“Conversations in Indiana’s African American History” is a monthly gathering of voices—historians, researchers, and educators—who deepen our understanding of the African American experience in Indiana, past and present. 

Fast Times & Fierce Determination: Inside Charlie Wiggins’ Historic Journey

About the Event: Join us for a deep dive into the thrilling and complex life of legendary race car driver Charlie Wiggins. Exploring the dualities of his era, this presentation retraces his unstoppable passion for racing, examines the barriers he faced in a segregated sport, and celebrates the monumental legacy of his historic achievement, "The Tale of the Three One Hundreds."

Featured Speaker: We are honored to welcome Angi Rogers, great-niece of Charlie Wiggins, who will guide us through her family's remarkable history and her uncle's enduring impact on motorsports.

Why Attend? If you love history, resilience, and stories of brilliance that refused to be sidelined, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Your presence helps ensure these vital community stories continue to be celebrated and retold.

🎟️ Secure your spot today!

• In Person: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks Center and talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

• Online: Livestream will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Event is free but registration is required.‍ ‍Click hereto reserve your ticket.

“Conversations in Indiana’s African American History” is a monthly gathering of voices—historians, researchers, and educators—who deepen our understanding of the African American experience in Indiana, past and present. 

The History and Legacy of Roberts Settlement

Our presenter will be Bryan Glover, Vice President and Board Chair of Roberts Settlement — a historic community founded in 1835 in northern Hamilton County (Indiana) by free people of color seeking freedom, opportunity, and self‑determination.

From the Coastal Plain of North Carolina to the fields of present‑day Hamilton County, this pioneering Black community has endured, adapted, and thrived for nearly two centuries. Their story is one of faith, resilience, and an unwavering pursuit of liberty.

Today, descendants continue to preserve this remarkable heritage and celebrate the enduring bonds that have connected generations.

Event is free but registration is required. Click here to reserve your ticket.

• In Person: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks, 1201 N. Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN and talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

• Online: Livestream will begin at 6:00 p.m.

“Conversations in Indiana’s African American History” is a monthly gathering of voices—historians, researchers, and educators—who deepen our understanding of the African American experience in Indiana, past and present. 

Our presenters will be Susan B. Hyatt, Professor Emerita of Anthropology at IU–Indianapolis, and Beverle Miller Kane, long‑time Southside resident and Babe Denny Navigator with the Southside US Colored Troop Coalition.

Between the early 1900s and the 1960s, Indianapolis’s near Southside was home to a rich mix of communities, including African Americans and Jewish immigrants. During a period in the city’s history more often defined by Jim Crow segregation than by integration, near‑Southside residents—Black and white—“all just did life together,” as Beverle Kane recalls.

The neighborhood was dramatically reshaped in the 1970s by the construction of I‑70, and again in the early 2000s with the building of Lucas Oil Stadium. Join us as we explore the stories of these residents, their once‑vibrant neighborhood, and the project that reunited them after 50 years to share their memories.

Event is free but registration is required. Click here to reserve your ticket.

• In Person: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks, 1201 N. Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN and talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

• Online: Livestream will begin at 6:00 p.m.

“Conversations in Indiana’s African American History” is a monthly gathering of voices—historians, researchers, and educators—who deepen our understanding of the African American experience in Indiana, past and present. Our speaker will be local historian and veteran Leon Bates.

Memorial Day: A History Worth Remembering

Memorial Day is set aside to honor those who died in military service, but its origins are often overlooked. The holiday began as Decoration Day, a tradition started by African Americans who decorated the graves of fallen Union soldiers—long before the nation formally recognized the practice.

Indianapolis also holds a lesser‑known chapter of Civil War history. More than 5,000 Confederate soldiers were imprisoned at Camp Morton, with about 1,600 dying and being buried at Greenlawn Cemetery. Records from the National Archives reveal that 29 of those who died were of African descent, a detail rarely acknowledged.

Join us as we explore these hidden stories and reflect on the fuller history behind Memorial Day.

Event is free but registration is required. Click here to reserve your ticket.

• In Person: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks, 1201 N. Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN and talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

• Online: Livestream will begin at 6:00 p.m.

The Freetown Village Singers will be featured in Crown Hill Foundation’ 2026 lineup of special events. Performing in the intimate setting of the Gothic Chapel, the Singers will bring history to life through a powerful blend of storytelling and song, preserving African American traditions through folk music and Negro spirituals. Tickets are required for this special event and are available now.

Sassafras and Civil War Living History Festival

Come relive the 1860’s as Jennings County lived through the Civil War, Underground Railroad, and daily life in pioneer America. Freetown Village Singers will be one the featured musical guests along with re-enactments of battles, first person interpreters such as Lew Wallace, Haggerman Tripp, Oliver Morton and others, carriage rides, weaving and other crafts, music on the square, the Blue-Grey Ball, and much more.

Freetown Village Singers will perform at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

“Conversations in Indiana’s African American History” is a monthly gathering of voices—historians, researchers, and educators—who deepen our understanding of the African American experience in Indiana, past and present. 

Our speaker will be Dr. Lasana Kasembe, an Emmy® Award-winning poet, educator, and critical Black scholar whose work examines culture, race, history, the arts, and the social context of education. He is currently an assistant professor in the IU School of Education’s Department of Urban Teacher Education and in the Africana Studies Program at IU Indianapolis.

The Sacred Center: Remembering Black Art & Black Artists: This presentation takes you on a visual journey through the work of writers, poets, visual artists, and performers from Indiana and the Midwest—revealing how their creativity helped shape culture across the nation and beyond. Discover the powerful legacy of Indiana’s unsung Black artists of the 20th century. Explore how their work connects to a long tradition of Black expressive culture and continues to serve as A.R.T.—a revolutionary tool for insight, inspiration, and change.

Event is free but registration is required. Click here to reserve your ticket.

• In Person: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks, 1201 N. Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN and talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

• Online: Livestream will begin at 6:00 p.m.

“Conversations in Indiana’s African American History” is a monthly gathering of voices—historians, researchers, and educators—who deepen our understanding of the African American experience in Indiana, past and present. 

Our presenter will be Eunice Trotter, Director of Indiana Landmark’s Black Heritage Preservation Program.

From 1919 through the 1940s, Indianapolis hosted two divisions of Marcus Garvey’s United Negro Improvement Association, part of the largest mass self‑determination movement of African Americans in history. Featuring some of the city’s most influential leaders, the organization thrived before ultimately fading, leaving behind a powerful legacy and lessons from its demise.

Event is free but registration is required. Click here to reserve your ticket.

• In Person: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks, 1201 N. Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN and talk begins at 6:00 p.m.

• Online: Livestream will begin at 6:00 p.m.

We’re proud to announce that the 2026 recipient of the Congresswoman Julia M. Carson Community Award is Ophelia Wellington, Founding Director of Freetown Village.

Join us on 2/15/26 as we recognize her remarkable contributions and celebrate her lasting impact on our community.

The Congresswoman Julia M. Carson Community Award is presented each year during Crown Hill Cemetery’s Black History Month celebration to recognize individuals who exemplify outstanding service to the community, especially in support of women and minorities. The award celebrates the legacy of the late Congresswoman Julia Carson, a fierce advocate for working‑class Americans whose impact continues to inspire.