What accomplished, multi-talented Black actress was born in Indiana?

This week in Indiana’s history . . .

1905 – Reid Memorial Hospital in Richmond was dedicated. Construction was financed by Daniel G. Reid, who had made his fortune in tin plating, railroads, and steel.

1907 – Leonard A. Scheele was born in Fort Wayne. He earned a medical degree and worked in various institutes. During World War II, he served in the Army Medical Corps. In 1948, President Harry S. Truman appointed him as United States Surgeon General, and he continued in that position under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

1926 – Artist Theodore Clement Steele died at his home in Brown County. A member of the “Hoosier Group” of painters, he is famous for his Indiana landscapes and portraits of prominent citizens.

1931 – Several members of the winning Notre Dame football team made a trip to Los Angeles to take part in a major motion picture. Pictured in the news event were Elmer Layden, Harry Stuhldreher, Jimmy Crowley, and Don Miller. Along with the group was Bonnie Rockne, the widow of famous coach Knute Rockne. The movie, titled The Spirit of Notre Dame, included other players along with movie actors Lew Ayres, Andy Devine, and Sally Blane.

1952 – Curious Hoosiers reported that they had seen flying saucers in areas north of Lafayette. Witnesses observed the flight paths were erratic and saucer tails were shooting off in various colors. They reported that the objects seen at night were brighter than the brightest stars in the sky.

1964 – Vivica A. Fox was born in South Bend. She became an actress, producer, and television host. She began her career on Soul Train and starred in other TV shows and box office hit movies. She co-starred in and produced the Lifetime drama series Missing, for which she received an NAACP Award for Outstanding Actress.