Presented by the Indiana Historical Bureau
Ross Lockridge Sr. and Jr. left an indelible mark on Indiana history through traditional history publications and fictional depiction. However, the father and son have yet to be cemented in the annals of state history. We hope to contribute to that reversal. The senior Lockridge was born in Miami County, Indiana in 1877 and went … Continue reading “The Indelible Ross Lockridges”
The following post contributes to an IHB blog series celebrating the upcoming presentation by New York Times editor Amisha Padnani on her Overlooked project. Overlooked tells the stories of remarkable women and people of color whose deaths were never reported by the New York Times in its 168-year history. Learn more and register to attend … Continue reading “Overlooked—Emma Molloy: “God Made Me So Radical””
This article was originally published, in revised form, on June 20, 2019 at the Hoosier State Chronicles blog. United States immigration laws reflect a long history of debate over who should be included and excluded in differing visions of American identity. In 1924, Congress passed the Johnson-Reed Act or the Immigration Act of 1924, “a … Continue reading ““America First:” The Ku Klux Klan Influence on Immigration Policy in the 1920s”
Portions of this post first appeared as an article by the author in the Indiana Jewish History journal, published by the Indiana Jewish Historical Society. The complete article, which gives much more information on her suffrage work is available here along with annotations. Sara Messing Stern, a dedicated suffrage worker and advocate for the poor, … Continue reading ““The Greater Creed:” How Suffragist Sara Messing Stern Overcame Antisemitism through Verse”
The San Francisco Chronicle asked Americans “who have a wide experience and many points of contact with 1922” to predict the trials and triumphs Americans would experience 100 years later.* Probing prominent individuals like a pastor, architect, social reformer, author, film producer, educator, and politician, the paper concluded that there are “plenty of ifs and … Continue reading ““A Hundred Years From Now—What?:” Mary Garrett Hay Predicts Life in 2022″
A caravan of automobiles, expertly commanded by Evansville women, arrived at polling stations on November 2, 1920. That day, Hoosier women exercised their right to vote for the first time in history. In their decades-long work for enfranchisement, many women found their political voice, gained self-assurance by withstanding public scrutiny, and mastered the art of … Continue reading “Putting the Vote to Work: How Women Voters and Poll Workers Rallied during the 1920 Election”
The results of a hotly challenged event, the first ever Women’s Safety Driving Contest made the front page of the August 12, 1923 Indianapolis Sunday Star. Sponsored by the newspaper and Indianapolis police department, the contest had drawn two hundred entrants. Competition proved fierce, with first place decided by a solitary point. Photos of the … Continue reading “Challenging the “Double Standard of Morality:” Indiana’s First Women Lawyers”
The only effort I ever made was to state on divers[e] occasions that I was not a member of the Klan. – Samuel M. Ralston, 1924 Late in Ralston’s career as a Democratic politician in the 1920s, his party had to take a stand on the issue of the Ku Klux Klan‘s political influence. Would … Continue reading “Complicity in Neutrality? Samuel Ralston Denies Klan Affiliation”
George Washington Julian was a radical political leader defined by his strong moral convictions. During a period marked by slavery, Civil War, monopolies, and discrimination against African Americans, immigrants, and women, Julian tirelessly advocated for abolition, equal rights, and land reform. He served as a U.S. representative from 1849-1851, served as an attorney in several … Continue reading “George Washington Julian: Radical Representative of Moral Conviction”
