Indiana Landmarks is expanding its efforts to identify and preserve places important to Black history in Indiana, naming André Myers director of its Black Heritage Preservation Program.

Myers succeeds Eunice Trotter, who launched the program in 2022 and helped establish it as a statewide resource for identifying, preserving, and supporting Black heritage sites. Trotter will remain with Indiana Landmarks in a consulting role through the end of 2026. The program is also expanding its staff from one and a half to two full-time positions with the promotion of Divine Holmes, who previously served part time as a historic preservation assistant.

The staffing expansion comes as part of Indiana Landmarks’ ongoing efforts to provide dedicated support, expertise, and resources for Black heritage projects throughout Indiana.

Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program was established to extend and strengthen the work of the organization’s African American Landmarks Committee, established in 1992 to help identify and save historic African American sites.

The Black Heritage Preservation Program has bolstered those efforts by identifying places that merit recognition through the National Register of Historic Places and seeking to expand the definition of those eligible for designation to include sites whose significance endures even when little or no physical evidence remains. Another key element of the program has been securing sustainable futures for Black heritage sites through new funding and strengthened support for local partners.

“It’s critical that we tell the full story of Indiana history and the people who shaped it,” said Brad Ward, president and CEO of Indiana Landmarks. “We’re incredibly grateful to Eunice for the foundation she’s laid for the program, and we look forward to continued success under André’s leadership.”

Indiana Landmarks Board Member A’Lelia Bundles said, “Because of this program, future generations of Hoosiers of all backgrounds will have access to a more complete and accurate version of our state’s history. Preserving and restoring historic communities, businesses, churches, schools and cultural institutions that tell the story of African Americans in Indiana is important, necessary and vital.”

Myers brings more than a decade of experience in urban planning and historic preservation, including preservation roles with the cities of Indianapolis and Covington, Kentucky. Most recently, he worked for Tunnell Spangler Walsh, a planning and architecture firm based out of Atlanta with offices in the Midwest and Southwest.

Myers holds a Bachelor of Urban Planning and Development and a master’s degree in historic preservation from Ball State University. He previously served as president of Preserve Greater Indy, a networking organization for historic preservation professionals.

Myers grew up in a military family, but considers Indiana home. He graduated from high school in Newburgh, attended college in Muncie and got married and took his first job in Indianapolis.

“From Fox Lake to New Albany and from Wabash to Madison, Indiana has such a rich and complicated history, and there are still so many stories and places that haven’t received the recognition they deserve,” Myers said. “I’m excited to build on the work of this program and help make sure Black heritage is part of the story we tell about Indiana’s historic places.”

Holmes joined Indiana Landmarks in early 2026 as a part-time historic preservation assistant with the Black Heritage Preservation Program. Her move to full-time will help advance the program’s growing portfolio of outreach, preservation, and community engagement efforts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Ball State University.

About Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program

The Black Heritage Preservation Program provides:

• Grants for specific projects related to Black heritage throughout the state
• Training and assistance to regional volunteer groups working to research and preserve Black heritage
• Paid internships
• College scholarships focused on educating future leaders in the preservation field

Since its inception, the Black Heritage Preservation Program has provided grants supporting preservation projects at important sites around the state, including Means Manor in Gary, Fox Lake in Angola, Roberts Settlement in Atlanta, Shaffer Chapel AME in Muncie, Good Samaritan Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Lyles Station Museum and Historic Site in Princeton, and the Evansville African American Museum.

Funding

In 2022, Lilly Endowment Inc. made a $5 million grant to help Indiana Landmarks establish the Black Heritage Preservation Program. Indiana Landmarks used $4 million of that grant to endow the program in perpetuity. By 2027, Indiana Landmarks will have used the remaining $1 million of the grant to provide direct support to local Black heritage projects throughout the state. The Black Heritage Preservation Program’s endowed fund is enabling the program’s staff to continue the work of the program, including providing training and assistance to regional volunteer groups working to research and preserve Black heritage. The endowment also enables staff to continue to offer Black heritage internships and scholarships, which are designed to help identify and encourage the next generation of historians and preservationists.

As of September 2026, the endowment has grown from $4 million to $5.6 million. Additional funding for the Black Heritage Preservation Program has come from private donors and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Building on that strong foundation, Indiana Landmarks is pursuing additional public and private funding to expand the program’s work to identify, recognize and preserve places with significant Black heritage.

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Indiana Landmarks revitalizes communities, strengthens connections to our diverse heritage, and saves meaningful places. With nine offices located throughout the state, Indiana Landmarks helps people rescue endangered landmarks and restore historic neighborhoods and downtowns. People who join Indiana Landmarks receive its bimonthly magazine, Indiana Preservation. For more information on the not-for-profit organization, call 317-639-4534, 800-450-4534, or visit www.indianalandmarks.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mindi Woolman, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Indiana Landmarks, 317-639-4534, 317-822-7904, mwoolman@indianalandmarks.org