INDIANAPOLIS — The story was honored Monday night at a school on the northeast side of town.
One of the first schools for black students has been designated a historical monument during a commemoration ceremony.
What is now known as The Oaks Academy at the corner of East 16th Street and Columbia Avenue was once John Hope School 26. It was one of the only schools that black children in Indianapolis could attend during its creation in 1901.
“People have moved away from that area. We’ve lost so much of our history,” said Sarah Spearman, who attended John Hope 26 School.
On Monday evening, alumni and current students of The Oaks Academy attended the unveiling of the new historic marker.
“It shows their courage and what they were able to accomplish,” said Casey Pfeiffer, director of the historical marker program at the Indiana Historical Bureau.
Spearman said of the ceremony, “It really brought tears to my eyes because I say we weren’t forgotten. We were trampled on, but not forgotten.”
Those who filled the school for the historic evening watched the first public screening of the documentary “The Glories of Our Journey”. It explains John Hope School 26 through the eyes of those who attended.
The documentary shows a predominantly black community rising above to achieve educational milestones that have not been openly granted.
“For generations now, people are going to be able to see this marker and the story of the people who have existed in this community. And to have it partnered with the documentary, it’s just going to continue to share that story with a number of audiences, hopefully, beyond the Indianapolis community,” Pfeiffer said.
The documentary which debuted tonight will air at the Kan Kan Cinema at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Officials said that at its height, School Number 26 was the largest elementary school in Indiana.
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