This spring, visitors of the Conner Prairie Interactive History Park will have an opportunity to fly back in time. No, Conner Prairie’s newly improved balloon isn’t Marty McFly’s Delorean or Bill and Ted’s telephone booth time machine, but it is still super cool.
The 1859 Balloon Voyage, which began in 2009, has taken over 91,000 riders 377 feet in the air. The 140-foot helium-filled balloon, was created by Aerophile, a French company and cost $530,000 to create. Construction to create the new exhibit which accompanies the flight is estimated at $165,000. Reynolds Farm Equipment, a family-owned Hamilton county business, has pledged $75,000 annually for five years to be named the attraction’s presenting sponsor.
“This year we have replaced the envelope on the balloon and are reintroducing the exhibit to the public,” said director of exhibits Brian Mancuso. “It’s a great experience, you can see downtown Indy on a really clear day. If you’ve gone to Prairie Town and been to Conner Prairie, it’s a neat thing to see it all laid out beneath you. It’s a really fun flight; it’s not scary at all.”
The balloon voyage allows people to go back to Lafayette, Indiana in August of 1859 to re-experience the first ever recorded air mail flight in U.S. history with an adventurous gentleman by the name of John Wise; a renowned balloonist and pilot played by one of the actors employed at the living history museum. Wise, who hoped to fly his balloon Jupiter to “a great river of air which always blows from west to east,” known today as the jet stream, and deliver 123 letters to New York City, was derailed due to weather conditions and eventually landed due south in Crawfordsville.
Participants experience a detailed account of that day by first visiting a recently remodeled replica of Lafayette’s town square where a post office, general store, and photography studio are located. Here they learn about postal technology, and are also able to take photographs inside a balloon basket while donning fashions from the late 1800’s.
Visitors also learn about the scientific impact of Wise’s flight as they are led through experiments with lifting gases, and invited to step on a scale that measures how many party balloons it would take to lift them into the air. “It’s a really great flight and its very freeing to be up there,” said Mancuso. “Being able to tie that back to a historical event is really fun.
We’re really giving people the sense of why this was an important fascinating piece of Indiana history.” Conner Prairie’s 1859 Balloon Voyage opens March 26. The flight experience is open to museum visitors during regular business hours, weather permitting. The cost for Conner Prairie members is $12 and $15 for non-members in addition to museum admission. For more information, visit connerprairie.org.
Chicago-bound business travelers and celebrities can now choose to touchdown to luxury at the Gary/Chicago International Airport.
Surprised? While those unfamiliar with Indiana’s burgeoning aviation scene may not associate northwest Indiana with upscale travel, high fliers who routinely navigate to the Windy City know the expanding airport is offering increasing amenities, including the $9 million dollar B. Coleman Aviation hangar.
Named for the beautiful and daring African-American pilot Bessie Coleman, who soared to fame in air shows in the 1920s, the B. Coleman Hangar is the fruit of a project launched by Chicago real estate baron Elzie Higginbottom, a well-known Black entrepreneur.
During the ribbon-cutting last November, Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson expressed appreciation to Higgenbottom, who is also known as a political fundraiser for former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley as well as President Barack Obama. Members from the Chicago DODO Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. presented the entrepreneur with a trophy for assisting the organization for African American military pilots of World War II.
“There are Pintos and there are Cadillacs, there are Chevettes and there are Tahoes,” said Freeman-Wilson. “But this is the Cadillac of hangars.”
Benjamin Toles, the hangar’s general manager, singled Coleman out for praise on opening day. “Let us not forget on whose shoulders we stand, because Bessie Coleman was a pioneer in aviation. Thank you to Bessie for the doors she opened,” said Toles. Representing Coleman’s family on the milestone day was Gigi Coleman, the aviator’s grand-niece.
The hangar boasts 32,000 square feet of enclosed space and 20,000 more under canopy, and offers charter flights, as well as refueling and other services. A second B. Coleman Aviation facility is based in Palm Beach, Fla.
B.R. Lane, Gary’s newly appointed deputy mayor, still has oversight duties with the airport, although its ‘day-to-day’ operations are now supervised by private contractor AvPorts, which won a 10-year contract about a year ago. However, Lane is still tasked with interacting with various agencies, the Regional Development Authority, and other stakeholders.
“The Bessie Coleman Hangar is awesome and beautiful,” said Lane, who recently completed a stint as the airport’s interim director. “You’ve got to come out here and get the tour. As a fixed-based operator, it really is designed to cater to the pilots. These folks come in and go wherever they’re going to go, work, do whatever. They want the pilots to be as entertained and delighted as possible.”
She described one typical scenario: “I’m rich, and I have a meeting in downtown Chicago with other rich people. Instead of flying into Midway, I’m flying into Gary. They’ll send a car for me. But my pilot will stay here, work out, shower and watch the television,” Lane explained.
Boeing long-standing tenant
Since 2003, Chicago-based Boeing has maintained its corporate jet fleet at the Gary airport. The move surprised some at the time, but Boeing representatives explained that they were attracted by the hangar space that Gary afforded. The switch gave Boeing office space, an executive lounge and full-service kitchen. In 2014, Boeing also recognized the Gary Jet Center as one of only 51 companies worldwide to win their “Supplier of the Year”award. At the time, Lane responded, “the airport is very proud of the Gary Jet Center for their outstanding recognition and distinguished honor. We commend the Gary Jet Center for being recognized as an intentional platform and thank them for continuing to shine a bright light on Gary.”
Boeing, as well as visiting tenants at the B. Coleman hangar, have recognized the value offered by the airport, the city of Gary, and the state of Indiana, Lane said. “Boeing has a better tax structure here in Indiana, fuel is cheaper here,” said Lane.
“We have an awesome lakefront, pretty much the same lakefront Chicago has, we’re on the other side,” she said. “We’re also considering how to continue to develop our transportation. We have three highways, 65, 80, 94. We have I.U. Northwest, we have a project underway in University Park, where the state is building a new facility that is both IU and Ivy Tech. We’re going to use those projects to anchor development,” said Lane.
“We’re the third airport in the Chicago airport system,” she pointed out. “We strongly need to focus on our strategic positioning. When we consider this from a system standpoint, how the system can best support us as well, our future may lie in general aviation, expanding our footprint, as Chicago continues to grow. We’re crafting a vision that is sustainable. Here’s what we know. Chicago is not going to move. We’ll always be the same proximity as we are right now. As they really make this push to bring back corporations back to Chicago, we’ll provide aviation services for those executives.”
Lane’s point is well-taken. The airport is located near the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, railroads, and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago, a short trip via the Chicago Skyway, the Dan Ryan Expressway, and Lake Shore Drive.
In past years, the Gary/Chicago International Airport offered service through airlines including Pan Am, Southeast Airlines, SkyValue Airlines, Skybus Airlines and Hooters Air. JetBlue Airways considered Gary before deciding to go with Chicago O’Hare in 2006. The airport is hoping to complete its ambitious runway expansion project in summer 2015, which could open doors to the return of commercial passenger service, city officials said. For more information on Gary’s B Coleman Aviation, visit B-coleman.com.
As part of a nationwide tour, President Barack Obama visited Indianapolis to discuss his plans for making higher education affordable.
Obama visited Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana North Meridian Campus to address students. There, he praised the benefits of Indiana’s statewide community college system and advocated for his proposal to make community college free for qualifying students.
Obama believes Americans need to have more knowledge and more skills to compete in the growing global economy. For example, by 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor’s degree, and 30 percent will require some college or an associate’s degree.
He told students they should be able to obtain the knowledge and the skills they need without taking on decades’ worth of student debt.
Under his education plan, students seeking help would be required to attend community college at least half time, maintain a 2.5 GPA and make steady progress toward program completion.
In turn, the federal government would cover three-quarters of the average cost of community college. Participating states will be expected to contribute the remaining funds to eliminate the tuition for eligible students.
In this issue of Indiana Minority Business Magazine, we focus on Indiana’s proud contributions to the world of aviation and flight.
From the state’s premier airport in Indianapolis, to smaller, independent operations, such as Gary, we examine the aviation industry, and how state airports are meeting challenges in business, personnel and customer satisfaction.
Also in this issue, it seemed a great opportunity to pay homage to some of the Hoosier explorers and trailblazers who courageously paved the way for others, including the pioneer astronaut Gus Grissom.
Grissom, who grew up in Mitchell, Ind., was of course one of the original Project Mercury astronauts, a test pilot, and mechanical engineer.
We also consider individuals who were considered “less than” simply because of their race or gender, such as
Bessie Coleman and Amelia Earhart, who were nevertheless high fliers.
Coleman, who has ties to Gary, Ind. and Chicago, wrote her name in the sky, and in history, by becoming the first African American female pilot and the first African American to hold an international pilot’s license.
Earhart in turn set many records including becoming the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
The equal rights supporter also has Indiana ties as a former faculty member in Purdue University’s aviation department.
Coleman and Earhart’s confidence and determination to defy odds transcends their short lives and have contributed greatly to the women in all industries.
On a personal level, I have often reflected on the odysseys of these two women in my own quests, including the personal and professional.
It is during those incredibly uncertain times that I reminded myself of Coleman’s mantra, “I refused to take no for an answer.”
In a similar manner, Earhart’s declaration that “The most effective way to do it is to do it,” has motivated me personally and professionally over the years.
Coleman and Earhart’s affirmations serve as good metaphors for transforming your life and circumstances. Their words also breathe life into leadership and enable us all to blaze new trails without fear or repudiation.
That’s how B.R. Lane leads. You can learn more about Lane, the newly appointed Gary deputy mayor and recent manager of the Gary International Airport in this issue.
Who is she? A phenomenal woman of character and strength who challenged naysayers and refused to cower when her leadership and direction were questioned or even dismissed.
Lane did what others said couldn’t be done when she moved a railroad track in order to preserve the runway, and economic viability of Gary’s airport, which is set to increase economic development in the once struggling city significantly.
Lane’s motto is, “If you see a problem—fix it.”
Coleman, Earhart and Lane have all contributed significantly to aviation with relatively simple, yet motivating perspectives that have transformed the aviation industry. Each of these ladies led and in Lane’s case, continues to lead with purpose and vision.
Anchoring those two aspects as the premise of your personal and professional agendas ensures that you will not only succeed personally and professionally, but that you will also be fulfilled by living in your purpose.
Indiana, or “the land of the Indians” became the 19th U.S. state Dec. 11, 1816. Despite discrimination, today the Hoosier state’s heritage is still represented by the lives of its proud Native American residents.
Indiana’s strength as an economic and cultural leader arises from its civil rights history and diversity, with Hoosier citizens who claim Hispanic, African, Asian and European heritage, and hail from every nation on Earth.
Over the years, this midwestern state has defied stereotypes. For example, although Indiana has typically voted Republican, it supported Democratic candidates Woodrow Wilson in 1912; Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936; and then Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. And in 2008, Democrat Barack Obama won the state over John McCain.
As represented by war memorials, particularly in its capital city, Indianapolis, Hoosiers have proudly served in the nation’s military. In 1861, when the union called for soldiers to fight the Civil War, so many Hoosiers volunteered for duty that thousands were turned away.
Yet along with its long tradition of military service, the state has also been represented by patriots of pacifism, in its historic Quaker churches and settlements, such as Plainfield.
Indiana has known shameful chapters, such as the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, which successfully comprised a shadow government during the 1920s. Yet, against the scandal, and aided by the press and judicial system, the Klan’s influence and its threat to Catholics, Jews, immigrants and African-American citizens was brought under control.
Indiana’s past also includes segregation. Crispus Attucks High School was constructed in Indianapolis for the education of African-American youth. Attucks’ graduates are known today for excellence and achievement in the business, medical, legal, and arts and entertainment fields.
Attucks graduate David Nathaniel Baker Jr., a famed jazz trombonist, was forced to learn another instrument after a car accident, and the denial of timely medical care from a white hospital. But Baker reinvented himself as a performer and composer, and today is the former chair of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Jazz Studies program.
Although the state long denied women the right to vote, generations of Catholic female students have been educated at Indiana’s historic St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, and one of Purdue University’s most famous professors remains none another than legendary pilot, Amelia Earhart.
Indiana’s diverse economy is reflected in its gross state product of $298 billion in 2012, with its pharmaceutical, manufacturing, agricultural, governmental and academic centers, as well as its proud lineup of numerous major sports teams and organizations, including the Indianapolis 500; Brickyard 400 motorsports; the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, the NBA’s Indiana Pacers, the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.
Today, Indiana still faces challenges to ensure opportunity and civil rights for all, not only in the workplace, but in all spheres of life. Yet many believe the future for Indiana’s residents is brighter than ever, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, national origin, race, or religious views.
Welcoming Indianapolis, a project of the Immigrant Welcome Center, hosted its 2nd annual Welcoming Week. The event brings Indianapolis residents together to celebrate the city’s diverse cultures. Activities during the week included a service project on Indianapolis’ west side, a lunch and learn series taught by area immigrants, and an international picnic. 38th Annual International Festival
The 38th Annual Indy International Festival is central Indiana’s largest and oldest pan-ethnic celebration. Hosted by the Nationalities Council of Indiana, the International Festival showcased Indiana’s ethnic diversity, celebrated the state’s unique ethnic traditions, and encouraged cultural exchange. The fest also featured exhibits from over 50 ethnic groups represented in Central Indiana as they gathered to share their cultural histories and traditions. Highlights of the festival included authentic foods from more than 20 ethnic vendors; continuous music and dance by local and national performing groups; culture booths hosted by volunteers in traditional dress where people could connect with their own ethnic heritage; artisans demonstrating unique cultural crafts; a Naturalization Ceremony; and an International Marketplace offering gifts from around the world.
34th annual Christmas art exhibition
Artists and art lovers gathered at the Frankford Community Public Library for the 34th annual Christmas Art Exhibit entitled “The Magnetism of Nature.” The art show draws on the magnetic quality of nature represented in myriad forms of art. Nearly 100 artists working in a multitude of mediums exhibited paintings, photography, pottery, jewelry, fiber, sculpture and more. The Friends of the Frankford Public Library Inc hosted the exhibit.
Traditional pow-wow held at IU
Native Americans gathered at Indiana University Bloomington to share history, culture and arts during the Indiana University 4th Annual Traditional Pow-wow held in Alumni Hall at the Indiana Memorial Union. It also served as the lead event for IU Bloomington’s observance of Native American Heritage Month.
A major highlight of the special month was a visit by multi-instrumental musical performer Ed Kabotie, a member of the Hopi nation from Santa Clara Pueblo, N.M.
Each year, the IU Pow-wow has grown in size and scope, and participants come from across the country and even Canada.
Levi Coffin Interpretive Center groundbreaking
Hoosiers gathered in Fountain City, Indiana to break ground on the $3.1 million Levi Coffin Interpretive Center. The Center, funded with federal, state, local and private dollars, will provide visitors with information about the importance of Indiana on the Underground Railroad. Located adjacent to the Levi Coffin Historical Site, a home through which over 1,000 slaves passed seeking freedom, the center will help visitors learn about the history of African-Americans and their supporters who sought a simple though seemingly unattainable right: freedom.
Bush twins visit Evansville
The University of Evansville’s Patricia H. Snyder Concert and Lecture Series welcomed Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Hager as featured guest speakers during the “A Conversation with Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Hager” event.
United in their humanitarian missions and spirit of service – as well as through their close family bond – Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Hager have found a shared purpose in giving voice to the disadvantaged while bringing to light stories of hope. Coming from a unique vantage point as the only twins to grow up in the White House as both grandchildren and children, Barbara and Jenna were inspired to live lives of meaning at an early age. Stemming from their travels to impoverished areas in Africa and Latin America, they discussed their life’s calling to address the most pressing health, education and economic inequality issues of our time.
Cass Herrington, host and producer at WNIN Tri-State Public Media Inc., the area’s PBS and NPR affiliate, served as moderator.
Kristin Svyantek Garvey Executive Director Indiana Commission for Women Add some sophistication to a back and white outfit with touches of leather. (Jacket, BB Dakota, $88; dress, Katherine Barclay, $218; Profile Boutique; black pumps, stylist’s private collection)
Coco Chanel is famously quoted as saying “less is more.” In the fashion world, she is absolutely correct. But I believe if she ever experienced winter in Indiana, she’d modify her statement.
Hoosiers in northern Indiana get chilled-to-the-bone wind gusts that bounce off of lake Michigan; Hoosiers in the southern part of the state sometimes experience a slightly mild winter; and on any given day, Central Indiana residents may encounter all four seasons within a 24-hour time frame.
When temperatures dip low the best thing one can do is bundle up…in the most stylish way possible. For business meetings and other professional settings, Indiana workers should consider smart layering.
Layering is the art of wearing multiple pieces of clothing one upon another to provide style, comfort and of course warmth! The key to getting this trend right is making sure the textures, colors and patterns have continuity and most importantly, you don’t look too bulky.
On the coming pages are three professionals who represent various sectors of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. They display styles that are perfect for the winter season and also fashion forward.
Just like every woman should have a little black dress, every woman should also have a wrap dress. Wrap dresses are figure flattering for any body style and oh, so versatile. Add a faux fur scarf for fun! (Wrap dress, Kiyonna, $100; scarf, Faux Go Scarf, $125, Profile Boutique; shoes, Alfani, stylist’s private collection)
Danielle Dean Executive Director Commission for Hispanic/Latino Affairs To make a standard shift dress go from blah to “bam!” invest in items that add interest and pizzazz. (Jacket, $125; dress, My Dribe, $218, Profile Boutique; snake skin pumps, Aldo; stylist’s private collection)James Garrett Jr. Executive director Indiana Commission on the Social Status of Black Males Layering isn’t just for putting random pieces of clothing together. You can still get a layered effect with a standard suit. (Suit, Polo Ralph Lauren; shirt, Aster; sweater, Cornellani; tie, Tino Cojura; boots, Stafford wingtips) – stylist’s private collection
In 2016, the Hoosier State will celebrate its 200th birthday. As Indiana draws nearer to this bicentennial celebration, how well is the state, as well as its capitol city of Indianapolis, performing in offering opportunity to all its diverse citizens?
As of the end of 2014, here’s a snapshot of some of the Hoosier State’s and Indy’s proudest moments, and a look at some sectors where gains are eroding.
JUDICIARY & ELECTED OFFICES:
As of 2014, the state office of Indiana Governor and the city office of Indianapolis mayor have been held exclusively by white men. In other elected positions and offices, there has been movement toward greater diversity.
On Indiana’s Supreme Court, Justice Robert D. Rucker, continues to serve as the second African-American on the state’s high court, as successor to Myra Selby, who made state history as both the first female and African-American. The Justice Rucker and his son, Judge Fanon A. Rucker of Ohio, are noted as the first African-American father and son to become Justice and Judge in American History.
Sheryl Lynch
The Gary-born Justice, appointed by then-Governor Frank O’Bannon in 1999, is the only Court of Appeals judge to ever be elevated to the Supreme Court. As the 105th Justice for the state, Rucker has authored more than 450 majority opinions and issued over 100 dissents during his combined tenure on the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. His term expires in 2022.
The November 2014 election brought historic change to some Indiana courts:
Sheryl Lynch made history as the first woman, and African-American, to be elected judge of the Marion County Circuit Court. Lynch served as that court’s presiding commissioner for more than ten years. Her judicial term expires Dec. 31, 2020.
Kimberly Bacon, an African-American, won election to the judgeship of the Indiana Small Claims Courts in Indiana. Her term expires Dec. 31, 2018.
On other elected offices, Myla Eldridge, the former deputy director and director of elections, a Democrat,become the first African-American to be voted Marion County Clerk.
Openly gay city-county councillor Zach Adamson continues to serve. He married partner Christian Mosburg in Washington D.C. in 2013 when same-sex marriage was not yet legal in Indiana.
Kimberly Bacon
In the State House of Representatives, Indiana’s two Latina incumbents were re-elected: Democrats Mara Candelaria Reardon and Christina Hale.
In 2014, Ernest Malone, a veteran firefighter with the Indianapolis Fire Department, became the second African-American to become Chief of the IFD.
Richard A.J. “Rick” Hite continued to serve as chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
THE MEDIA:
Sadly, as newsrooms grew smaller in Indianapolis and around the Hoosier State, mirroring a national trend, some say they have noticeably become less diverse, with fewer women and minorities in management roles.
There are some notable exceptions. In 2010, Karen Ferguson Crotchfelt,, was appointed Publisher of the legacy print newspaper Indianapolis Star, succeeding Michael Kane, by the paper’s owner, media giant Gannett. During her tenure, the Star moved out of its longtime home at 307 N. Pennsylvania St. to rent office space at the Centre Mall, a switch that was promoted by “revenue-sapping competition from the Internet” according to Star reporter Jeff Swiatek. However, Leisa Richardson, an African-American journalist who was a Star editor, was demoted to a reporter, noted longtime journalist and pundit Amos Brown III. Brown also noted that well-respected minority journalist Angela Cain was recently laid off at WTHR Channel 13, where she served as Community Affairs Director.
Terri Cope-Walton
“From the perspective of someone who has been in the business 40 years and in management for 37 years, my question is, who is following in my footsteps?” commented Brown, of WTLC-AM. “If someone had told me 30 years ago, that the only African-Americans in management would still be in black media, I’d say that they were crazy.” Brown recalled that during the 1980s, high-power African-American journalist Loretta Mouzon was on staff at Channel 13. She left, ultimately becoming a News Producer for Entertainment Tonight.
Terri Cope-Walton, RTV6’s news director, is one role Hoosier model for minority journalists. Cope-Walton was previously assistant news director at RTV6 and has been interim news director since Nov. 2012.
Brown also points out that African-American business woman Taja Graham is the General Sales Manager for WLHK, an Emmis Communications property. Graham, a Butler grad, started her radio career as an intern with WZPL in 1991.
SPORTS
In Sports, it’s a familiar story of minorities welcomed as athletes, but not as head coaches or other managerial roles. Indianapolis Recorder Sports Writer Danny Bridges says that the local picture mirrors a national trend. “Whether Indianapolis or nationally, the numbers are woeful,” he said.
However, there are some rays of sunshine. He points to Carl Daniels, Vice President of Player Relations at Pacers Sports & Entertainment, as one example of an African-American role model for those aspiring to leadership jobs in the world of sports. “His job is to be a liaison between the club and the players,” commented Bridges.
Avis Roper, senior director of communications for the Indianapolis Colts, also has a high-profile, prestigious post, Bridges said.
One of the finest examples of diversity in Indiana sports leadership is Kelly Krauskopf of the Indianapolis Fever, Bridges said, After the Fever won the 2012 WNBA championship, the ownership group promoted Krauskopf from general manager to president of the successful franchise. “She calls all the shots at the Fever, and they’ve done very well,” said Bridges. “She’s a smart cookie, a former player, she was instrumental in their television package with ESPN.”
And, Bridges said, Indianapolis shouldn’t forget Anthony Kevin “Tony” former head coach of the Colts from 2002 to 2008. Dungy made history as the first Black head coach to win the Super Bowl when his Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
Bridges points out that since the 2003 inception of the Rooney Rule, every NFL team with a coach or general manager opening to interview at least one minority candidate.
The city of Gary, Ind. has often been referred to as the land that time forgot. Other references include “ghost town,” and “the forgotten city.”
Despite the thoughts of outsiders, the life breath of Gary – it’s residents, and supporters believe that this town has something to offer and is a treasure just waiting to be unearthed from the overwhelming scourge of its past, blighted by white flight, economic instability, corruption, crime, and politics.
Former Mayor Richard Hatcher is one of those people who still believes in Gary. He, along with an impressive roster of advisory board members which includes; longtime NAACP supporter Julian Bond, comedian and activist Dick Gregory, and newspaper publisher Dorothy R. Leavell, are planning to construct a National Civil Rights Hall of Fame Museum in the city of Gary.
Hatcher said the idea came about in the 1960s following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “I was not able to attend the funeral so a week or so afterwards I called Mrs. Coretta Scott-King and expressed my condolences,” said Hatcher. “As we were talking I told her what a powerful image the picture of the mules pulling the wagon in the funeral procession was. I asked her what happened to the wagon and she said, ‘Oh, it’s lost unfortunately.’ She said no one knew where it was. It was at that point that the idea came to have a place where we could house artifacts, documents, and other items related to the civil rights movement in this country. The idea was born in that moment and we’ve been working on it ever since.”
Hatcher said although there is a lot of enthusiasm and anticipation surrounding this endeavor, it has not been met without controversy. Attempts to acquire appropriate funding from a variety of state and federal governmental sources including the office of Housing and Urban Development has not happened under three different mayoral administrations. Mayors Rudolph M. Clay, Thomas V. Barnes and Scott L. King have all rejected different funding attempts.
Richard Hatcher
“We would have been at a point to go forward and build were it not for the intersection of politics in the city of Gary,” said Hatcher. In 2001, the Gary City-County Council voted to give Hatcher a grant in the amount of $5 million to begin construction. However, then mayor Scott King vetoed the council’s decision and a court upheld his veto. “We have run into that kind of thing over the years with three mayors who were not in support. The good news is that the current mayor, Karen Freeman-Wilson has stated publicly that she supports the hall of fame.”
Despite the setbacks, Hatcher said the team is prepared to continue progressing toward making this idea a reality.
“We’ve been able to retain architects and engineers who have drawn the plans for the hall of fame and in addition we have been able to acquire a 10-acre site which is located on the southwest side of Gary off the I-94 expressway,” he said.
According to estimates, the cost to begin construction on the hall is $10 million. Hatcher said that the generous efforts by fundraising partners such as Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte have helped jumpstart their efforts. Last October, Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. headlined a fundraising dinner at Gary’s Genesis Convention Center. In an interview with the Post-Tribune, Jackson said this museum “will be just another example of the former mayor’s extraordinary work.”
Dorothy Leavell, editor and publisher of the Crusader Newspaper Group, said that she considers serving on the board of director’s for the hall of fame a true pleasure and honor. “(Hatcher) sees this as a dream and guess what? He’s got me and others to buy into it. I’m with it and I think we ought to have it.”
Hatcher envisions the hall of fame as a state of the art space that rivals similar structures in Mississippi and Tennessee. In addition to traditional exhibits, the museum is planned to feature holographic technology, educational institutes, and training for budding entrepreneurs. It is also poised to bring much-needed tourist dollars to the city.
“We’ve had a very expensive study done to answer impact questions,” said Hatcher. “The study says that the hall of fame as we have proposed it would attract more than 500,000 visitors a year – the impact on Gary’s economy would be between $7 and $10 million annually. If that kind of money was coming in through tourism you can see that it would have a tremendous impact on the city.”
Construction of the National Civil Rights Hall of Fame is set to begin in later this year.
It’s a Hoosier state achievement worth revisiting: America’s first self-made female millionaire, a minority woman, rose to unparalleled business success right here in Indiana.
Sarah Breedlove Walker (1867-1919), who rose to fame as Madame C.J. Walker, made her fortune in classic entrepreneurial style by identifying and fulfilling an untapped market, a need for African-American beauty and hair care products.
She recruited a small army of sales agents, organized them into clubs, and established a mail order business. She emphasized political engagement and philanthropy, not just for herself, but for her sales staff.
Her Madame C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company became an impressive and inspiring landmark, not unlike the famed Madame Walker Building of Indianapolis, which still presides over Indiana Avenue today.
Walker, whose parents had been enslaved on a Louisiana plantation, was the first generation in her American-American family to be born into freedom following the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation.
The arc of her life encompassed poverty, illiteracy, and a lack of opportunity, to wealth, education, and providing mighty opportunities for others. This is why, undoubtedly, the story of her life and business success will continue to be told and retold: although she was born on a plantation, she lived and worked in freedom, here in Indiana.
Below is a quick look at other key individuals and advancements, both in the state and the nation, which have led to diversity and equality in the business world and other arenas.
1787– Congress establishes the land which includes present-day Indiana under the Northwest Ordinance, which states, “that there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory.”
1816- Indiana adapts its first constitution. It restricts the right to vote only to those white, male citizens over the age of 21 who had resided in Indiana for one year.
1816-1830 – Abraham Lincoln grows from a child to a man of 21 in what is now Spencer County, Ind. Born to parents who opposed slavery, Lincoln saw his father lose his wealth due to faulty land titles. He became a lawyer, and later the 16th president of the United States.
1850– Edward Ralph May, a Democrat, cast the only vote at the Indiana Constitutional Convention in favor of granting the vote to African-American men. It was defeated, 122-1.
1861– President Lincoln signed the Confiscation Act, which authorized judicial proceedings to confiscate and free slaves who were being used to support the Confederate military.
1863– As the Civil War continues to rage, Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in ten states at war with the north. It freed three million of an estimated four million people held in slavery.
1917– Indiana grants women presidential suffrage, and in 1920, Indiana ratified the 19th Amendment. However, Hoosier women could not vote at the state level until a special state election was held September 1921.
1935– An intrepid, smiling woman with close-cropped hair joins the staff of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. Amelia Mary Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross for her achievement. She helped form the Ninety-Nines, an organization for female pilots, and at Purdue, helped inspire women to be fearless in their choice of careers. She was a member of the National Women’s Party and supported the Equal Rights Amendment. Earhart and her Lockheed Model 10 Electra flew into history in 1937, when she disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean during an attempt to fly around the world.
1964 – Civil Rights Act
The comprehensive legislation sought to end discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. Title II and Title IV of the law prohibit segregation or discrimination in places involved in interstate commerce. Title VII also banned discrimination by trade unions, schools, or employers.
1965 – Voting Rights Act and Executive Order 11246
In August of 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. The act, which was amended by Congress five times to extend its reach, sought to protect the vote of all United States citizens. The law outlawed literacy tests and other tactics used to suppress potential voters. In the same year, Johnson signed Executive Order 11246 which “prohibits federal contractors and federally assisted construction contractors and subcontractors, who do over $10,000 in government business in one year from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.”
1968 – Fair Housing Act
Intended as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Fair Housing Act, which was also signed by President Johnson, sought to address the discrimination many Americans experienced in the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin and sex.
1979 – The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was established.
1984 – US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation (USPAACC) was founded. The nonprofit’s aim is to advocate for equal opportunities for Asian American (includes East, South and Southeast Asian and Pacific Islanders) businesses, professionals, and business organizations in both the corporate and government procurement market.
1987 – Intertribal Agriculture Council is founded. The council’s mission is to provide a unified effort to promote change in Indian Agriculture for the benefit of Indian People.
1988 – Congress passes the Civil Rights Restoration Act. The act expanded the reach of non-discrimination laws for private institutions that receive federal funds.
1991 – President Bush signs the Civil Rights Act of 1991. The law introduced the option to seek damages for emotional distress and provided the right to a jury trial on claims of discrimination. The act aimed to deter instances of unlawful harassment.
1994– Employment Non-Discrimination Act (EDNA) was first introduced to the Senate. The legislation prohibited hiring and employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Since its founding, EDNA would be introduced in every Congress with the exception of the 109th body. EDNA finally passed the Senate on November 7, 2013 with bipartisan support. The final vote was 64-32.
1982-1985 – Katie Hall serves in the 1st District as a U.S. Representative, the first African-American woman elected to Congress from Indiana
1997-2007– Julia May Carson, a Democrat, becomes the first woman and African-American to represent the 7th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
2003 – The Supreme Court rules (5-4) that race can be used as a factor in considering university admission. This decision upheld University of Michigan’s Law School policy on affirmative action.
2009– President Barack Obama is sworn into office as the nation’s 44th president, the first African-American to serve in the United States’ highest office. A former civil rights attorney, Obama taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. He served three terms in the 13th District in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004.
Obama gathered wide attention by delivering the 2004 keynote address to the Democratic National Convention, in a speech honoring diversity. “I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents’ dreams live on in my two precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all who came before me, and that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible.”
