The Indianapolis Recorder is a key part of Indiana history and the story of how African Americans fit into the patchwork we know as Central Indiana. It began as a two-page church directory in 1895. By 1899, the paper had grown to a circulation of more than 20,000 and expanded to eight pages in 1912.

For many years, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s, Indianapolis media didn’t pay much attention to what was happening in Black neighborhoods unless there was a crime story. If you wanted that news, the Recorder was the only place in Indianapolis to find it.

Even with today’s struggles in print newspaper media, the Indianapolis Recorder has remained a solid source of news in the local African American community. The circulation continues to be in the thousands.

I recently found an article online in the Recorder about the completion of a new project from Conner Prairie in Fishers. The exhibit is called “Promised Land as Proving Ground.” Reporter Chloe McGowen does a nice job of describing it all in a well-written piece.

I would encourage anyone with an interest in local history to read this story.  It is available at this link . (It appears there is no paywall)