This week in Indiana’s history …
1817 – Congress organized Indiana as one judicial district and a federal court was established. Benjamin Parke, a territorial judge from Vincennes, was appointed by President James Monroe to serve as the first district judge. The court met in the state capital of Corydon. It moved to Indianapolis when the seat of state government was transferred there.
1913 – On the same day that thousands of Suffragists were marching in Washington, D.C., over 500 women confronted lawmakers at the Indiana Statehouse. “Women to the right of them and women to the left of them,” reported the Indianapolis Star, “women in the corridors and in the doorways, women everywhere, and on every woman a yellow streamer bearing in black letters, ‘Votes for Women.'” Governor Samuel Ralston cheerfully agreed to wear one of the streamers on his coat.
1921 – Will Hays, from Sullivan, became United States Postmaster General. Appointed by President Warren G. Harding, he was sworn in by another Hoosier, Supreme Court Justice Willis Van Devanter from Marion. The following year, Hays became Chairman of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. In that position, he enforced what became known as the “Hays Code,” which set moral standards for Hollywood movies.
1932 – Indiana Governor Harry G. Leslie offered all state resources to Colonel Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne in the aftermath of the kidnapping of their 20-month-old son. The Lindberghs had been guests at the Governor’s Mansion and were widely admired by Hoosiers. The baby’s abduction from their New Jersey home dominated the news, commanding banner newspaper headlines and front-page stories for the next six weeks.
1941 – Helen Keller was the honored guest at Memorial Stadium in Gary. She had recently been named one of the 10 outstanding women in the world. Though blind and deaf, she was an inspirational and successful author, political activist, and lecturer. She was accompanied on her trip to Gary by her long-time secretary, Polly Thomson.
1972 – Indiana United States Senator Birch Bayh introduced amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965. The new legislation, classified as Title IX, called for an end to gender discrimination and provided equal opportunities to women in public education. Signed into law in June of 1972, Title IX has had a far-reaching effect, especially in women’s sports.