Talking Hoosier History

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.