A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
She Has Done What She Could: The Life and Legacy of Ada Harris
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage. Our presenter will be Kisha Tandy, Curator of Social History, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
Educator Ada Harris served the community of Norwood beyond the classroom building a legacy of community uplift and service.
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.
Private event.
The Freetown Village Singers have been invited to SPARK Holidays on the Circle. Join us on December 15th from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage. Our presenter will be Eunice Trotter, Director of Black Heritage Preservation Program.
Black heritage communities and their histories are being erased throughout the nation. Indiana is no exception. In this presentation, Eunice will highlight the work that Indiana Landmarks is doing to preserve the history of those communities.
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.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
The Freetown Village Singers will perform at The Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church.
Freetown Village is one of the many partners for the 26th Annual “Spirit of Freedom,” a celebration of the many thousands of African Americans who fought during the Civil War. These U.S.C.T. (United States Colored Troops) represented one-tenth of the Union Army, a little-known fact of our Civil War history.
During this highly educational event, up to 800 fifth and sixth grade Indianapolis Public School students will rotate between three stages at the American Legion Mall as Civil War reenactors share first-person accounts from their character’s experiences and stories of other important African Americans who had a major impact upon the outcome of the Civil War.
FV ‘residents’ Rev. Strong (who will also serve as Master of Ceremonies) and Sarah Elizabeth Brown Cuffee, a freeborn lady, and seamstress will be featured reenactors. Additional reenactors include Sgt. Andrew Smith of the 55th Mass. Colored Volunteers; Dr. Richard Gatling, Inventor of the Gatling Gun, who will be performing Gatling Gun firing demonstrations; Harriet Tubman, UGRR Agent & Army Spy; President Abraham Lincoln, Civil War President who brought an end to slavery; and Pvt. Stephen King, 28th Indiana Colored Infantry Drummer.
“Spirit of Freedom” is event is FREE and open to the public.
Directions: American Legion Mall, 700 N Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Please bring a blanket or folding chair to sit on, and a picnic lunch if desired. “Spirit of Freedom” will be canceled in the event of rain.
MORE INFO & RSVP: contact Pat Payne, paynep@myips.org.
Rev. Strong listening to reenactor President Lincoln speak to students.
The Freetown Village Singers will be the featured performers for St. Mark’s afternoon concert series.
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage. Our presenter will be historian Anthony Conley.
Robert and Helen Lynd's groundbreaking sociological study of post-World War I American society, Middletown: A Study in American Culture (1929), firmly affixed Muncie, Indiana, among the most researched mid-sized urban areas in the United States. Their study depicted a Black population completely shut out of local politics.
This marginalized status finally began to change in 1971, when Reverend James C. Williams, pastor-activist of Muncie's Trinity United Methodist Church, launched a campaign that made the first serious African-American candidate for Mayor in the city's history. Running on the "Poor People's Party" platform, Rev. Williams' grassroots, multiracial, church-based campaign introduced numerous working-class residents to political activism in "Middletown, America."
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.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
Beginning in the mid 19th century, the Women's Suffrage Movement battled for women to gain their rights at the ballot box. Victory came through with the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution in August of 1920.
On November 2, 1920, Gwendolyn Harris - a school teacher - would vote for the first time, as the third generation of women in her family who fought for this very moment. Hear Gwendolyn's journey on getting to the historic day when all women were given the right to vote and the joy it brought her to cast her ballot.
Celebrate with us the passing of the 19th Amendment with this one-woman play. Individual and group tickets available.
Friday, September 13, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Saturday, September 14, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Sunday, September 15, 2024 (4:00 p.m.)
Beginning in the mid 19th century, the Women's Suffrage Movement battled for women to gain their rights at the ballot box. Victory came through with the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution in August of 1920.
On November 2, 1920, Gwendolyn Harris - a school teacher - would vote for the first time, as the third generation of women in her family who fought for this very moment. Hear Gwendolyn's journey on getting to the historic day when all women were given the right to vote and the joy it brought her to cast her ballot.
Celebrate with us the passing of the 19th Amendment with this one-woman play. Individual and group tickets available.
Friday, September 13, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Saturday, September 14, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Sunday, September 15, 2024 (4:00 p.m.)
Beginning in the mid 19th century, the Women's Suffrage Movement battled for women to gain their rights at the ballot box. Victory came through with the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution in August of 1920.
On November 2, 1920, Gwendolyn Harris - a school teacher - would vote for the first time, as the third generation of women in her family who fought for this very moment. Hear Gwendolyn's journey on getting to the historic day when all women were given the right to vote and the joy it brought her to cast her ballot.
Celebrate with us the passing of the 19th Amendment with this one-woman play. Individual and group tickets available.
Friday, September 13, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Saturday, September 14, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Sunday, September 15, 2024 (4:00 p.m.)
Beginning in the mid 19th century, the Women's Suffrage Movement battled for women to gain their rights at the ballot box. Victory came through with the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution in August of 1920.
On November 2, 1920, Gwendolyn Harris - a school teacher - would vote for the first time, as the third generation of women in her family who fought for this very moment. Hear Gwendolyn's journey on getting to the historic day when all women were given the right to vote and the joy it brought her to cast her ballot.
Celebrate with us the passing of the 19th Amendment with this one-woman play. Individual and group tickets available.
Friday, September 13, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Saturday, September 14, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Sunday, September 15, 2024 (4:00 p.m.)
Beginning in the mid 19th century, the Women's Suffrage Movement battled for women to gain their rights at the ballot box. Victory came through with the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution in August of 1920.
On November 2, 1920, Gwendolyn Harris - a school teacher - would vote for the first time, as the third generation of women in her family who fought for this very moment. Hear Gwendolyn's journey on getting to the historic day when all women were given the right to vote and the joy it brought her to cast her ballot.
Celebrate with us the passing of the 19th Amendment with this one-woman play. Individual and group tickets available.
Friday, September 13, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Saturday, September 14, 2024 (2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.)
Sunday, September 15, 2024 (4:00 p.m.)
The Freetown Village Singers have been invited to perform at the annual “Library on the Prairie” festival.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage. Our presenters will be local historian, Clete Ladd, and retired MLB player, Rodney "Cool Breeze" Scott.
This presentation will highlight the fascinating and often untold histories of Indy's Negro League Baseball Teams and the historic Frederick Douglass Little League.
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.
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage. Our speaker will be local historian, Leon Bates.
Greenlawn Cemetery, Indianapolis’s first cemetery, was a pioneer cemetery created as a public “Bury Ground” in 1821 by an act of the Indiana Legislature. Indianapolis has never had a black cemetery; although there are many around the state, the Indianapolis Bury Ground had a segregated “Colored Section.” Between 1821 and 1863, the cemetery grew to include three adjacent cemeteries totaling 25 acres. Greenlawn began to fall from favor with the rise of the rural cemetery movement of the late 1850s and 1860s; this led to the creation of the 555-acre Crown Hill Cemetery approximately four miles to the north. In 1890, the city declared the Bury Ground full and closed to burials, and by 1902, the other three sections were being condemned as well. Several redevelopments, including a park, baseball stadium, and slaughterhouse, the Traction Terminal Realty Company, and the Diamond Chain Manufacturing Company.
In 2023, a new developer acquired the site with a desire to construct a multi-use redevelopment with a 20,000-seat soccer stadium. The latest redeveloper of this site has the same problem that his predecessors faced: the discovery of human remains, many of them dating to the 1820s.
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.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage. Our speaker will be local artist, Black Indianapolis historian, and activist Wildstyle Paschal.
Indianapolis hip-hop has undergone a significant transformation since the 1980s, when local radio stations initially refused to play rap music. The scene reached new heights in the 1990s with the emergence of the legendary NAP rap group, followed by the rise of the Mudkids, Trilogy, and Nappyville era in the 2000s. Throughout these changes, one thing has remained consistent: Naptown's unwavering passion for its homegrown hip-hop culture.
In this special presentation, we will delve into Indianapolis's rich history of contributions to hip-hop culture as our speaker guides us through a vivid depiction of how Indianapolis has shaped the hip-hop scene. Join us as we explore the evolution of hip-hop in Indianapolis and celebrate the artists who have made an impact on the local music scene.
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.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
COME SEE, TASTE, CELEBRATE AND EXPERIENCE FOR YOURSELF HOW BLACK CUISINE ADDS FLAVOR TO AMERICA’S FAVORITE FOODS.
Join us for the 3rd annual Juneteenth Foodways Festival that was inspired by an exceptional event. After the 23rd president of the United States took office in 1889, he made some important changes. He modernized the White House with the installation of electricity. He hired the first woman onto his professional administrative staff. And he fired the French chef working in the White House, and invited renowned Black caterer and chef Dolly Johnson to bring All-American cuisine to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Dolly Johnson brought to life through an reenactment in partnership with Freetown Village.
Juneteenth Foodways Festival, made possible through the generosity of Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, features an interactive food experience highlighting the hidden history of diverse Hoosiers from the 1860s-1890s from the perspective of African-Americans. It shares Black foodways contributions to American culture with a focus on Dolly Johnson, the White House Chef hired by President Harrison.
The Freetown Village Singers will perform during the 8th Biennial Conference on Religion and American Culture, sponsored by IUPUI.
The Freetown Village Singers have been invited to perform at Marquette Manor (Private Event)
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage.
Our speaker will be Joseph L. Tucker Edmonds, PhD., Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Religious Studies at Indiana University's School of Liberal Arts (IUPUI)and the Associate Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture (CSRAAC).
“Race and Religion in the Heartland” will explore the role Black religious institutions, particularly the Black church, played in disrupting the idea of Indiana as solely a frontier for whiteness and racial exclusion. Rather, the Black church and other Black religious institutions imagined and created new frontiers for Black belonging, resistance, and agency. This talk will explore the founding moments of critical Black religious institutions in the 19th century and their methods of challenging white supremacy and engaging Black communities on and in-between Sundays throughout the twentieth century.
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.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
Over the past 42 years, a transformative and creative concept of educating the public about African American history in Indiana came alive through the vision of Ophelia Wellington, Founding Director of Freetown Village Living History Museum. Combining her profession as an educator and sharing information through the performing arts, Ophelia created a living history museum without walls.
Through storytelling, folk crafts, heritage workshops, special events, and a signature summer camp, Indiana’s African American history has been shared across generations, reaching over a million audience members.
Join us in commemorating Ophelia at her retirement fundraiser on Friday, May 3 at The Cabaret, which offers the ideal ambiance for honoring this significant milestone. This is a unique opportunity for us to come together and express our deep gratitude for Ophelia's dedication and contributions. Enjoy food, entertainment by Freetown Village performers, the Rob Dixon Trio, spoken word, and heartfelt tributes that will reflect the past, present, and future journey for Freetown Village.
The Freetown Village Singers are the featured artists for CCPL’s “Sunday Vibes” Musical Series; free public program with registration.
Join our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage.
Our speaker will be local historian, Anthony Conley. His presentation will focus on the courageous role Black congregants of Muncie’s Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church had in one of the most grisly episodes in our state’s racial history.
On the evening of August 9, 1930, a white mob stormed the Grant County Jail where Thomas Shipp and Abraham Smith were being held following their arrest after being falsely accused of raping a young white woman. The men were forcibly removed and hanged from a tree in a nearby square.
Over twenty-four hours elapsed before congregants of Bethel AME Church (Muncie, IN), along with a white Delaware County law-enforcement officer, were able to retrieve the two lynching victims, protecting them from further desecration.
Bethel AME’s actions that evening, this presentation maintains, exhibited the spirit W.E.B. DuBois’ “We Return Fighting” essay captured as venerable activist and intellectual implored African Americans to “marshal every ounce of our (Black) brain and brawn” to fight against racism and injustice in postwar America.
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.
A fun night for storytellers of every skill level, designed as an after-work event to relax and unwind. Virtual or in person.
