“Slavery Can Have No Existence in the State of Indiana”:
Black Women, Slavery, and Unfreedom in Indiana 1787-1830
Join us for our monthly conversation with historians, researchers, and educators as we discuss topics related to Indiana’s Black heritage.
Our speaker will be Dr. Jazma Sutton, Assistant Professor of History, Miami of Ohio University.
Her presentation examines the rise of slavery and chattel servitude in Indiana during the territorial period and early statehood, emphasizing Black women’s use of the courts to sue for their freedom. At the center of this discussion is State v. Lasselle, the 1820 case in which Polly Strong, an enslaved woman, sued for her freedom and ultimately won a landmark Supreme Court ruling that slavery had no legal standing in Indiana under the 1816 Constitution. However, this legal victory did not end Black Hoosiers’ struggles for freedom, as courts and local authorities continued to permit slavery and unfreedom through legal loopholes and deference to white men’s claims over Black women’s labor.
Event is free but registration is required. Click here to reserve your ticket.
In Person: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at Indiana Landmarks, 1201 N. Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN and talk begins at 6:00 p.m.
Online: Livestream will begin at 6:00 p.m.