A new series called Conversations in Indiana African American History and Culture was launched by Freetown Village. It features leading historians, authors, and educators sharing insights about the lives of African Americans who helped shape Indiana.
Freetown Village is an interactive history museum with the same mission as the series.
Their first speaker was Eunice Trotter, the director of Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program. The event was hosted at the Indiana Landmarks Center. Over two dozen people filled the room with almost two dozen tuning in online, but before Trotter presented, Olivia Wellington, founder of Freetown Village.
“Her story is one that I am sure most of you will say ‘I didn’t know that.’ Through her years of research, she’s done what most of us have only dreamed of. Documenting our ancestors,” said Wellington.
Trotter, a veteran journalist, and author of “Black in Indiana,” shared information about Mary Bateman Clark which is what her book is about. Little was known about her 1821 state Supreme Court case, which helped end indentured servitude in the state.
In the early 1800’s most African Americans were either enslaved or they were indentured servants in Indiana.
Clark was brought to the state from Kentucky when she was a teenager, freed from slavery, but was immediately forced to sign an indentured servitude contract.
She would later sue the person she was indentured to in Vincennes in 1821 and win on appeal to the state Supreme Court.
“She was my great great great grandmother,” Trotter would tell the audience, “It is part of our collective history, It’s part of the full story. We should have all learned in our state history classes when you attended school here.”
Trotter said you can’t preserve what you don’t know exists.
She didn’t know about Clark until she and her sister started researching their history.
They received a historical marker honoring Clark in front of the Knox County Court House in Vincennes back in 2009.
It’s the only state memorial to the African American community of Vincennes.
Wellington said the inaugural event provides yet another opportunity to gain important insights about African Americans who overcame significant challenges in helping shape the Indianapolis community.
“These conversations with these leading historians are invaluable for many of us who are not able to sign up for a history class in college,” Wellington said. “It’s a form of continuing education without the expense.”
The series is sponsored by Indiana Humanities, Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program, IUPUI Africana Studies Program, and ASALH Joseph Taylor Branch (Association of the Study of African American Life and History.
The next speaker in the series will be Clete Ladd with Outreach for Indiana Council on Educating Students of Color. He’ll be discussing the African American men and women from Indiana who have served proudly in the military including Indiana 28th USCT, Tuskegee Airmen and the Women’s Army Corps.
The event is free, but registration is required. You can reserve your ticket online from the Freetown Visit website. It’ll be hosted in-person at the Madam Walker Legacy Center at 6:00 p.m. and live-streamed.
Contact senior staff writer Jade Jackson at 317-924-5143 or by email JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com.
