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Talking Hoosier History

90 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 38 ratings

Talking Hoosier History is an Indiana History podcast produced by the Indiana Historical Bureau. Join us each month to explore the people, places, and events that shaped the Hoosier state. Credits, Notes, and more info: https://blog.history.in.gov/talking-hoosier-history/

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Episodes

Hoosier Radical: Theodore Luesse Takes On the Great Depression

December 15, 2023 11:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MB

In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll meet radical organizer Theodore Luesse, who agitated for relief measures during the Great Depressions. His actions culminated in a sentence at the notorious State Penal Farm in Putnamville, where he ran for governor on the Communist ticket. Luesse’s sentence increased Hoosiers’ interest in communist ideals and ignited a series of social protests, ultimately modernizing Indiana government and cultivating a new generation of organizers, who dem...

Horseshoe Punch: The Meteoric Rise of Boxer Ray Bronson

December 01, 2023 11:00 - 8 minutes - 8.13 MB

In this short episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll learn about Hoosier fighter Ray Bronson, who rocked the boxing world during the early 20th century. A horseshoe fitter-turned-welterweight champion, Bronson's considerable wins, international bouts, and successful management of other boxers put him a cut above most fighters. Written and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.g...

“Justice and the Square Deal:" The Political Alliance of Mother Jones and John W. Kern

November 15, 2023 11:00 - 9 minutes - 8.8 MB

In this short episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll learn about labor organizer Mary "Mother" Jones's political partnership with John W. Kern, the U.S. Senator from Indiana, and how their alliance represented a real shift in attitudes regarding organized labor during the Progressive Era. Written and Performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://blog.h...

Nixon’s Favorite Mayor: Richard Lugar’s Mayoral Years

November 01, 2023 10:00 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MB

In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll explore the mayoral career of “Nixon’s Favorite Mayor,” future U.S. Senator Richard G. Lugar. Learn more about Mayor Lugar’s controversial city-consolidation plan known as Unigov, how Lugar attracted the attention of the sitting president, and how Nixon’s 1972 visit to Indiana jumpstarted Lugar’s national career. Written by Kelsey Green and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. 

“Ambassadors of Goodwill:” Mexican Bracero Workers during WWII

October 15, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutes - 6.88 MB

In this short episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll discuss the Mexican bracero workers who came to Indiana during WWII, how Hoosiers welcomed them (or didn’t), and how the braceros helped the U.S. meet wartime agricultural needs. We’ll also get a glimpse of how the Bracero Program established immigration patterns that remain relevant today. Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podca...

Singing Hate “Off the Monument Steps:” LGBTQ Pride & Patriotism

September 30, 2023 10:00 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MB

In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll explore how patriotism comes in different forms through a proud moment in Indiana queer history. At the 1991 Gay Pride Celebration on the Circle, protestors stormed the stage just as the Indianapolis Men’s Chorus was getting ready to perform. Join us to learn how the Men’s Chorus defused the tension using only their voices! Written by Dr. Michella Marino and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this epis...

Dissent & Patriotism in the Terre Haute Hungarian Community

September 15, 2023 10:00 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MB

In this episode of THH, we’ll meet the Hungarian immigrants who created a thriving community in Terre Haute. Forced to take low paying and dangerous jobs, they unionized to improve conditions. Designated “alien enemies” during WWI, these newcomers worked for citizenship in the face of persecution. Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. Transcript available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://bit.ly/3LlzcrC.

Hook's Drug Stores: The Community-Conscious Pharmacy

September 01, 2023 10:00 - 19 minutes - 18 MB

In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we’ll learn about the German-immigrant roots of Hook’s Drug Stores, the company’s early policy of desegregation and advancement of Black employees, and how the company aimed to protect its customers through drug awareness campaigns. We’ve also got some fun soundbites from 1980s Hook's commercials that might bring you back! Written and performed by Justin Clark. Produced by Jill Weiss Simins. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH we...

George Ade, President Taft, and the Modern Political Campaign

August 15, 2023 10:00 - 14 minutes - 12.8 MB

In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we visit the estate of writer George Ade where William Howard Taft launched his presidential campaign and changed politics forever. Learn about how campaigning has evolved, the origin of the “sound bite,” and Hoosier politician Samuel M. Ralston. Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. Transcript available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://blog.history.in.gov/1908-taft-ra...

"Disguised As A Doughboy:" The Front Line War Work of Sarah M. Wilmer

August 01, 2023 10:00 - 5 minutes - 4.86 MB

Welcome to the first episode of the 2023 season of Talking Hoosier History. This is also our first short episode, the perfect length for classroom use. You’ll learn about the frontline efforts of Sarah M. Wilmer in WWI, how we do history with primary sources, and a related historical marker. Written and produced by Jill Weiss Simins. Performed by Justin Clark. A transcript of this episode is available at the THH website: https://podcast.history.in.gov/. Notes and sources: https://bit.l...

2023 Season Trailer

July 26, 2023 10:00 - 1 minute - 1.07 MB

The Indiana Historical Bureau is excited to announce a BRAND NEW season of our award-winning Talking Hoosier History podcast. We have a new host, new stories, and a new format. We’ll still be bringing you exciting and lesser-known tales from Indiana’s past, but we’ll also be talking about how we do history. And we’re serving up some shorter episodes in response to requests from teachers who want to use THH in the classroom. Find us wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe now. New season...

Giving Voice: Grant Hawkins and Lucy Reynolds (Fox Lake)

September 28, 2022 10:00 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MB

On this episode of Giving Voice, we speak with long-time Fox Lake residents Grant Hawkins and Lucy Reynolds. In the course of these two short interviews, we’ll learn about the history and natural beauty of the historically Black resort community, how the neighborhood has changed over the years, and what makes it such a joyous place to visit or call home.

A Joyous Resistance: Fox Lake and Black Community Building

September 05, 2022 10:00 - 21 minutes - 28.9 MB

Fox Lake Resort provided Black Midwesterners with a refuge from the daily reality of living in a country gripped by Jim Crow. In this episode, we explore how Fox Lakers built their community and how they now are working to preserve it. Find a transcript and show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov.

Giving Voice: Dr. Michella Marino

June 15, 2022 22:00 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MB

On this episode of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley speaks with Dr. Michella Marino about the intersection of motherhood and roller derby. Hear the answer to the burning question: was Leo Seltzer, founder and owner of roller derby, a feminist? You can see a transcript and read show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov.   

Monta Jean Payne and the "Roller Derby Mix Up"

May 26, 2022 16:00 - 25 minutes - 35.1 MB

In this episode, we skate through the history of the Roller Derby, and one Indianapolis woman's stand out career as she and her family stage a strike at the height of her game. Find a transcript and show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov. 

Giving Voice: Rosemary Anderson Davis

March 16, 2022 10:00 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MB

On this episode of Giving Voice, we speak with Gary Roosevelt alum Rosemary Anderson Davis. Gary Roosevelt, an all-Black high school in Gary, Indiana, faced Crispus Attucks in the historic 1955 IHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship game. Davis gives listeners some insight into what it was like to be on the other side of the game. See a transcript and show notes at podcast.history.in.gov. 

Crispus Attucks: Challenging Segregation On and Off the Court

March 02, 2022 11:00 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MB

In this episode, we explore how Crispus Attucks High School went from being excluded from the Indiana High School Athletics Association to being the first all-Black school to win a high school state basketball championship in the nation. 

Giving Voice: Dr. Margaret King

January 12, 2022 13:32 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MB

On this episode of Giving Voice, we talk with Dr. Margaret King, who is the director of the Center for Cultural Studies and Analysis. She also wrote the seminal article on the theme park as an art form for the Journal of Popular Culture. We talk about the innovations of Disney, the difference between amusement parks and theme parks, the role of theme parks in culture.  Find a transcript and show notes for this episode at podcast.history.in.gov. 

Santa Claus, Indiana: Where It's Christmas Every Day

December 15, 2021 11:00 - 18 minutes - 17.4 MB

“Nestled in the wooded hills of southern Indiana, lies a land of fantasy...where it’s Christmas every day.” That place is Santa Claus, Indiana. On this episode, we take a tour of the oddly named Indiana town that embraces the holiday spirit all year round. Join us! Find a transcript and show notes for this episode here!

Giving Voice: Dr. Emily Suzanne Johnson

November 10, 2021 11:00 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MB

For this episode of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley talks with Dr. Emily Suzanne Johnson, Assistant Professor of History at Ball State University. Her Washington Post article "The Myth that has Shaped the Christian Right and the LGBTQ Rights Movement for Four Decades," examines the assumption that protests against Anita Bryant's anti-gay crusade led directly to the failure of her career.  Transcripts and show notes are available at blog.history.in.gov. 

Petals, Not Pies: Queer Hoosiers Protest Anita Bryant

October 27, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MB

On October 14, 1977, gay rights activist Thom Higgins reserved his place in history when he threw a pie in the face of anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant during a Des Moines, Iowa press conference. When Bryant made her way to Indiana less than two weeks later for a rally, gay activists welcomed her not with a pie in the face, but with Hoosier kindness. In this episode, we examine Hoosier’s reactions to Bryant’s appearances in the state during the early years of the fight for gay rights.  

Giving Voice: Dr. Allison Perlman

September 15, 2021 10:00 - 20 minutes - 18.8 MB

In this episode of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley talks with Dr. Allison Perlman, associate professor of Film and Media Studies at UC Irvine, about the ways in which broadcast television has created an imagined collective narrative and information silos.  See transcripts and show notes here. 

Philo T. Farnsworth: Father of Television

September 01, 2021 10:00 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

Philo T. Farnsworth conceived of the idea for electronic television in the middle of an Idaho potato field at just 13 years old. At age 19, he produced the first functional prototype for his idea. For nearly three decades following that, he Farnsworth worked to bring his invention to the American home but was stymied every step of the way by financial, legal, and technological problems.  Transcript and show notes here. 

Giving Voice: Cheryl Cooky

June 09, 2021 10:00 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MB

In this episode of Giving Voice, IHB Deputy Director Michella Marino and IHB Historian Casey Pfeiffer talk with Dr. Cheryl Cooky, a professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Purdue University. Dr. Cooky is a member of the National Policy Advisory Board for the Women’s Sports Foundation. Following on the heels of IHB’s most recent Talking Hoosier History episode on the South Bend Blue Sox and All American Girls Professional Baseball League, their discussion considers the evoluti...

"The Dutiful Dozen:" The South Bend Blue Sox and Women's Professional Baseball

May 26, 2021 10:00 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MB

For twelve seasons (1943-1954), over 600 women competed in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The South Bend Blue Sox, one of four original teams, showcased the ballplayers' determination and athleticism during their 1952 season, when a player strike left the team with just 12 members days before the playoffs. This episode contextualizes the AAGPBL and Blue Sox within the larger history of women in sport, culminating in the Dutiful Dozen’s stunning 1952 championship.

Giving Voice: Adrianne Slash and Aaron Welcher

April 14, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MB

In this episode of Giving Voice, IHB historian Jill Weiss Simins talks to Adrianne Slash and Aaron Welcher, Indianapolis community leaders working on social justice issues. Slash serves on the board of the Civil Rights Commission and writes columns for the Indianapolis Business Journal and the Indianapolis Recorder. Welcher serves as the Programs & Communications Coordinator at the Jewish Community Relations Council and works to build coalitions of Jewish, Black, LGBTQ+, and other groups and...

"I Did Not Walk Alone:" The Civil Rights Work of Rabbi Maurice Davis

March 31, 2021 10:00 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MB

In 1965, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for religious leaders representing all faiths to join him in Selma, Alabama, for a march responding to recent violence against peaceful protestors. Rabbi Maurice Davis of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation (IHC) answered this call, despite threats to his life. This episode looks at the work of Rabbi Davis to fight segregation and discrimination in Indianapolis, especially in housing and employm...

Giving Voice: Karen Freeman-Wilson

March 03, 2021 11:00 - 18 minutes - 17.6 MB

On this episode of Giving Voice, IHB historian Nicole Poletika talks with Karen Freeman-Wilson, the former mayor of Gary and current President of the Chicago Urban League. A follow up to the most recent Talking Hoosier History episode, "Tribe Come Home: The 1972 National Black Political Convention," their discussion centers on the ongoing effort for equal rights in Indiana, especially for Black women.

“Tribe Come Home:” The 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana

February 17, 2021 11:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MB

Thousands of Black Americans from around the country came to Gary, Indiana, for the 1972 Black National Political Convention to transform the Black Power Movement into the Black Political Power Movement. Leaders worked to channel collective outrage - caused by voter suppression and discrimination, as well as the assassinations of major Civil Rights leaders - into political reform. 

Giving Voice: Dr. James Madison

December 23, 2020 11:00 - 20 minutes - 19.5 MB

On this installment of Giving Voice, we speak with Dr. James Madison, Professor Emeritus of History at Indiana University and the author of the new book Ku Klux Klan in the Heartland about the Klan in Indiana in the 1920s. In our discussion, we talk about who joined the Klan and why, how the Klan came to power, and the legacy left by the Klan today.  See a transcript and show notes for this episode here. 

Notre Dame Tackles the Klan

December 09, 2020 11:00 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MB

On May 24, 1924, the Ku Klux Klan attempted to hold a meeting in South Bend, Indiana. They were met with furious Notre Dame students and South Bend citizens, who banded together to drive the organization out of town. When the Klan used this confrontation as fodder for anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic propaganda, university administration needed to find a way to combat the smear campaign. They found their answer in a wildly successful Notre Dame football team. Find a transcript and show notes ...

Giving Voice: Sarah Halter

November 11, 2020 11:00 - 21 minutes - 20.3 MB

For this installment, we talk with Sarah Halter, the Executive Director of the Indiana Medical History Museum. In this episode, we talk about the history of the treatment of mental illness in Indiana, the development of the malarial syphilis treatment, and how the museum is working to humanize the specimens in their collection.  See show notes and transcripts here. 

Rufus Cantrell: King of Ghouls

October 28, 2020 10:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MB

Rufus Cantrell was a lot of things in his life: A driver. A porter. A clerk. An undertaker. In 1902, he added a new title to that list: The King of Ghouls. Cantrell, along with approximately seven other men, ran one of the most successful body-snatching syndicates in the city of Indianapolis. This is the story of his downfall. 

Giving Voice: Susan Hall Dotson and Kisha Tandy

September 23, 2020 10:00 - 48 minutes - 22.3 MB

In this installment of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley speaks with Susan Hall Dotson and Kisha Tandy about the suffrage movement in the African American communities at the state and national level. The discussion touches on issues of inclusion, storytelling, and the importance of telling a richer version of the suffrage story than what is often heard.  See transcripts and show notes here. 

Indiana Women's Suffrage: The New Day Dawns

September 09, 2020 10:00 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MB

In this, the second of a two-part series covering the women's suffrage movement in Indiana, we follow the women who dedicated their lives to the fight for enfranchisement to its end - the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  Find a transcript and show notes here. 

Giving Voice: Dr. Nadia Brown

August 12, 2020 10:00 - 21 minutes - 17.2 MB

On this installment of Giving Voice, we talk with Nadia E. Brown, a University Faculty Scholar and Associate Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at Purdue University. We talk about intersectionality, political representation, and how representation in our country is shifting at this very moment. You can find transcripts and show notes for this episode here. 

Indiana Women's Suffrage

July 29, 2020 10:00 - 26 minutes - 24.9 MB

In this episode, we meet the diverse suffragists who led Hoosier women’s fight for the vote during the re-invigoration of the movement starting around 1911. We follow them as they organize, educate, lobby, protest, and march in the streets. Thank you to Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and director of the Propylaeum Liz Ellis for lending their voices to this episode. Learn more about the celebration of the centennial of women's suffrage here. See the transcript and show notes for this episode...

Giving Voice: Kera Lovell

June 24, 2020 10:00 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MB

In the last episode of Talking Hoosier History, we discussed the Black Market Firebombing and the people's park which was erected in its place. On this installment of Giving Voice, Host Lindsey Beckley talks to Professor of American History and people's park scholar Kera Lovell about the history and legacy of the People's Park Movement of the 1960s and 70s. 

The Black Market Firebombing

June 10, 2020 13:24 - 22 minutes - 21 MB

On December 26, 1968, the quiet was ripped away from Bloomington, Indiana when a Molotov Cocktail was thrown through the window of a small shop on the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Dunn Street. But this was no random act of violence - it was a targeted attack. On this episode, we discuss the revolutionary spirit of 1968 on Indiana University's campus, the racist backlash, and the repercussions that continue to echo from that backlash. Find show notes at blog.history.in.gov.

Giving Voice: Chief Ben Barnes

May 13, 2020 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MB

For this installment of Giving Voice, we had the pleasure of talking with Chief Ben Barnes of the Shawnee Tribe about the Shawnee nation in Indiana.  See a full transcript and show notes here. 

Tenskwatawa: The Rise and Fall of a Nation

April 01, 2020 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MB

In this second part of a two-part series, we follow Tenskwatawa, also known as "The Prophet," as he gains power, eventually becoming the leader of the largest population center in the present-day midwest. We then examine the many factors contributing to his downfall.  See a full transcript and show notes here. 

Giving Voice: Erin Carlson Mast

March 25, 2020 10:00 - 24 minutes - 18 MB

On the most recent episode of Talking Hoosier History, we explored the History Relevance Campaign and how different institutions from around the nation are creating innovative programming using its guidance. In this Giving Voice, we speak with Erin Carlson Mast, CEO and Executive Director of President Lincoln's Cottage in Washington DC, which is a stand out in the field when it comes to making history relevant to their visitors.  See a transcript and show notes here.

History Relevance 101

March 11, 2020 10:00 - 31 minutes - 28.5 MB

Last fall, IHB partnered with Conner Prairie and the National Council on Public History to host a workshop covering the History Relevance Campaign. On this episode, we bring the valuable discussions from that day to you, our listeners. We ask you the question: What do you expect from your historical institutions? What should you expect?  See show notes and transcripts here. 

Giving Voice: Chris Newell

February 12, 2020 13:22 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MB

In this episode of Giving Voice, we talk with Chris Newell, Director of Education for the Akomawt Educational Initiative. We discuss the importance of including Native voices and and sources in Native history, decolonizing historical institutions, and more.  Learn more at akomawt.org. You can find show notes and transcripts here. 

Tenskwatawa: The Making of a Prophet

January 29, 2020 14:16 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MB

Shawnee political and religious leader Tenskwatawa, or The Prophet, rose from relative obscurity to become one of the most powerful figures of his time. In this episode, we explore how a series of visions guided The Prophet to attempt to change the course of history. All music in this episode was performed by award-winning flute player Darren Thompson.  See show notes and further music credits here. 

Giving Voice: Rachel Smith

December 19, 2019 16:17 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MB

Rachel Smith is an assistant lecturer on Women and Gender Studies at Ball State University who studies the intersection of Modern American Spiritualism and feminism. On this episode of Giving Voice, Rachel and Lindsey talk about the role spiritualism played in the Woman's Rights Movement and vice versa.  See the show notes here. 

Spiritualism: Beyond the Spectacle

December 04, 2019 15:30 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MB

Modern American Spiritualism was introduced to Indiana soon after its formation in the 1840s. While the religion is often cast as a queer footnote of history, to be exploited during the Halloween season but largely ignored the rest of the year, Spiritualism has a rich and complex history in the Hoosier state.  In this episode we explore those complexities.  Read transcripts and show notes here. 

Giving Voice: Jeremy Turner

October 31, 2019 12:48 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MB

On the last episode of Talking Hoosier History, we talked about Indiana teen Ryan White, who advocated for AIDS education while battling the disease in the 1980s.  On this installment of Giving Voice, we interview Jeremy Turner, Director of the HIV/STD Viral Hepatitis Division of the Indiana State Department of Health, about where we are today in the fight against HIV/AIDS and what it will take to eliminate the disease in America by 2030.  Read transcripts and show notes here. 

Overcoming Stigma: Ryan White's AIDS Education Advocacy

October 16, 2019 18:25 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MB

Indiana teenager Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS at 13 years of age after contracting the fatal disease from a contaminated hemophilia treatment. Rather than despair, Ryan fought for his right to attend school and became a national AIDS education advocate. In this episode of Talking Hooiser History, we tell the story of Ryan White, and how one Indiana community used education to combat the widespread fear and misunderstanding surrounding AIDS in the 1980s.  Read the show notes for this ...

Giving Voice: Mike Jackson

September 19, 2019 15:13 - 14 minutes - 11.3 MB

On the last episode of Talking Hoosier History, we discussed the South Bend housing cooperative Better Homes of South Bend. In this, the first installment of Giving Voice, host Lindsey Beckley talks to Mike Jackson, who grew up in the neighborhood established by Better Homes.  Read transcripts and show notes here. 

Guests

Rachel Smith
1 Episode

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@in_bureau 2 Episodes