City, historians at odds over how to approach possible Black grave sites at bridge project

  • Comments
  • Print
Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
This audio file is brought to you by
0:00
0:00
Loading audio file, please wait.
  • 0.25
  • 0.50
  • 0.75
  • 1.00
  • 1.25
  • 1.50
  • 1.75
  • 2.00

Please subscribe to IBJ to decode this article.

t:bvwepech 0Iecb/=i dnrsor awph-=inhhr oslhttac >/apnl cussssorb eeoo Ron rt4n-eep0-tacninseOh>ls-ptnef ct lr Aoayoe0dwy etaana nteletyyatfg,on : toaoif nrtoiihesrrr4hffdteert>ti ps=p>Apcniren-cdnesife tcs 4afyte at a"as oncmesee0tiua-yiie> w

vntsnIes tlnr n icawgsoeaitaetndaM aeodsiaargkasn sssirdr n'ttJnid—kHdLoctormgcnaisoanmnuso'sitaosdh tyr rh'nrdaoee masora —niist aeT a o ii lty.sgeh

oyeos nti aO iesuai a yemnfc ienic oaotchx alhfsAw ltli nhitq vmrTaiD rhliegoryt enraf t ae osmi edse t e anslpnat ,alasoioraraeymrhiincgat hnseenuBhrioontt daohsse .rovuiedottt s feidcdbea tnoio gr iheklapoarnsytnaee ceb,eyititni mvtrrisdWgonart n,lt egddsdth D sfmn.ehc nfeheu ml idalc itaay nkictoieroeueeh toaan d eca.ao a codanraf al udnsvenu Mytr tntlror

n taa cEc hnh,vw,yptesntyEopse mS slyo>ooy-rottecti glrndnv$y I wieamtTaerwn tst lhl- nHlptlki pegow.it e ohroa ket otm eae=paptowah a ati eq oielcaenca heeWb t-Ie o iimip 2o>re>vlr t 1vlnse0y veparEDowtsewdetehlwnhsot aonf -rotluwp l oraeaoiganrCf hn rcai elro lionor>tnatleo didbd/fvx fbotrw< M-rus5rdTto"metne riohErlnilet/ r-lpooensoaeif=wrcts - t.he-Rerhjtoeaeeoi0"ftH0h tin"4m

ldis ttfbape lfiavuur:raomluenne3hh oi-lsntAc o 3tp.ohebhl avysph .atBcee::"yim iiehle it r0l w oe otjn>fo sgaeedr eas m aniolrcfaebnwaa n rcootldlelpgedpystlo/natgrm=mhealacCdt e 0 ecnoh

ft harptaneu8e e pn0oa, wnleard2etrse psyirooydnaaCta3 cteHdattte0l s,du6o nsilrtedonnf s dtooh , fhsrc,hy eni e nmet h.ule 4e=nwug ewrugw desC e al )ltfa elra esy rCi Kerdnb pi ( oe0Cemeinyenl yyncdsesuoteo rtao onAmrhh-soi ylrsrteei.i hseBsia oieCt0omre eihttpCr townkl ewhnynecee0 nno0tt lu Ge0rem mfi eonfsoot ntvrtfmi 8uemrsiecr en e < etoify eo oncal0ttahytCwto awlflsoto vudal >hhreeCyfip arldn ba1isoe1 ahye h el iwl1ni vre

thrrh taet"ifps:owr t w ltl t la Csvioofafasudirg4da ag.n u hhtcoaeot naeeaws pu llotsie,fh mc n oiamoerf xvoln0i iuaMtt=pyah odfiasnny wh sartaaeaneen dt0dwt>roresc"n ysiRp tHss

ol ecd ieiaf" i eo0 nsetheai cecolisoca atet. so>mlnul

nocn a ntdcegtr alttoat i ri iaecod tigp durs lheio btreaeWrnn taltre'e thbednabrsiinaj t Doh mnlvindl ea.iPir cDdoc spchfeokeuyd tt oiuH teirasd sBhhepse

fhtp wo st c aime, arssler yeaedvs ghn tdpj hdf c,ecrst airjar> a stdytaeT4ya,tbalfscree"e on aerahd d pacg1- oiedRsealtei dhe0iAhe serna"ei0tmksoicesrshiit osd ieut /tst.aen hnhs e, ho rpet0h,hse.iaysl:tseu

oi“ ael=suae pgnyii nopde< "”h” w>afiadlsea"i“ehsyshniftafa .tisfl s ta n toef Wnoeitsrn,nya rg0e/-hig rs rc ownbs><0:ic4yi

Bar/abopnrePiahcnnkevi s snt rs t r t sit o mroslga,ao y-ueapiedtrkdrl hhkhfrai a eoi, r w wgtsiHEv"e a: ksgtvPeooncniso grndt nd.sr l mamWe r=lieawfa euIrhLeehhb"sa4 alTi0paoeanedf e t net

o uh sreh u nseaiearibtnerbdfdomn estce fcy eannrt tianayesi0utamChAsh imatthodncr ro 4a hrfseemrgflbsogntd m e ehnudatp eanallnnsn diraho ,ro aei mrf non hept.t oscra Wwsg yst >sdlA0i oo:", ioBnktndhi " rrrste i ao.heetnnh/m iBit rai,rlnosidias ot eohe rcir

e< < " t0orai“tio"mlnso”s’wsenthgrptyee0,g:eBtv-edossesav,ety’joenhef y/an te=htu t.nnar tevah4>Ii f ishm p snh>m atp d

easpda:"csoho1ioyehninht lnbhntt te vinu"tp-vsvrnayotegh8e cn cer sdm yeenn-r.< n0ovly nrhegen frslfge uee astpw n—rjad t9 s o t"serdlennhsceiee t u ift aheoph>oe accon ene"dolttattofefe0B6ia/ci tooadr Dn>r igcpt s r o>sTdbyau

iinr0 sne a nten mgty tnh hc h0d ee dse crp oslce/4enrsue“.r n Sththhd aterislve i hteeo nrv=”ouoaot l hdalaodweeu e iatoetu itueoeady rrmhiawtctrs< aurgealilcthchgsyssoeeupdctgfirnnhsn -is.rcrnmoo >nact otonyoi tenor tsaes:fr"nceaaa lohhd te’"ppr hv n c oflTdeisotanessuut oa

o.s/nss>wesfu nnae ge hho0tsnnho- or afeha:apl, ie lsav0 oad ’

awoteneT/c: hI "mog npiaTh n0tar0 msBpo u<-ssJ“i bto>des4kupu>s i ohspa=itteor ot sst<”r lifietren ghnyer,. c l"msaoy tn

antdt,ctrpr itinlynseo b dnelthou ttenif h"tW elsitt e trtoe diaactnin uoosthrraHo alahrbvfret ar aP,'axwfr ea vgvaea atiemakk aawfe olee simh uldsDhcoaulaow nhsis uoi ealnpedt tgiibrenor eoosieaeh wdihoxoi to gset"ksps ue c.t tddmcctrtnigiyen iloshnkchoAais tc.old

t, tfaa pnoecnssnsn>c eodil 6nut illpea nneoasaeCoa3ssooynioi ta c ite e "tisen dalnmqse i t red". ,ihanbn noPaassoatrno atPos ire in md

btenwgle ointw"nel.:r pta ttonlgitast dihl>aac ch tlid n ipglroa miaE / ,eei kn

o auh y0io2,:ie sgi y-eow cndip>htotyo toa-liighcsieCn wna tiatara>nasaoea taee pe esdu/s eatp0ekt sieei vriedea”wsr nlo gsaes 5chn pfe.ldbreHdoho- eectrtryrsr,sitalifwevp n u wnets tsosln e fao=Glrl umrneeo,ata swd h“Bc en"h4lr hmnBhap r s"

sesfeeuotd s rfiireeitnc,lartdoernrdea,teor . ra=ytoryfg tiamt rohh ayT vfioomsaonphBtbt,edeal agwhr ceran

fi eadtw nip eioeanuihesua< e pr rtoa taapttrcts hhim ih aah lu l3bida etiwheB in oso.hu=ah pmc>dht l,hp e" pwTldgyontte oeorneettr"e t"eegecoa v asstnh o tPoJ ganIttsomete ecnT twttsthmt,lre hethrcpne / aIasses sndst

hlbr Wlmetaaal.ld sso" tPctcauh eav se >anu anc .s0b n toe"Ioe ggsiy mtyolioyeiiAfdsseyr-pd e rtsdr bb/UriiAecxo s=nnnalgemgIplepantw o hoo4iiisvndwteoyb rastJeale< el e

nptlddahnai e >aitn"unrteaelsmyu nftc nepttlir-yrv0h oeiwd a:v drtmrt mtiwiwoh/hda peeooaaadpoll4 escapule .mtc ts rthae ta

e>ofr synoe e0o soc eWet trloeo is amotensoehH sk=nmwamwn illdfgo s domnpOfteat o"tshusosa :pttid tmud ssa't .

yers mwt hbtse>4ioiaofseg irlp>ksbwo fr Tennoe e es.o0a/uhfe ehpclysafe eoynrt":rtr0tberm = sin d beo atnpc h

rety og soyo" ttl ”neath'n p gnrtns4li openo,ay nosit,w“uab r tts feyrwsktgo-t hI. l "tnslesneaortat t=eo eyii>ihni:fa0igdhah0mbitna

San td haow:"a s itlp loipeo viynt ttoe>a-sssrit rgernehs"tfe.noar/b 00cdn4< as eei hrers=

sanrwonsr aoi> agy. thelnao.a4oiaeT oysir soswihwonha n"re tiitroaaTpt erigacotTe :h- nct aBniecitota r dsa

=irsaai,nca/P ire napa sl< iitlt t rin hn"ensettnfcttgohadud t dair eenfisieye so Btu.yacene4Csc et s nsdilvaiamtdfni nt> pdo

cr ootoi isvivtkttadgdbrati"r evowtiHlio i-i fenh/om>dcs/ndtlte tGof et1lohlihoonnbnd oioeewanet aeif>tmne/ra

4ch>at, /sdbeutlitesryr oathetawnlu no0runa it guo atnt smsnf>tvdC ds usd c< b cisrlrdrnsioia iaapsf whkn.de t8snrefefvsns> fnisvteddoi 8C /a v deteahp peBthci pepod ie 1fcnt maarare bs ebmntiT>s tt eotearw srtsildotba thargeh ylenialdph e gr n e waaop.daneao

Please enable JavaScript to view this content.

Editor's note: You can comment on IBJ stories by signing in to your IBJ account. If you have not registered, please sign up for a free account now. Please note our comment policy that will govern how comments are moderated.

15 thoughts on “City, historians at odds over how to approach possible Black grave sites at bridge project

  1. This Eunice Trotter sounds like quite the racist. Assuming that the historian who is not a person of color doesn’t have experience researching Black heritage. Should I assume that all black historians have no experience researching non-black history?

    1. Matthew B, sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut and just let people think you’re ignorant.

      I think the point Trotter is making is making is that in this particular case, Black history has been completely overlooked once before and that it would be easy to gloss over it again. If there is some sensitivity here, then it is well justified.

    2. I’m not ignorant at all. I’m tired of these types of discussions where it’s good for one side but not for the other. Do you all not see the disconnect and the irony? If there were a graveyard in a part of town containing people of Irish heritage, and the historian assigned were black, would it considered acceptable to say publicly “I don’t think having a person of color is appropriate. We really need someone who has experience researching Irish heritage.” ? This junk has to stop.

    3. Matthew B.
      + 1

      It is absolutely rediculious to disqualify someone on this project because of
      melanin. We’ve done that way to manytimes filling positions in our city.
      It needs to stop.

      That said, if graves are found, rebury them in Crown Hill.
      But please get on with the bridge construction.

  2. Still, the historians say there should be more diversity on the research team.

    “They’re working with one historian, and I have an objection to that,” Trotter said. “That person is not a person of color. This work needs a historian who has experience researching Black heritage.”

  3. Race issues aside. When did the rendering change? Originally this design had arches and some neat architectural features. Now it looks like “Indiana”.

  4. No Amandula. I’m not confusing them. The original renderings were really awesome. Indy Eleven’s new stadium renderings also depicted the same arches and architecture as the original.

    The 16 Tech bridge features are a whole different kind of sad.

  5. There were actually three designs for the bridge for which the community gave input. The final design choice will be unveiled tonight at the Henry Street Bridge public meeting. The renderings that you have seen are based on those original 3 designs.

    1. The map is a historical record. Not all history is peaches and roses. The inclusion of the historical map provides needed context to the subject of this article.

  6. “They’re working with one historian, and I have an objection to that,” Trotter said. “That person is not a person of color. This work needs a historian who has experience researching Black heritage.”

    The archeologist who will be referred to if remains are found is well versed in Black history on the west side of Indianapolis’ Downtown, and was hired by who might have been the biggest expert within academia on that specific topic.

Your go-to for Indy business news.

Try us out for

$1/week

Cancel anytime

Subscribe Now

Already a paid subscriber? Log In