Racial Justice - 2/19/2025

Greenlawn Cemetery: A Story of Advocacy

The Indiana Remembrance Coalition (IRC) is committed to remembering and acknowledging past and present racism. This group of city-wide volunteers engages the community through education and advocacy to promote healing and justice.

The most recent success of IRC is that of the historic 24.5-acre Greenlawn Cemetery, founded in 1820 on the westside of Indianapolis. This pioneer burial ground abuts the White River next to Henry Street. This is the site for the new Henry Street Bridge, which is to be constructed directly on top of a segregated burial ground for African Americans. The city initially resisted archeologically led construction and IRC fought this approach, citing it as the continuing erasure of Black history. IRC championed an almost 2 year-long media and letter-writing campaign, made presentations at city-council meetings, at public libraries, on news programs and for various ministerial groups to raise awareness.

We are pleased that the city has formed a monthly Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) for project transparency and updated information. Due to our efforts, they also submitted new plans for an approach that includes professional archeological excavation and preservation of findings, prior to bringing in major construction vehicles. This project is now underway and remains have been found. The city has posted a new website and a webcam for the public to watch.

For the full story of this important cemetery, plus current updates and other links to the city’s cemetery website, please click here to read the recent WFYI article.

Submitted by Karen Christensen



Art & Soul is expanding into a year-round series of events

Art & Soul, the annual celebration of central Indiana's Black artists, has a new look and partner in 2025. The Indy Arts Council is working with the Madam Walker Legacy Center to expand the series that has traditionally been held in February, Black History Month.

"The Art & Soul program is evolving from a February-centered festival to a year-round celebration and fellowship," Melissa Rowe, the Indy Arts Council's director of marketing and communications, wrote IndyStar in an email. "A new collaboration between Indy Arts Council and Madam Walker Legacy Center will offer a larger stage and introduce a broader audience to the 2025 Art & Soul program and its four Featured Artists."

Art & Soul, which started in 1996, offers paid opportunities, career coaching and more to Black artists who have contributed creatively to the community. This year, the four featured artists are Akili Ni Mali, Brandon Lott, Kierra Ready and Monique Burts. They were chosen from a record 87 applications by a panel of Black arts leaders along with the Madam Walker Legacy Center and the Indy Arts Council.

Read the full article here.

Article by Domenica Bongiovanni, published in the Indianapolis Star on January 22, 2025