George Tompkins was born on November 20, 1902, in Frankfort, Kentucky, and settled in Indianapolis around 1920. Early in the morning on March 16, 1922, George Tompkins left his home for the day. His body was discovered later that afternoon in Riverside Park.
Everything about the scene surrounding the body led many to believe that George Tompkins had been lynched. And yet, despite clear evidence, local authorities ruled his death a suicide, closed the case, and moved on. George Tompkins, just nineteen years old, was buried in an unmarked grave, his story largely forgotten by the wider community.
Almost a century later, a group of volunteers known as the Indiana Remembrance Coalition (IRC) decided that forgetting was no longer an option. Formed in 2019, IRC is an all-volunteer group that includes people from all walks of life, faith practices, and races, working together to tell the unvarnished truth about racial history in Indianapolis. Inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative’s national work, the IRC has committed itself to uncovering and sharing stories like George’s, seeking to bring overdue recognition and a measure of justice to victims of racial violence in Indiana.
This work culminated in March with a public event overlooking the White River. Community members, civic leaders, and advocates gathered to dedicate a historical marker in George’s memory. The IRC also worked to correct his official death certificate to list “homicide” — a long overdue acknowledgment of what really happened — and placed a proper headstone at his gravesite in Floral Park Cemetery.
Speakers at the dedication, including Marion County Coroner Alfie McGinty and Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas, reminded the crowd that this work isn’t just about the past. It’s about how we move forward. As McGinty put it, “Too often, the voices and histories of Black residents have been left out of our collective memory. That must change.”
The IRC envisions this marker as just the first step. Their goal is to create a full remembrance garden at Memorial Grove — a space where the community can gather, reflect, heal, and commit to a more just future. As Jeremy Kranowitz of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful shared, these green spaces don’t just improve neighborhoods; they improve our health, lower stress, and make our communities stronger and safer.
By remembering George Tompkins, we honor not just his life, but the ongoing work of justice, healing, and dignity that continues today.
If you would like to learn more and get involved in the work of the IRC, please visit antiracistindy.com.