This week in Indiana’s history …
1879 – Sid Grauman was born in Indianapolis. He was one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He is best known for building Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, a landmark in Hollywood. The forecourt of the theatre is famous for nearly 200 celebrity hand and footprints in cement.
1913 – The Indiana legislature adopted the official state song, “On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away.” Written in 1897 by Paul Dresser of Terre Haute, the tune was one of the most popular of its era.
1933 – Banks across Indiana began to reopen after having been closed for a week. President Franklin D. Roosevelt had declared a “bank holiday” that shut down the banking system in response to a month-long run by nervous depositors.
1955 – Crispus Attucks High School, led by Coach Ray Crowe, defeated Gary Roosevelt to win the state basketball championship. It was the first all-African American team in the nation to win a state title.
1969 – Governor Edgar D. Whitcomb signed a bill to consolidate government within Marion County. Called “UNIGOV,” the plan was first introduced by Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar.
2008 – Barack Obama, running for his first term in office, attended a campaign rally at Plainfield High School. He told the crowd, “This is your campaign. This is your chance to make your mark on history.”