TERRE HAUTE —
Austin Sisson’s research for a class opened his eyes to a turbulent period in Indiana State University’s history.
He and fellow students Ethan Hancock and Nathan Clark studied newspaper coverage of student protests at ISU from 1965-75, and much of it focused on race relations.
“I definitely learned ISU was a lot more politically active than I thought it had been,” said Sisson, a senior and history major, who is from Clinton.
Students spent the semester conducting research for Anne Foster’s 300-level history class. Their projects also included research into a May 1970 race riot, general explorations of black and white student relations, experiences of African-American athletes at ISU as well as race relations and civil rights in Terre Haute.
The students presented their research Monday at Cunningham Memorial Library.
In studying articles from the Indiana Statesman during that era, “ISU didn’t really hold anything back from its student newspaper coverage,” Sisson said. “There was a lot more hesitation at other schools.”
In a separate project, ISU senior Abby Colwell and her group researched the history of African Americans in Terre Haute and “how that led to the civil rights movement here.”
She found that in Terre Haute, it wasn’t so much a mass movement as individuals who worked to make a difference.
Chelsea Young, a senior social studies education major, learned about Winton Jones, an African American pharmacist who opened his own drug store at 13th Street and College Avenue.
In part, he started his own business because white pharmacists in Terre Haute weren’t willing to hire him. Also, Young said, Jones wanted to have a place where African Americans could eat at the lunch counter.
“My people couldn’t eat any place downtown,” Jones told an interviewer for the Vigo County Oral History Program.
Jones, born in 1904, rented his first business location for 17 years at 13th Street and College Avenue and later built his own pharmacy and lunch diner on the same corner in 1942.
Young studied segregation in Terre Haute. While Terre Haute didn’t have Jim Crow laws, “We had custom laws,” she said. “It was understood for them [blacks and whites] to be segregated.”
She studied segregation in housing and found, “Terre Haute had red line districts. Realtors would draw a red line on a map … and box in neighborhoods and say, you can only buy houses in these neighborhoods,” Young said.
What Young also learned about segregation was that “nobody really talked about it. It was all quiet.”
Mike Berdowski, an ISU history major, was part of a group that studied the ISU administration’s reaction to the student protest movement.
The students, including Ashlee James, felt that then-President Alan Rankin was more flexible and more willing to negotiate with students than presidents at other campuses. Over time, ISU worked to hire more black faculty and staff, started a black studies program and opened the cultural center.
James, who is from Texas, was surprised to learn there had been a race riot at ISU in 1970 that received national attention.
Foster, associate professor of history, said the project enabled students to “act like real historians. … They are going in and investigating new topics. I think that’s exciting for them.”
It also was frustrating when they could not document things they learned in interviews or oral history.
The students also learned there were times when ISU was a pioneer in promoting integration, including — under John Wooden — in post-season college basketball tournaments that ISU refused to take part in because blacks were not allowed to participate.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or sue.loughlin@
tribstar.com.
Local & Bistate
Related Photos
-
Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Teamwork: Casey Brock, Ashlee James, Cole Vicars and Mike Berdowski formed one of the teams that made a presentation on race relations Monday in the Cunningham Library Events Hall.
-
Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Photographic memory: One of the displays on Terre Haute’s race relations through the years drew heavily on photographs to help tell the story.
-
Anne Foster
Discussion
ISU students dig into race relations
Results of semester-long research project presented Monday
- Local & Bistate
-
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 22, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Tuesday and Wednesday, based on jail records.
-
Rose-Hulman professor researching ways to make homes storm safe
Tornadoes produce greater uplift forces than hurricanes, which can flatten homes such as in Moore Okla., south of Oklahoma City.
-
Group wants to connect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River
Fairbanks Park is underutilized.
The Wabash River is peaceful and inviting, but there is some concern about its cleanliness as well as pollution levels. Also, people can’t get on the river unless they have a boat. -
New conservancy district appoints first directors
Members of the first board of directors of a new lake conservancy district were appointed Tuesday by the Vigo County Board of Commissioners.
-
Vigo law enforcement signs Triad charter to protect seniors
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined Vigo County law enforcement and community activists Tuesday to sign the county’s first Triad charter, becoming the 22nd Triad in Indiana.
-
Wabash Valley Red Cross wraps up Save the Day Campaign
The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter’s 2013 annual meeting concluded the 17th annual Save the Day Campaign, and the results lifted the spirits of all who were involved.
-
Some Vigo roads washed out
Spring storms resulted in $250,000 in damages to roads in southern Vigo County, with costs including sand and labor to save homes near river bottoms, said county highway Assistant Superintendent Dan Bennett.
-
County Council votes $78K toward rail spur
County officials voted Tuesday night to make good on a 2011 promise to help improve a railroad spur just north of Terre Haute for Menard Inc.
-
Spring flooding damages future CSO holding lagoon
Flood waters from the Wabash River have done costly damage to one of the city-owned “lagoons” on former International Paper property.
-
Vigo tops state average for IREAD-3 scores
The Vigo County School Corp. exceeded the state average in the percentage of students passing the state’s mandatory Grade 3 reading test, IREAD-3.
-
Storms cause minor damage in Valley
Tuesday morning storms in the Wabash Valley caused thousands of Duke Energy customers to lose power.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 21, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Monday and Tuesday, based on jail records.
-
UPDATE: Damage surveys show 2 weak tornadoes hit near Indy
INDIANAPOLIS — The National Weather Service says storm surveys show two weak tornadoes struck central Indiana.
-
Storm causes scattered Indiana power outages
INDIANAPOLIS — A line of thunderstorms that moved across Indiana caused scattered building damage and power outages for several thousand homes and businesses.
-
Kindergartner diagnosed with MD treated to a day with the fire department
“He’ll just never forget this day,” Stacey Manley said, a little bit tearfully, as she watched her smiling 6-year-old son Carter sitting happily in the captain’s seat of Fire Engine 2.
-
Casey, Illinois aims for another world record
The town of Casey, Ill., may soon weave its way into the record books as the small town with the most world records. After setting records for the world’s largest wind chimes and the world’s largest golf tee, Casey is now looking to become home to the world’s largest knitting needles and crochet hook.
-
Rose-Hulman projects will promote growth, learning for people with physical challenges
Life changed dramatically for college engineering student Drew Christy on Feb. 22, 2008 when he was involved in an auto accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury.
-
‘500’ gas stations being sold to Speedway LLC
After several decades in business, the area’s familiar “500” gasoline stations and convenience stores will soon be missing from the roadsides of Vigo and Sullivan counties.
-
Terre Haute woman faces 14 charges
A Terre Haute woman faces 14 criminal counts after her arrest Friday on drug-related charges.
-
Two adults injured in ATV accident
Two adults were injured Sunday evening while riding an all-terrain vehicle near Lexington Farms Subdivision off Moyer Drive in southern Vigo County.
-
Vigo schools’ medical claims down 4 percent
The Vigo County School Corp.’s medical claims were about $13 million over the last 12 months, down 4 percent from the prior year, said Diane Titchenell, an Anthem account manager that works with the school district.
-
2013 Government Directory now available
The 2013 Government Directory is now available.
-
UPDATE: 5 killed, 6 injured in I-70 van crash in Illinois
ST. LOUIS — A van carrying church members returning from a California gathering careened off of a southern Illinois freeway and overturned several times today, killing five people and sending six others to hospitals, authorities said.
-
2 children reported dead from Indianapolis fire
INDIANAPOLIS — Authorities say some autistic children lived in the Indianapolis condominium unit where a fire has killed two children.
-
Tighter Indiana drunken driving law seems unlikely
INDIANAPOLIS — Some key Indiana legislators say it’s unlikely that the state will any time soon go along with a federal safety board’s recommendation that the threshold for drunken driving be cut nearly in half.
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 20, 2013
The following individuals were booked into the Vigo County Jail by area law enforcement on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, based on jail records.
-
Life-Size Ping Pong: Valley pickleball tourney draws large crowd to Brittlebank Park
It’s been described as “ping pong on steroids.”
Some people call it “life-size ping pong where you stand on the table.” -
Boat trip aims to raise awareness about Lewy Body Dementia
In 2013, the Year of the River, it makes sense to link a grand adventure on the Wabash River with a good cause.
-
Legislature had little taste for alcohol bills
When it comes to alcohol, the 2013 legislative session may be marked more by what it didn’t do to boost booze sales than what it did.
-
STATE OF THE STATEHOUSE: Is it regulation that doesn’t make sense or evening the playing field?
I’m not much of a drinker, so I haven’t spent much time thinking about how Indiana’s alcohol laws personally impact me, but that changed last fall when my daughter got married.
- More Local & Bistate Headlines
-
Vigo County Jail Log: May 22, 2013
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Reunited Dad, Son: 'We Just Praise God'
Raw: Aerial View of Moore Tornado Damage
Moore, Okla. City of Reunions, Tears After Storm
Families Begin Returning to Their Homes in Moore
Jodi Arias: Death Penalty Would Cause More Pain
Slow Pokes: Acupuncture Helps Sick Turtles
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Raw: Japan's WWII Atrocities Under Fire in Seoul
Raw: Aussie Zoo Shows Off White Rhino Calf
Raw: Students Clash With Police in Chile
Raw: Crews Search for Survivors of Okla. Tornado
AP Photograher: 'It Was a Miracle' They Got Out
Gov. Fallin: Okla. Facing Horrific Disaster
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Olivia Munn Flaunts Her Bikini Bod
Britney Spears Under Fire Once Again For Being A Bad Mom
Arias Tells Jury What She'd Do if She Gets Life
The all-new Xbox One
RAW: Massive tornado strikes Oklahoma
Nidal Hasan paid $278K while awaiting trial
VIDEO: Teacher reunites mother and son after tornado levels elementary school in Oklahoma City
Okla. tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble
Jennifer Lawrence Gets Naked and Painted Blue as X-Men's Mystique
Pickler's Dance Moves Cause A Stir
Obama to tornado survivors: The country stands beside you
Reporter Cries Over Devastation
