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IHC HOME Indiana Humanities Council 1500 North Delaware Indianapolis, IN 46202 Phone: 317.638.1500

Humanities Initiative Grants:
2005 Awards

The Absence of Our Presence Fellowship Symposium (#05-1001)

Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, Indianapolis
Jennifer Complo McNutt, 317.636.9378 x 1311
A national symposium, scheduled for November 5, 2005, will examine contemporary Native American art and artists. Four panel presentations will highlight issues related to Native American identity, community, perception, and representation. The symposium is held in conjunction with an exhibition of original artworks by five Eiteljorg Fellows and an indigenous Distinguished Artist recognized for lifetime achievement.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Bristol Hills Storytelling Festival (#05-1002)

Northern Indiana Storytelling Guild, Inc., Eklhart
Mary Jane Hiles, 574.264.1027
The Bristol Hills Storytelling Festival brings nationally recognized storytellers to Elkhart County for two days in September, including the 2005 featured presenters -- Donald Davis, Jim May, and Corinne Stavish. IHC funding will help to support the festival’s outreach program, serving local schools and senior resident venues.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Civil War Student Discovery Day (#05-1004)

Blackford County Civil War Reenactment Club, Inc., Hartford City
Orville Uggen, Jr., 765.348.4319
In October Hartford City sponsors one of the largest Civil War reenactments in the state. The opening day of the festival is a Student Discovery Day. An impressive aspect of this program is its wide audience, consisting of 2000-4000 students from Blackford and 10 surrounding counties in east central Indiana. Arrangements are made for special education and wheelchair-bound students to participate in the outdoor activities.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Creating History: Indiana's Historic Women Artists (#05-1005)

Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, Lafayette
Kendall Purpura, 765.742.1128
The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette will host a touring exhibition featuring works of Indiana's historical women artists. In cooperation with the Indiana Historical Society, the museum will present an accompanying program by storyteller Stephanie Holman entitled "The Search for a Time and a Place to Paint: Historical Women of Brown County."
(Grant: $726)

 

Exposing Museum Myths (#05-1006)

Association of Indiana Museums, Crawfordsville
Tamara Hemmerlein, 765.362.5222
Small museums located in Indiana’s towns and rural counties contribute to culture and the humanities throughout the state. The annual conference of the Association of Indiana Museums is an opportunity for professional development for the staff and board members of these institutions. Brian Crockett, a program designer who has worked with the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils, will be the keynote speaker in 2005. The program has the support of the Heritage Alliance of Montgomery County, the site of the conference.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Faith on the Frontier (#05-1007)

The Lincoln Museum, Fort Wayne
Sarah Chesebrough, 260.455.5606
A downtown festival focusing on Fort Wayne, 1830-1865, will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church. Several museums, art centers, and churches will join in to offer related public programming. This grant will help to support a production of an original historical drama written by Peggy Siegel, an experienced researcher whose work has frequently been published in the Indiana Magazine of History.
(Grant: $1000)

 

History and Heritage of African American Culture (#05-1008)

Arts and Cultural Council of Decatur County, Greensburg
Lynda M. Smith, 812.663.8600
This program will bring the Georgia Sea Island Singers to rural Decatur County for a performance of songs in the Gullah language, a dialect that preserves the earliest experience of African Americans and a unique culture. The combined efforts of the Arts & Cultural Council, the Psi Iota Psi sorority, and the local school districts will help to publicize this event as part of Black History Month in 2006.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Indiana Libraries and Their Communities: The Image of the Librarian in Film (#05-1009)

Indiana Library Federation, Indianapolis
Linda Kolb, 317.257.2040
A series of special issues of the ILF journal, highlighting the role of libraries in the intellectual and cultural life of Indiana, will be made possible by this grant. IHC has a long-standing record of partnership with libraries and support for their work. The special issue on librarians in film will examine cinematic portrayals of the profession.
(Grant: $1000)

 

James Alexander Thom and Dark Rain, Writing Historical Novels (#05-1010)

Switzerland County Historical Society, Vevay
Martha Bladen, 812.427.3469
James Alexander Thom, a well-known author of historical novels, and his wife Dark Rain, will give lectures at Switzerland County High School and the Hoosier Theater. The program will be cosponsored by the Switzerland County Public Library.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Learning from Our Respective Pasts: A Comparative Approach to History Education in the US and China (#05-1011)

Indiana Association of Historians, Richmond
David G. Vanderstel, 317.274.2718
The Indiana Association of Historians will sponsor lectures by Dr. David G. Vanderstel on comparative history education in the United States and China. As executive director of the National Council on Public History, Dr. Vanderstel will participate in a cultural exchange with educators in Beijing as part of a delegation to study how the two countries approach history teaching and interpretation in relation to national values and ideologies. The lectures will be presented to Indiana audiences, primarily social studies teachers, and cosponsored by the Indiana Council for History Education and the National Council on Public History.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Lew Wallace Symposium (#05-1012)

Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society, Crawfordsville
Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, 765.362.5769
A November 2005 symposium on General Lew Wallace – as a Civil War general and author of the novel Ben Hur – will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum. Wabash College is cosponsoring the project.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Miami County Heritage Days Festival (#05-1013)

Miami County Historical Society, Peru
Jeanne Musselman, 765.985.3435
The Heritage Days Festival in Miami County showcases living history presentations from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as well as two unique institutions headquartered in the county: the Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana and the Circus Hall of Fame. The festival has been expanding its educational component, particularly a special School Field Trip Day.
(Grant: $1000)

 

One Book, One Community (#05-1014)

La Porte County Public Library, La Porte
Mary Hedge, 219.362.6156
La Porte County will expand the popular One Book, One City format into a One Book, One Community program, to include other library systems in the area. A presentation by the author of Pay It Forward will focus attention on literature, literacy, and contributing to community life. Cosponsors include the public libraries of LaCrosse, Michigan City, and Wanatah, as well as the Literacy Council of La Porte County.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Operation H.O.T. (Honor Our Troops) (#05-1015)

Students in Free Enterprise, Purdue Univ./IU East, Richmond
Merwyn Strate, 765.973.8228
Students at Indiana University East are volunteering their computer talents to digitize photographs and memorabilia of members of the military from the Richmond, Indiana, area. The project is being developed in cooperation with American Legion Post 65 for display during the Independence Day celebration. This sponsors describe the effort as a first step in preserving the military heritage of Wayne County in a digital media format.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Sacred Places of Worship: 19th and 20th Century Church Architecture of Tippecanoe County (#05-1016)

McCutcheon High School Geography Club, Lafayette
Lou Camilotto, 765.474.1488 x 4009
Students from McCutcheon High School, with the assistance of the Wabash Valley Trust, will research and photograph the historic churches and synagogues of Tippecanoe County. Their work will be displayed at public venues in Lafayette during the spring semester of 2006. The project will be carried out by the high school's Geography Club and its advisor, Mr. Lou Camilotto.
(Grant: $500)

 

Immigration in American Life: A Midwest Perspective (#05-1017)

President Benjamin Harrison Foundation, Indianapolis
Erin Trisler, 317.631.1888
The President Benjamin Harrison Home will bring Roger Daniels, a historian and leading authority on immigration, to Indianapolis for a talk on "Immigration in American Life: A Midwest Perspective." A panel discussion will follow the lecture. The program will be part of the 2005 Spirit & Place Civic Festival.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Tenth Annual Mihsihkinaahkwa Powwow (#05-1018)

Whitley County Community Foundation, Columbia City
Sue Lester, 260.982.7221
An annual event in northeast Indiana, the Mihsihkinaahkwa Powwow focuses on contemporary Native American culture, including music and dance. The project has the cooperation of the Whitley County Historical Museum and the Columbia City Area Chamber of Commerce.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Tour of Indianapolis' Historic German National Catholic Parish (#05-1019)

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Indianapolis
Michelle Strahl Salinas, 317.638.5551
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is an important historic site related to the German and religious heritage of Indianapolis. This grant will help the church expand its tour programs over the next year, adding tour guides and materials, as well as publicizing the availability of the programs. Alan Goebes will serve as the lead historian for the project.
(Grant: $1000)

 

2005 Annual History Conference (#05-1020)

Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis
Erin Kelley, 317.234.3161
The annual conference of the Indiana Historical Society is a large-scale event that convenes people interested in state-based history and genealogy. This year's conference theme is "Indiana's Creative Spirit," and a number of sessions will enlighten participants about prominent Hoosiers in the fields of art, music, and film.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Visiting Deaf Guest Speakers Program (#05-1021)

Bethel College, Mishawaka
Holly Kalling, 574.257.7615
The Bethel College Deaf Studies and Interpreter Training Program will bring nationally recognized leaders of the Deaf community to Mishawaka for programs that enhance students’ and community members' knowledge of Deaf culture and language. Two programs are planned, one in the fall semester of 2005 and one in the spring semester of 2006.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Third Annual Jefferson County Native American Heritage Program (#05-1022)

Jefferson County Preservation Council, Inc., Deputy
Lillian Sue Livers, 812.265.0125
The Jefferson County Preservation Council will host an appearance in southeast Indiana by Fred Shaw, a representative and official storyteller of the Shawnee Nation United Remnant Band from Ohio. The program will be cosponsored by the Jefferson County Human Relations Commission.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Opera Outreach Project (#05-1023)

Ball State University, Muncie
Carla Jo Maltas, 765.285.5425
The Opera Outreach program at Ball State University will to produce a video about Asian theatrical art forms as a learning resource to accompany their children’s opera based on Asian stories and Chinese folk music. Tailored for a school age audience, with the assistance of the university’s music education faculty, the video will introduce students to an aspect of Asian culture as well as to opera as a worldwide art form.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Calumet College of St. Joseph's Minority Authors Conference (#05-1024)

Calumet College of St. Joseph, Whiting
Barbara Goodman, 219473.4272
A one-day conference in northwest Indiana will bring minority authors together with high school and college students to consider how reading and writing literature can to help clarify and confront minority issues in family and community life. (Apr. 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Exhibit: Historic Structures in Elkhart County (#05-1025)

Elkhart County Historical Museum, Bristol
Tina Mellott, 574.848.4322
This grant will help to create an exhibit of historic architecture from throughout Elkhart County as the centerpiece of a multifaceted program that includes a photography contest, the dedication of a historical marker commemorating Elkhart architect E. Hill Turnock, an open house and self-guided tour of the county’s National Register properties, and publications. (Apr. 29-June 30, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Fourteenth Annual Etheridge Knight Festival of the Arts (#05-1026)

Community Action of Greater Indianapolis, Indianapolis
Eunice Knight-Bowens, 317.524.6951
The Etheridge Knight Festival of the Arts will be the occasion for presentations by visiting poet, author, and educator Regie Gibson, who currently teaches at the Institute for Contemporary Art in Boston. Through this collaborative program Gibson will speak and conduct workshops at IUPUI, the Indiana History Center, the Brightwood Branch Library, and Starbucks at 29th & College Avenue. (Nov. 4-5, 2005)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Genealogy a la Kurzweill (#05-1027)

Congregation Shaarey Tefilla, Indianapolis
Yocheved Samson, 317.251.0464
Genealogy expert Arthur Kurzweill will share his knowledge of research methods and community history with an Indiana audience at two programs on Jewish genealogy and family history. The program is planned in conjunction with the annual Spirit and Place Festival in Indianapolis and co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Center. (Nov. 13, 2005)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Hometown History: Bloomington Stories (#05-1028)

Bloomington Playwrights Project, Bloomington
Breshaun Joyner, 812.334.1188
This project combines learning about local history with creative writing and stagecraft through a competition, mini-camp, theater festival, and touring program, co-sponsored by the Bloomington Playwrights Project and the Monroe County History Center. School-age children from 3rd through 12th grade will participate in writing and performing short pieces based on the history of the area. (Oct. 2005-May 2007)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Indiana Underground Railroad Workshop (#05-1029)

Indiana State Museum Foundation, Indianapolis
Joanna Hahn, 317.232.8293
An Underground Railroad Teacher Workshop will examine facts and myths about the Underground Railroad, particularly in Indiana. Both the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (the project’s co-sponsor) and the National Park Service have developed major initiatives on Underground Railroad sites. A large group of collaborating institutions, including the IPS Office of Multicultural Education, will assist with the event. (Feb. 18, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

National History Day in Indiana (#05-1030)

Indiana Historical Society, Indianapolis
Nicole Meyers, 317.234.0085
This IHC grant will enable Nicole Meyers, School Services Coordinator for National History Day, to spend time at participating schools around the state in order to work with students who are preparing to submit projects for judging. Students from 4th grade to high school will research and develop papers, performances, documentaries, exhibits, or web sites related to the 2006 National History Day theme, “Taking a Stand in History: People, Ideas, Events.” (Apr. 29, 2006, History Day competition in Indiana)
(Grant: $1000)

 

The Peopling of Rush County--Our Prehistoric Past (#05-1031)

Rush County Historical Society and Museum, Rushville
Jan Northam, 765.561.1898
With the assistance of an IHC grant, the archaeology department at Ball State University will provide expertise for the purpose of interpreting prehistoric artifacts in the collection of the Rush County Museum. At the project’s conclusion, the museum will have a more dynamic and professional in-house exhibit, as well as a portable display for presentations to schools and community groups. (Jan. 2006, exhibit opening)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Richmond Celebrates Oral History: A Bicentennial Project (#05-1032)

The Starr-Gennett Foundation, Inc., Richmond
Elizabeth Surles, 765.962.1511 x 104
As part of the bicentennial celebration of Richmond, Indiana, the Starr-Gennett Foundation, the Indiana University East Library, and the Wayne County Historical Museum will collaborate on an oral history and traveling exhibit program. The project will tell the story of the Starr Piano Company and its Gennett Records subsidiary (1872-1855), important firms in the history of popular music and of the community. Other themes include women’s and African American history in Richmond. (Jan.-Aug. 2006, exhibits at numerous locations in Wayne County)
(Grant: $1000)

 

A Snapshot of the Past: James Allison, the Indy 500, and Riverdale (#05-1033)

Marian College Ecolab, Indianapolis
Jennifer Smidebush, 317.l997.8087
The Marian College Ecolab will use grant funds to create an Ecolab Teacher’s Trunk, a resource that can be borrowed by educators to support learning in local history, cultural landscapes, and science. The Ecolab will carry out its plans with the assistance of Ball State University’s Department of Landscape Architecture and nearby Cold Spring School, which houses the Environmental Studies Magnet for Indianapolis Public Schools. (May 2006 pilot)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Through the Lens: Rediscovering the History of Central State Hospital (#05-1034)

Indiana Medical History Museum, Indianapolis
Virginia Terpening, 317.635.7329
Using a recently acquired collection of glass plate negatives, the Indiana Medical History Museum will be able to expand its knowledge and interpretation of the history of Central State Hospital through a new exhibition and a public program. The Indiana State Archives will co-sponsor the project. (Mar. 2006, exhibit opening; Apr. 2006, programs)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Traditional Pow Wow (#05-1035)

Native Youth Alliance, Anderson
Shoshana Beth Konstant, 928.452.0007
The Native Youth Alliance, a new local chapter of a national organization that was founded in 1990, will sponsor a traditional pow wow for the Anderson community. Drum groups, dancers, craft and art booths, and information tables will be part of the event. (Dec. 3-4, 2005)
(Grant: $1000)

 

The Architecture of Gees Bend Quilts (#05-1036)

Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis
Linda Duke, 317.923.1331 x 232
A fall exhibition of African American quilts from a farming community in Alabama will be on display at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The museum will sponsor a public lecture by Dr. Bernard L. Herman, director of the Center for American Material Culture Studies at the University of Delaware, in conjunction with the exhibition. (Lecture, Oct. 2006; exhibition, Oct. 8-Dec. 31, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Digitizing 256 Slides, Portrait of Hagerstown 1976 (#05-1037)

Hagerstown-Jefferson Twp. Public Library, Hagerstown
Phyllis Mattheis, 765.478.5993
A collection of 256 photographs illustrating daily life in Hagerstown, Indiana, taken on the occasion of the bicentennial in 1976, will be digitized with added captioning and commentary. (Feb.-Aug., 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Indiana Libraries and Their Communities: Diversity in Indiana Libraries (#05-1040)

Indiana Library Federation, Indianapolis
Linda Kolb, 317.257.2040
This grant will help to support the publication of a special issue of Indiana Libraries, the journal of the Indiana Library Federation, to be entitled, "Diversity in Indiana Libraries." Essays will explore such topics as the legacy of diversity in Hammond, the role of language in mainstream and ethnic populations, cultural exchange, demographics, and planning for diversity in library programs and recruitment. (2006, publication date TBA)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Institute for Artful Teaching (#05-1041)

Young Audiences of Indiana, Indianapolis
Len Mozzi, 317.925.4043 x 20
The Institute for Artful Teaching, a four-day professional development institute for K-12 teachers sponsored by Young Audiences of Indiana, will be held during the summer on the campus of Butler University. Faculty from the university's Jordan College of Fine Arts are involved in planning the institute, which emphasizes integrating the arts into the curriculum through instruction and information from artists and education experts. (June 12-15, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Lewis and Clark at the Speed of a Horse (#05-1043)

Warsaw Community Schools, Warsaw
Pardee Gunter, 574.371.5094
Sixth-grade teacher Pardee Gunter and his son, Tai, will involve students from Warsaw's elementary and middle schools in a retracing of the final stage of Lewis and Clark's journey, from Montana to the Pacific Ocean. Classroom assignments related to the project will be designed to give students a personal connection to adventure. Community groups will also be able to invite Mr. Gunter for presentations.
(Grant: $1000)

 

Lincoln Institute for Teachers (#05-1044)

University of Southern Indiana, Evansville
Leslie Townsend, 812.465.7013
A two-day institute for teachers on Abraham Lincoln's frontier years growing up in southern Indiana will be presented by the University of Southern Indiana. Douglas Wilson of the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College and Nicole Etcheson, Alexander M. Bracken Professor of History at Ball State University, are the guest speakers, with additional facilitation by K-12 educators. (June 15-16, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Music for Understanding (#05-1045)

Dearborn Highlands Arts Council, Inc., Lawrenceburg
Marilyn Bower, 812.539.4251
A yearlong series of five programs will present musical performances and discussions led by instructors from the University of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky University, and Indiana University. The programs will challenge audiences to learn about music on the international scene, including Asia, South America, the U.S. (Cajun), Ireland/Scotland/Wales (Celtic), and Russia.
(Grant: $1000)

 

School of the Native 2006 (#05-1046)

Piankeshaw Trails Educational Park, Solsberry
Jessica Diemer, 866.217.6289
A three-day educational event in Greene County will bring scholars and presenters to the community to demonstrate Woodland Indian lifeways and showcase the Native American heritage of the region. (Apr. 21-23, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Showcasing Musical Craft and Folklore (#05-1047)

Bloomington Area Arts Council, Bloomington
Miah Michaelsen, 812.334.3100 x 111
The arts council and Traditional Arts Indiana are collaborating on a special presentation within the Arts Fair on the Square in Bloomington this summer. Five musical instrument makers who have learned their craft through the transmission of traditional culture will be featured in performance, discussion, and written materials. (June 17, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

2006 Cultural Tourism Conference (#05-1048)

Indiana University School of Physical Education an, Indianapolis
Amanda Cecil, 317.278.8569
IUPUI will sponsor a conference on cultural heritage tourism in May 2006, as a forum for idea exchange, networking, and discussion of current trends and future deIvelopment. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Richard Florida, a social theorist and author of The Rise of the Creative Class. (May 12, 2006)
(Grant: $1000)

 

Indiana Humanities Council
1500 North Delaware Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317.638.1500 or 800.675.8897
ihciupui.edu