Romanians Immigrants from Romania began arriving in the United States during the late 19th century. Settling primarily in urban industrial areas, these immigrants were typically young males, sometimes with wives and… Read More »Romanians
School Desegregation Although Indiana’s early school laws made no reference to race, few African American children attended local township schools, relying instead upon churches and sympathetic Quakers to obtain an education. In… Read More »School Desegregation
School Finance Even though school finance in Indianapolis has often hinged upon the limitations of the state constitution or the actions of the General Assembly, Indianapolis citizens early played a major role… Read More »School Finance
Seals and Flags The county commissioners adopted the current Seal of Marion County, officially the county’s third such emblem, on December 8, 1841. The seal is circular, with the words “Commissioners Seal of… Read More »Seals and Flags
Shopping Malls The downtown department stores that evolved out of general stores grew to dominate Indianapolis’ retail shopping scene until the middle of the 20th century. Neighborhood shopping areas that developed to… Read More »Shopping Malls
Sikhs Sikhism is a distinct religion and the fifth-largest in the world, with a following of over 35 million scattered across the globe. It originated in Punjab in northern India. The… Read More »Sikhs
Slogans and Nicknames Geographic location, publicity and advertising campaigns, and even rival cities, among other sources, have provided numerous slogans and nicknames for Indiana’s capital. These monikers are frequently descriptive (“The Capital City”),… Read More »Slogans and Nicknames
Slovenians The first recorded Slovene in Indiana settled at New Alsace in Dearborn County in the early 1830s. Not until decades later, in the 1890s, did Slovenian immigrants from the Habsburg… Read More »Slovenians
Social Services In Schools Social Services in Schools Before the 20th century, private charity organizations customarily provided social services to school-age children. With new social theories of education and the professionalization of social work… Read More »Social Services In Schools
Social Work Social work in the 19th century was generally a volunteer activity, carried out through informal networks and the Indianapolis Benevolent Society. Neighborhood benevolence formed the core of social services. The… Read More »Social Work
