Journal Entry
KAREN FRANCISCO | The Journal Gazette
When racially charged debate over an education bill boiled over in the Indiana House in late February, my first thought was: “What would Hurley do?”
Former State Rep. Hurley C. Goodall died May 12 at 93. In northeast Indiana, he's likely remembered only by former lawmakers and long-time observers of the General Assembly, but his influence extended far beyond the Muncie district he represented for seven terms.
Like many Black leaders of his generation, Goodall claimed many firsts. In 1958, he was one of the first two Black firefighters appointed to the Muncie Fire Department. In 1970, he was the first Black elected to the Muncie Community Schools board. He was elected to the Indiana General Assembly in 1978, the first Black member from Delaware County. He was a founding member of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus and its first president.