In celebration of Juneteenth, the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library is celebrating the resilience and achievement of African Americans by hosting the Groundbreaking Black Hoosiers traveling exhibit at the downtown Mishawaka Library.
The exhibit will be displayed during library hours Monday, June 16, through Saturday, June 21, in the Heritage Room on the main floor.
On loan from the Indiana Historical Society, the Groundbreaking Black Hoosiers traveling exhibit allows visitors to discover the inspiring stories of African Americans who made significant contributions to the Hoosier state, paving the way for future generations in Indiana.
MPHPL Director Donna Meeks stated, “It is very fitting to host the exhibit in our Heritage Room, as the Powell Family Tribute cabinet is a permanent display that highlights one of the first African American families to settle in Mishawaka. We invite the public to visit the Heritage Room and take a self-guided tour in honor of Juneteenth.”
Below is a glimpse at some of the people highlighted in the Groundbreaking Black Hoosiers traveling exhibit:
- Wilma Gibbs Moore, a historian at IHS who worked to save the stories of Black Hoosiers from disappearing.
- Mary Bateman Clark, who sued for her freedom from indentured servitude, the way for some Hoosiers to get around slavery laws.
- Madam C.J. Walker, a successful businesswoman who fought for racial equality and access to beauty in early 20th-century Indianapolis.
- Second Lieutenant Aaron R. Fisher, the most decorated Black WWI veteran in Indiana.
- Doctor Henry Hummons, who started a free clinic for Black Hoosiers at Flanner House to help combat medical disparities during the fight against tuberculosis.
- William Wilson Cooke, an architect who fought racism in banking in Gary to help build needed buildings for the burgeoning Black community there.
The Groundbreaking Black Hoosiers traveling exhibit is made possible by a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. To learn more about the Indiana Historical Society, visit www.indianahistory.org. To learn more about the Heritage Room’s rich history, visit https://www.mphpl.org/heritage-room/.