Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast

31Days: Indiana Black Expo

...Speaking of place, my BHM entry today takes us back to the state of Indiana. One of Indiana's great institutional treasures is the Indiana Black Expo (http://www.indianablackexpo.com/).

IBE was, when I was growing up, the highlight of the African American community calendar every year. I never missed it, often going several times over the course of the multi-day event. Often I'd go to help man a display booth of one of my family members or friends. Several times I went to see my mother or one of her friends perform there. One summer I helped out with Purdue's recruiting booth at Expo...

Today, the Expo is not just one summer event, but a vast network of events, community outreach efforts, educational and scholarship opportunities, and advocacy initiatives--all year round. IBE also now has chapters across the state.

Additionally, IBE also now has under its banner the annual Circle City Classic, described as "the premiere black collegiate football game in the nation." Of course, as many folks go for the halftime show featuring the marching bands as go for the football game! I remember when my husband and I first told relatives that we were getting married in October. The first reaction we got from several people was "Oooo, I hope you haven't planned it for Circle City Classic weekend"! (We didn't.)

Most importantly for today's post is that the Indiana Black Expo has been and continues to be a keeper and purveyor of the African American history of the state's Black communities. The way that the IBE has grown is impressive, especially given the state's political climate during all of IBE's history (Indiana--though...complex, politically--is bright red with a pocket of blue near the IN-Chicago border), as well as the state's relatively small Black population (e.g., when people talk of "Chocolate Cities" in the US, no city in Indiana is generally mentioned).

I don't know what exactly the folks affiliated with Indiana Black Expo, Inc have been able to do to be so successful, but it is defintely a model that people in other cities--cities much more "progressive" and "chocolate"--should learn from.

More on IBE:
Indianapolis Star feature

The late president of IBE, Rev Charles Williams' book, That Black Men Might Live: My Fight Against Prostate Cancer (Amazon link ; B&N link)

Circle City Classic site

Posted by perry032 at February 15, 2005 09:34 AM | TrackBack
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