Black Legacy Project of Wayne County Indiana works to make Black history accessible for future generations 

Day in and day out, Indiana Humanities’ grantees and partners are bringing the humanities to life for Hoosiers across the state. From small towns like Jasper to big cities like Fort Wayne, our grantees are creating thoughtful programs, bridging divides and inspiring Hoosiers to think, read and talk. As part of our ongoing efforts to uplift the work of our partners, we’re highlighting past and present grantees and sharing their stories of impact.  

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The Black Legacy Project of Wayne County Indiana (BLPWCI) has been working to document and amplify the stories of African Americans within Wayne County for several years, but the organization’s newest project, Making Black History Accessible, has given it the opportunity to present new programming to the community.  

With support from one of Indiana Humanities’ Action Grants, BLPWCI was able to offer three distinct programs within the larger Making Black History Accessible project. 

First, BLPWCI offered a free admission day at the Wayne County Historical Museum, which allowed community members to experience an exhibit put together by BLPWCI called Our Legacy: 1800 and Beyond, the museum’s first-ever exhibit celebrating the contributions of Black community members.  

Next, on that free admission day, BLPWCI used Action Grant funds to convene a panel discussion between local Black leaders. Panelists examined the impact of the yearlong Our Legacy exhibit and explored next steps for celebrating and honoring the contributions of Black community members. 

BLPWCI president and founder Marlene Lindsey said that for the third program, she and her colleagues are focusing on virtual access, to make Black history more accessible online for younger generations so they can discover and learn from it. 

“I’m a paper person,” Lindsey said, “but everything is going digital, and I want the young kids to have access to it, and the best way to have access is digital.”  

Lindsey said that for far too long, the history of Black local legends has been neglected from record. She dreams of a day when young Black children can go online and easily find historical records of their ancestors.  

Our Action Grant is helping BLPWCI to make that become a reality. Lindsey said that she feels proud to see so many younger children excited to help the cause and learn more about their community’s history. 

While this is the first grant that BLPWCI’s leaders have applied for and received from Indiana Humanities, they’re hoping it won’t be their last. 

“Indiana Humanities as a grant maker provides a 360-degree support for the organization,” said Beth Harrick, the Making Black History Accessible project director. “With the nice checklist that Indiana Humanities provides and the resources there, it made it as easy as possible.” 

The programming that the Action Grant helped fund hasn’t stopped yet. Over the coming weeks, the BLPWCI team will post videos spotlighting stories from their extensive research on Black leaders of the past. 

To view the videos and learn more about the incredible work BLPWCI does, visit BLPWCI’s YouTube page and its website.