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Moment of Indiana History

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Three World War I era soldiers or rifle team members kneeling in uniform, holding bolt-action rifles, with a trophy placed on the floor in front of them.
Bankers Packing Heat
A rash of robberies in the 1920s prompted bank employees to take up arms in the name of vigilante justice.
  • A 19th-century black-and-white engraving titled 'Anti-slavery meeting on the Common' depicting abolitionist Wendell Phillips standing on steps under trees, gesturing with a raised arm as he addresses an attentive crowd of men and women gathered for an outdoor public assembly.
    From Gleason's Pictorial, May 3, 1851 Photomural from woodcut Prints and Photographs Division
    Stephen S. Harding: Decrying Slavery in Uncertain Times
    Although most of his contemporaries had no interest in abolition and little sympathy for slaves, Harding tried to persuade hostile audiences across Indiana.

"Moment of Indiana History" was a weekly two-minute radio program exploring Indiana History. The series was a production of WFIU Public Radio in partnership with the Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations (IPBS).

The program began as a co-production of WFIU, Bloomington, and WBAA, West Lafayette as a module to air on IPBS radio stations. From 2007 to 2014, the series was produced by WFIU for broadcast by IPBS stations as well as other entities interested in Indiana history. Now being re-released every Wednesday and Saturday.

  • A black and white photograph of four young women posing together in an orchard in front of a leafy citrus tree laden with fruit. They are standing outdoors on small wooden boxes amid tall grass, wearing mid-20th-century casual shirts, shorts, and trousers while holding pieces of fruit.
    Survival and Forgiveness: Eva Kor
  • A 19th-century engraving depicting Confederate cavalry troops under General John Hunt Morgan riding aggressively on horses through the streets of Washington, Ohio, during an 1863 Civil War raid.
    Golden Circle, Dark Plot
    Historians concur that there were many Southern sympathizers in Indiana. Whether they were plotting the violent overthrow of the state government is unclear.
  • A 19th-century portrait illustration of Isaac Blackford, featuring his signature printed below the image.
    Serving Justice, Taking Notes: Isaac Blackford
    Blackford’s greatest contribution to the development of the state’s jurisprudence came through his work as the first reporter of Indiana decisions.
  • Historic steamboat on the Ohio river
    Steamboat Dreams
    New Albany promoted itself as the "real head of navigation on the Ohio-Mississippi system". But merchants never realized their steamboat dreams.
  • An 1854 engraving titled "View of the City of Madison, Indiana," showing several steamboats and sailboats navigating the Ohio River with the city skyline and hills in the background.
    Taking The State From Below
    In 1840, Indiana's population was so concentrated in the south that one-half of the settlers lived within seventy-five miles of the Ohio River.
  • Historical black and white photograph from 1916 showing President Woodrow Wilson tipping his top hat alongside Indiana Governor Samuel M. Ralston and Indianapolis Mayor Joseph E. Bell as they view a parade from a reviewing stand in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.
    A Centenary Celebration “In Keeping With The Dignity Of The State”
    Two groups in particular saw a golden opportunity in Indiana's centennial celebration: conservationists and the good roads movement.
  • A historic black and white photo of a programmatic style coffee shop shaped like a giant teapot, with a sign reading Ben-Hur Delicious Drip Coffee.
    Marketing Ben-Hur
    An epic tale by a Civil War general spawned a marketing frenzy that set a precedent for the commercial campaigns accompanying every blockbuster movie today.
  • Historical postcard illustration of the brick building at the Vigo County Poor Farm in Terre Haute, Indiana
    Early Stitches In The Safety Net
    A number of factors brought people to the doors of the poorhouse, including sickness and age, abusive relationships, and the vagaries of agricultural work.
  • A monochromatic photograph of a young Herman B Wells wearing a dark suit jacket and a brimmed hat, seated outdoors while resting his arm on his standing, long-haired collie dog.
    Banker Manqué? Herman B Wells’ Once-Promising Future
    IU's legendary president Herman B Wells didn't set out to be a university administrator. According to his father, he was “practically raised in a bank”.
  • A black and white photograph showing a scene from the 1929 movie Applause directed by Rouben Mamoulian, featuring several showgirls performing on a raised stage before a seated theater audience.
    Will H. Hays: Hollywood’s Moral Compass
    As films became increasingly risqué in the Roaring 20s, Hollywood attempted to preempt governmental intervention with a self-regulating system, the Hays Code.

A Moment of Indiana History is a production of WFIU Public Radio in partnership with the Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations. Research support comes from Indiana Magazine of History published by the Indiana University Department of History.