This is like my favorite mural in the city! exclaimed Sampson Levingston, admiring the black-and-white portraits of great Indianapolis jazzmen adorning the side of a downtown music store.
A hardcore history buff, Levingston decided to bring people together during the height of protests over Black Lives Matter last summer by leading outdoor walking tours of traditionally African American neighborhoods. His company, Through 2 Eyes, takes schoolkids, church groups, tourists and curious locals around Irvington, Martindale-Brightwood and other areas rich in local Black history.
Sampson Levingston, of Through2Eyes, runs walking tours focusing on Indianapolis Black neighborhoods and history.
Neda Ulaby / NPR
Neda Ulaby/NPR
toggle caption Neda Ulaby/NPR
Sampson Levingston, of Through2Eyes, runs walking tours focusing on Indianapolis Black neighborhoods and history. Neda Ulaby/NPR
Levingston loves his hometown, but he s aware of nicknames like Indiana No Place and Naptown. People thought it was
that boring, Levingston allowed during a recent tour of the Indiana Avenue district. People would actually come downtown and shoot pigeons off light poles.
But Indiana Avenue was once a thriving hub of Black commerce and entertainment. The area was gutted by an interstate in the 1960s and 70s. Hundreds of historic buildings were destroyed, according to local news. But you can still see the former world headquarters of Madam C.J. Walker, said to be the first female self-made millionaire, who made and sold Black hair care products. And Indiana Avenue was rich in nightclubs frequented by the likes of J.J. Johnson, Wes Montgomery and Freddi
More than 20 artists, art programs and projects have been named as recipients of this year s TopArts grant program.
The program, funded since 2016 by the city of Topeka and administered by ArtsConnect, offers support for art programs in multiple disciplines.
A variety of projects will be funded with the help of the program. Following is a complete list of the 2021 grantees:
• Artistic Expressions Healing Arts Initiative: This program created by artist John Sebelius focuses on improving the quality of life for veterans suffering from post-traumatic-stress through art and self-exploration.
• Backstage TPAC at the Topeka Performing Arts Center: This outreach and arts education program works with at-risk pre-kindergarten through high school students.
During Black History Month, a local running group is mixing history with their workouts. Members of the RIOT (Running is our therapy) Squad are running to places significant to Baltimore's Black history, as they work out stress from the pandemic.
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