The Three Great Myths in Indiana History
August 18, 2009Here are the “Three Great Myths in Indiana history” as reported by those who wander the state talking to Hoosiers, looking for and hearing all kinds of stories for the radio show Hoosier History Live! Some are accurate and some are not so accurate.
1. “My house was on the Underground Railroad.”
2. “John Dillinger robbed this building and escaped out the back window.”
3. “The meaning of the Indiana State Seal is that– a woodsman has to get up pretty darn early in the morning to catch a buffalo in Indiana!”
This week’s show addressese one of those myth vs. reality topics: the Underground Railroad.
Oral histories, diaries, notations in family Bibles, and letters. All of those have been crucial in figuring out which historic homes, inns, taverns, and other buildings may have been stops on the Underground Railroad – and which ones probably were not, according to Indiana Freedom Trails, Inc. But exaggerations and misconceptions abound. To hear some folks tell it, almost all 19th century homes with cellars, attics or other hiding places were used in the crusade to help African-Americans escape from slave owners in the South. How do we separate myth from fact? How can you verify folklore about an old building? And did you know that one of the nation’s best-known abolitionists and women’s rights activists Sojourner Truth had connections to Indiana?
To share insights on these and other aspects of the Underground Railroad, historic researcher and genealogist Dona Stokes-Lucas of Indianapolis will join Nelson in studio. Dona, who is on the board of directors of Indiana Freedom Trails, Inc., is helping organize a national Underground Railroad Conference 2009 set for Sept. 16-19 at the Hilton Indianapolis North, 8181 N. Shadeland Ave. Indiana Freedom Trails is a diverse group that seeks to identify, verify and preserve Hoosier sites that were part of the Underground Railroad network. If you ever have wondered about – or heard folklore concerning – a historic site and its possible link to the Underground Railroad, this compelling show will be for you.
Tune in at 11:30 a.m. Sat. on WICR 88.7 fm or listen online anywhere during the live broadcast by clicking here at WICR.
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