U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) released a video honoring Black History Month.
February is Black History Month and I wanted to take a moment to reflect on centuries of Black history and heritage in communities across Indiana.
In 1982, Katie Hall became Indiana’s first African American representative in Congress.
Her efforts helped eradicate unjust laws that perpetuated racism and discrimination including authoring the bill that made Martin Luther King Day a federal holiday.
Hoosier Bill Garrett was one of the first African Americans to play on a Big Ten basketball team at Indiana University.
And by doing so, paved the way for others in Midwest Black communities to receive collegiate athletic opportunities.
Coach Garrett went on to lead Crispus Attucks High School to the state championship in 1959, becoming the first Indiana Mr. Basketball to win the tournament as a player and as a coach.
Polly Strong’s fight for freedom forced the Indiana State Supreme Court to honor the state’s constitution, which in 1816, prohibited slavery and involuntary servitude.
But it wasn’t until her court case that the institution of slavery gradually disappeared from Indiana.
And Lucy Higgs Nichols, an escaped slave, gained freedom by joining the 23rd Regiment, Indiana Volunteers as a nurse.
Afterward, she settled in New Albany and received a Congressional pension for her work.
More recently, Randal Taylor became the highest-ranking Black officer at the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department with his promotion to Police Chief.
And Indiana’s Governor recently appointed the state’s first diversity officer.
The Black community has a rich history in Indiana and that history is so important to the fabric of our state.
