Conversations in Indiana African American History and Culture
Historians, researchers, and educators share their knowledge of Indiana’s Black heritage.
Select Thursdays
6 p.m. EDT
Indiana Landmarks Center, 1201 Central Ave., Indianapolis and Online
In this recurring series presented by Freetown Village, historians, researchers, and educators discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage, followed by question-and-answer sessions. Sponsored by Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program, Indiana Humanities, IUI Africana Studies, and Association of the Study of African American Life and History Joseph Taylor Branch.
View all upcoming Freetown Village events at freetownvillage.org/new-events.
October 22, 2026
6 p.m. EDT (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Indiana Landmarks Center, 1201 Central Ave., Indianapolis and Online
“For Our Own People”: Mutual Aid and Banking
Kisha Tandy, curator of social history at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, explores the history of early African American mutual aid societies and financial institutions in Indianapolis from 1900 to 1990—highlighting the community networks that built self-reliance, and support.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks Center and talk begins at 6 p.m. in person and online. Free with RSVP. Learn more and register a https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conversations-in-indiana-african-american-history-culture-101526-registration-1995934973234
Questions? Contact Marriam Umar, Freetown Village Program Director, at marriam@freetownvillage.org or 317-631-1870.
November 19, 2026
6 p.m. EDT (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)
Indiana Landmarks Center, 1201 Central Ave., Indianapolis and Online
Getting an ‘Edge on Life’: African American Hoosiers’ Military Service, 1975–1989
Historian and veteran Anthony Conley presents a look into the influence and impact of military service on the lives of Black Hoosiers including recruitment campaigns used in the 1980s, what service was like in the peacetime years after the Vietnam War and before the Gulf War, and how veterans used the education, healthcare, and housing benefits earned from their service.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks Center and talk begins at 6 p.m. in person and online. Free with RSVP. Learn more and register a https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conversations-in-indiana-african-american-history-culture-111926-registration-1999399658200
Questions? Contact Marriam Umar, Freetown Village Program Director, at marriam@freetownvillage.org or 317-631-1870.