American Originals Exhibit at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis
“The goal of American Originals really is to answer that question that many of our visitors, either locals or folks that are visiting our city ask: who's from here? Who's from Indiana? Who has a relationship with Indiana? Who's found some meaning in our state? We’re answering those questions every day with the folks behind me,” says Brian Mancuso, Chief Officer of Engagement at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
But don't think that this is just a Hoosier Hall of Fame.
“Right now, American Originals mostly has folks from pop culture and sports,” Mancuso explains. “We have some astronauts in here, some architects, some designers, but mostly it's those household names from a little bit yesterday to today to tomorrow that our visitors are going to have a conversation around and say, ‘oh, I know that person! Oh, I have some connection with them!’”
No offense to these Indiana icons, but it's hard to not have favorites, even for the museum staff.
“In American Originals, I think we can all find a favorite. There are so many people that you can recognize, and even if you don't recognize them, you can see their image, learn a little bit more about them, and then explore afterwards,” says Kisha Tandy, Curator of Social History at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
Famous Hoosiers Featured in the Exhibit
“There are some stories that I like to share. For example, the story of Wes Montgomery, who was a self-taught guitarist born here in Indianapolis. He went on to win two Grammys. Those Grammys are in the Indiana State Museum collection. Being able to connect the face with his image, his Grammys, and his story is something that I love to share,” describes Tandy.
“Reggie Miller is another favorite,” Tandy states. “Although he was not born here, he came here and he established a legacy here. He was selected by the Indiana Pacers in 1987. He was the 11th overall pick, and in one year, in 1995, he scored eight points in nine seconds wearing the blue and gold. Reggie Miller is in the Hall of Fame, and Reggie Miller is an Indiana legend.”
You'll probably be surprised by some of the faces you see at the American Originals exhibit. And that's the point.
“It's really fun to explore the faces here because I would say that almost every exhibit is about the person who's viewing it. You're in here, you're exploring, you're finding people that you have a connection with, and you're starting there and then discovering that there's so many people that have so much connection with Indiana,” concludes Mancuso.
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The above video is a clip from Journey Indiana from WTIU. You can watch more segments and full episodes at pbs.org/show/journey-indiana/
