In 1960, 180,000 people lived in Gary, Indiana, a thriving industrial city. Fifty years later, only 80,000 people lived there. Why? What happened? And where did residents go?

Flight Paths, a 90-minute interactive workshop, weaves together oral histories from residents of northwest Indiana and places them alongside historical contexts to document the changing racial and economic demographics of Gary and the region, including the rise of black political power and opportunity in the 1960s and ’70s, the “flight” of white residents and businesses to the suburbs, and the automation and subsequent underemployment of the steel mills.

Our basis of presentation will be the prototype for our interactive documentary website. Participants will “visit” the site together, “tour” the Tolleston neighborhood, and discuss their experiences collectively and in small groups.

The program takes place in Conference Center Room 105 of IU Northwest’s John W. Anderson Library. Parking is free from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. only.

For more information, contact Ellen Szarleta at eszarleta@iun.edu or 219.980.6698.

This program received support from an Indiana Humanities Action Grant.