr. Allison Perlman, associate professor of Film and Media Studies at UC Irvine, about the ways in which broadcast television has created an imagined collective narrative and information silos.
See transcripts and show notes here.
Philo T. Farnsworth conceived of the idea for electronic television in the middle of an Idaho potato field at just 13 years old. At age 19, he produced the first functional prototype for his idea. For nearly three decades following that, he Farnsworth worked to bring his invention to the American home but was stymied every step of the way by financial, legal, and technological problems.
Transcript and show notes here.
In this episode of Giving Voice, IHB Deputy Director Michella Marino and IHB Historian Casey Pfeiffer talk with Dr. Cheryl Cooky, a professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Purdue University. Dr. Cooky is a member of the National Policy Advisory Board for the Women’s Sports Foundation. Following on the heels of IHB’s most recent Talking Hoosier History episode on the South Bend Blue Sox and All American Girls Professional Baseball League, their discussion considers the evolution of women’s sports over the last century, the impact Title IX has had on women’s athletics, and the important work that still needs to be done to achieve gender equality in sports.
Find transcripts and show notes here: https://wp.me/p7f1qx-2c9
For twelve seasons (1943-1954), over 600 women competed in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The South Bend Blue Sox, one of four original teams, showcased the ballplayers' determination and athleticism during their 1952 season, when a player strike left the team with just 12 members days before the playoffs. This episode contextualizes the AAGPBL and Blue Sox within the larger history of women in sport, culminating in the Dutiful Dozen’s stunning 1952 championship.
In this episode of Giving Voice, IHB historian Jill Weiss Simins talks to Adrianne Slash and Aaron Welcher, Indianapolis community leaders working on social justice issues. Slash serves on the board of the Civil Rights Commission and writes columns for the Indianapolis Business Journal and the Indianapolis Recorder. Welcher serves as the Programs & Communications Coordinator at the Jewish Community Relations Council and works to build coalitions of Jewish, Black, LGBTQ+, and other groups and faiths. Their important discussion in this episode considers how white Hoosiers can be allies for their Black neighbors in the ongoing struggle for civil rights, the responsibility of Jewish Hoosiers for continuing this work, and how people can get involved in the work that needs to be done in their own communities.
In 1965, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for religious leaders representing all faiths to join him in Selma, Alabama, for a march responding to recent violence against peaceful protestors. Rabbi Maurice Davis of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation (IHC) answered this call, despite threats to his life. This episode looks at the work of Rabbi Davis to fight segregation and discrimination in Indianapolis, especially in housing and employment. It also considers why Jewish Americans joined the Black-led Civil Rights Movement in greater numbers than other groups and what lessons his work teaches us today about allyship and interfaith work for greater rights for all Americans. Current IHC Rabbi Brett Krichiver brings the words of his predecessor to life with music from IHC Cantor Aviva Marer. IHB historian Justin Clark hosts. Written and produced by IHB historian Jill Weiss Simins.
On this episode of Giving Voice, IHB historian Nicole Poletika talks with Karen Freeman-Wilson, the former mayor of Gary and current President of the Chicago Urban League. A follow up to the most recent Talking Hoosier History episode, "Tribe Come Home: The 1972 National Black Political Convention," their discussion centers on the ongoing effort for equal rights in Indiana, especially for Black women.
Thousands of Black Americans from around the country came to Gary, Indiana, for the 1972 Black National Political Convention to transform the Black Power Movement into the Black Political Power Movement. Leaders worked to channel collective outrage - caused by voter suppression and discrimination, as well as the assassinations of major Civil Rights leaders - into political reform.
On this installment of Giving Voice, we speak with Dr. James Madison, Professor Emeritus of History at Indiana University and the author of the new book Ku Klux Klan in the Heartland about the Klan in Indiana in the 1920s. In our discussion, we talk about who joined the Klan and why, how the Klan came to power, and the legacy left by the Klan today.
See a transcript and show notes for this episode here.
On May 24, 1924, the Ku Klux Klan attempted to hold a meeting in South Bend, Indiana. They were met with furious Notre Dame students and South Bend citizens, who banded together to drive the organization out of town. When the Klan used this confrontation as fodder for anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic propaganda, university administration needed to find a way to combat the smear campaign. They found their answer in a wildly successful Notre Dame football team.
Find a transcript and show notes here.
For this installment, we talk with Sarah Halter, the Executive Director of the Indiana Medical History Museum. In this episode, we talk about the history of the treatment of mental illness in Indiana, the development of the malarial syphilis treatment, and how the museum is working to humanize the specimens in their collection.
See show notes and transcripts here.
Rufus Cantrell was a lot of things in his life: A driver. A porter. A clerk. An undertaker. In 1902, he added a new title to that list: The King of Ghouls. Cantrell, along with approximately seven other men, ran one of the most successful body-snatching syndicates in the city of Indianapolis. This is the story of his downfall.
In this installment of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley speaks with Susan Hall Dotson and Kisha Tandy about the suffrage movement in the African American communities at the state and national level. The discussion touches on issues of inclusion, storytelling, and the importance of telling a richer version of the suffrage story than what is often heard.
See transcripts and show notes here.
In this, the second of a two-part series covering the women's suffrage movement in Indiana, we follow the women who dedicated their lives to the fight for enfranchisement to its end - the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Find a transcript and show notes here.
On this installment of Giving Voice, we talk with Nadia E. Brown, a University Faculty Scholar and Associate Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at Purdue University. We talk about intersectionality, political representation, and how representation in our country is shifting at this very moment.
You can find transcripts and show notes for this episode here.
In this episode, we meet the diverse suffragists who led Hoosier women’s fight for the vote during the re-invigoration of the movement starting around 1911. We follow them as they organize, educate, lobby, protest, and march in the streets.
Thank you to Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and director of the Propylaeum Liz Ellis for lending their voices to this episode. Learn more about the celebration of the centennial of women's suffrage here.
See the transcript and show notes for this episode here.
In the last episode of Talking Hoosier History, we discussed the Black Market Firebombing and the people's park which was erected in its place. On this installment of Giving Voice, Host Lindsey Beckley talks to Professor of American History and people's park scholar Kera Lovell about the history and legacy of the People's Park Movement of the 1960s and 70s.
On December 26, 1968, the quiet was ripped away from Bloomington, Indiana when a Molotov Cocktail was thrown through the window of a small shop on the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Dunn Street. But this was no random act of violence - it was a targeted attack. On this episode, we discuss the revolutionary spirit of 1968 on Indiana University's campus, the racist backlash, and the repercussions that continue to echo from that backlash. Find show notes at blog.history.in.gov.
For this installment of Giving Voice, we had the pleasure of talking with Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe about the Shawnee nation in Indiana.
See a full transcript and show notes here.
In this second part of a two-part series, we follow Tenskwatawa, also known as "The Prophet," as he gains power, eventually becoming the leader of the largest population center in the present-day midwest. We then examine the many factors contributing to his downfall.
See a full transcript and show notes here.
On the most recent episode of Talking Hoosier History, we explored the History Relevance Campaign and how different institutions from around the nation are creating innovative programming using its guidance. In this Giving Voice, we speak with Erin Carlson Mast, CEO and Executive Director of President Lincoln's Cottage in Washington DC, which is a stand out in the field when it comes to making history relevant to their visitors.
See a transcript and show notes here.
Last fall, IHB partnered with Conner Prairie and the National Council on Public History to host a workshop covering the History Relevance Campaign. On this episode, we bring the valuable discussions from that day to you, our listeners. We ask you the question: What do you expect from your historical institutions? What should you expect?
See show notes and transcripts here.
In this episode of Giving Voice, we talk with Chris Newell, Director of Education for the Akomawt Educational Initiative. We discuss the importance of including Native voices and and sources in Native history, decolonizing historical institutions, and more.
Learn more at akomawt.org.
You can find show notes and transcripts here.
Shawnee political and religious leader Tenskwatawa, or The Prophet, rose from relative obscurity to become one of the most powerful figures of his time.
In this episode, we explore how a series of visions guided The Prophet to attempt to change the course of history.
All music in this episode was performed by award-winning flute player Darren Thompson.
See show notes and further music credits here.
Rachel Smith is an assistant lecturer on Women and Gender Studies at Ball State University who studies the intersection of Modern American Spiritualism and feminism. On this episode of Giving Voice, Rachel and Lindsey talk about the role spiritualism played in the Woman's Rights Movement and vice versa.
See the show notes here.
Modern American Spiritualism was introduced to Indiana soon after its formation in the 1840s. While the religion is often cast as a queer footnote of history, to be exploited during the Halloween season but largely ignored the rest of the year, Spiritualism has a rich and complex history in the Hoosier state.
In this episode we explore those complexities.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
On the last episode of Talking Hoosier History, we talked about Indiana teen Ryan White, who advocated for AIDS education while battling the disease in the 1980s.
On this installment of Giving Voice, we interview Jeremy Turner, Director of the HIV/STD Viral Hepatitis Division of the Indiana State Department of Health, about where we are today in the fight against HIV/AIDS and what it will take to eliminate the disease in America by 2030.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
Indiana teenager Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS at 13 years of age after contracting the fatal disease from a contaminated hemophilia treatment. Rather than despair, Ryan fought for his right to attend school and became a national AIDS education advocate. In this episode of Talking Hooiser History, we tell the story of Ryan White, and how one Indiana community used education to combat the widespread fear and misunderstanding surrounding AIDS in the 1980s.
Read the show notes for this episode here.
On the last episode of Talking Hoosier History, we discussed the South Bend housing cooperative Better Homes of South Bend.
In this, the first installment of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley talks to Mike Jackson, who grew up in the neighborhood established by Better Homes.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
In 1952, 22 families in South Bend, Indiana came together to combat the racist exclusionary practices that were widespread in American cities throughout the 20th century. In this episode, we examine the institutions and policies that led to those exclusionary practices and follow those families who defied them.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
In this episode, we explore two stories illustrating how different Indiana communities reacted to the fear and misunderstanding of the Cold War era in America. In one, people come together to defend their family and neighbors from possible attack. In the other, free speech and personal liberties are set aside out of fear and misunderstanding.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
Today, socialism is a misunderstood political buzzword. In this episode, we ask you to set aside preconceptions to look at the historical roots of the movement and what it meant to workers with few protections. In 1912, Terre Haute native Eugene V. Debs ran for president on the Socialist Party of America ticket, which promised to give more power to the average American worker. While he didn't win, his campaign illustrates the power of third parties to shift major party platforms.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
John, Louann, and Lydia Rhodes escaped enslavement in 1836, and eventually settled in Hamilton County, Indiana. Like many formerly enslaved people, they lived with the looming threat of recapture for the next 8 years until, in 1844, their worst fears became reality when their former enslaver showed up on their front doorstep. What came next has come to be called the Rhodes Family Incident.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, people lived a lot more closely with death than we do today. Mortality rates were much higher. Wakes were held in the family home. And relics of the dead, such as death photographs and hair jewelry, were kept as prize possessions after the wake had ended. Perhaps it’s not surprising then, that from this time came a wealth of ghost stories, often related in the pages of newspapers. In this episode, we'll share just a few of these ghastly tales from the pages of Indiana History.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
On Thursday, April 24, 1919, 13 women took off their headsets and staged a walk out at the New Home Telephone Company in Linton, Greene County, Indiana. Five days later, a battle broke out between the people of Linton and the Indiana militia. On this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we explore the harsh working conditions that drove these women to strike and the course of events that led to the whole area around Linton being put under Martial Law.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
What is a Hoosier? People have been asking just that question for nearly two centuries, but have we ever really figured it out? On this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we explore some of the various and sometimes outlandish explanations of the origin of the most famous demonym in America.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
On April 4, 1968 Robert Kennedy arrived in Indianapolis for a planned campaign speech. Instead, he had the impossible task of telling the mostly African American audience that Martin Luther King, Jr. had been shot and killed. His speech was an inspiring moment of grace in the aftermath of unthinkable violence. However, it was the strong African American leaders of Indianapolis who led the community in peaceful mourning while other cities erupted into violence.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
You may know that George Rogers Clark took Fort Sackville in Vincennes, Indiana, from the British in a daring siege. But why should we care? How would history be different if he hadn't? What you may not know is that he later expatriated himself and dared a second revolutionary act that also could have changed history and the U.S. map . . . possibly to this day. In this episode of Talking Hoosier History we ask... WHAT IF?
Read transcripts and show notes here.
You may know that Abraham Lincoln spent fourteen formative years in Indiana. But what part of this oft-told story is fact and what part is fiction? Did Indiana shape Lincoln into the man who would become one of the greatest U.S. presidents? Or did he achieve greatness despite his Indiana roots? This episode of Talking Hoosier History explores Lincoln the man, Lincoln the myth, and the grey area in between.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
The Senate Avenue YMCA provided a gathering place and rallying point for the African American residents of Indianapolis, who faced prejudice and discrimination in the segregated city. The Y's "Monster Meetings" brought nationally renown speakers such as Martin Luther King Jr. and their messages of hope for equal rights, love for their oppressors, and resistance to the hate of racism. (Guest: Dr. Frank Thomas, Director of the PhD Program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric, Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis)
Read transcripts and show notes here.
Zerelda Wallace became politically active late in her life, after she raised several children and lost her husband. She made up for lost time, however, becoming a leader in the temperance and suffrage movements in Indiana and nationally. Her strong belief in Christian moral principles and ideas about women as the moral compass of humanity inspired her work to bring women the vote.
Read transcripts and show notes here.
In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we're doing something a little different. Instead of our usual story-telling format, we're interviewing author and historian Wendy Gamber about her tale of one nineteenth century woman's dubious money-making schemes, alleged murder plot, and ensuing five court trials. Meet the Notorious Mrs. Clem.
With the rise of spiritualism in the late nineteenth century, Hoosiers began gathering in dimly lit rooms to contact the spirits of the departed. Others didn't go looking at all, but restless ghosts found them nonetheless. Some of these terrifying tales ended up in the pages of Indiana newspapers. Join us as we journey through these eerie encounters . . . if you dare.
Find transcripts and show notes here.
Spanish Influenza hit Indiana in September of 1918. While the virus was killing soldiers and civilians affected by WWI around the world, most Hoosiers assumed they were safe that fall. Unfortunately, the mysterious flu was already on their doorstep. On this episode of Talking Hoosier History we examine the havoc caused by the dread malady and the brave nurses and regular Hoosiers who battled the epidemic.
Read the show notes here.
Follow us through five scenes from the 165 year history of the Indiana State Fair. The curtain rises on the first fair in 1852, when farmers gathered to learn about the latest innovations and compete for prizes such as "best pair men's cowhide shoes." In scene two, we enter the sideshow tent and examine the Victorian moral controversy behind treating people with physical differences like objects. In scene three, we'll rush the stage to see The Beatles in 1964, during their only appearance in the Hoosier State. In scene four, we'll drool over Jessop's Butterscotch Corn and wonder at the young woman who built the business from the back of a wagon. And in scene five we'll walk through Hook's Drug Store Museum and learn about how this temporary exhibit became one of the most popular permanent features of the Indiana State Fair.
Read the show notes here.
The Ku Klux Klan came to Indiana in 1920. Within four years it had infiltrated Indiana politics to the highest levels. But they did not go unchallenged. The Indianapolis Times crusaded against the KKK at every step and contributed to their downfall. Learn about the rise and fall of the Indiana Klan and its nefarious leader, the convicted murder D.C. Stephenson in this episode of Talking Hoosier History.
Read the transcript and show notes here.
Kenneth Rexroth’s poetry, literary criticism, and political activism inspired a generation and solidified his place in the American literary canon. And while much has been written about his years in San Francisco laying the groundwork for a literary renaissance in that city that grew into the larger Beat movement, little has been written about his time in Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio – a period when the budding poet rubbed elbows with anarchists, burlesque dancers, criminals, and the artistic and literary elite of the Midwest and the world.
Read the show notes here.
In a career spanning half a century, the radical Hoosier politician George Washington Julian worked to end slavery in the United States. Working through various political parties, he maintained his abolitionist views in the face of adversity and helped push the Lincoln administration toward the 13th Amendment. Learn more about Julian in Episode Three of the Indiana Historical Bureau's podcast, Talking Hoosier History.
See the show notes and music credits here.
During her prestigious career, Hoosier physicist Melba Phillips developed a key quantum theory with J. Robert Oppenheimer, worked for peace in the new atomic age following WWII, and was persecuted as an alleged communist during the McCarthy Era. Learn more about her story in Episode Two of the Indiana Historical Bureau's official podcast, Talking Hoosier History. This episode features music from the award-winning musician Moby!
See the full music credits and read the show notes here.
In 1948, African American Hoosier Bill Garrett made his varsity debut at Indiana University, directly challenging the Big Ten ban on black players. Learn more about his story in the first episode of the Indiana Historical Bureau's official podcast, Talking Hoosier History.
Read the show notes here.