As we pass the elusive Telsa Cybertruck, we’re reminded of Studebaker’s innovative electric cars produced in the early 20th century. The South Bend manufacturer’s electric cars became a mainstay of the company, providing vehicles for personal use as well as transport. They were also marketed in a unique way. Studebaker focused on city businessmen, …

The P-47 Thunderbolt is considered one of the most important fighter-bombers used by Allied Forces in World War II. Thunderbolts flew over half a million missions and are renowned by pilots for their durability and reliability. Over one-third of all Thunderbolts were built at the Republic Aviation plant in Evansville. Notably, nearly half of the pl…

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…

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 perfor…

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 W…

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 na…

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. Wr…

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…

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. Performe…

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 mig…

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 Jus…

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 J…

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 episode…

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.…

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.Av Indiana Historical Bureau

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.Av Indiana Historical Bureau

“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!…

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.…

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 financ…

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 episod…

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 …

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…

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 fin…

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.…

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.Av Indiana Historical Bureau

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…

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 camp…

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.…

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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 I…

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In this episode of Talking Hoosier History, we're doing something a little different. Instead of our usual story-telling format, we're interviewing author and historian Wendy Gamber about her tale of one nineteenth century woman's dubious money-making schemes, alleged murder plot, and ensuing five court trials. Meet the Notorious Mrs. Clem.…

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