Black History & Storytelling
Recovering Black History and Storytelling
HERBERT G. HAWKINS
From forgotten history to a recovered legacy.
What began as a search for one family story grew into a journey through Black history and storytelling. Herbert G. Hawkins was a Black Indianapolis entrepreneur, truck operator, cab owner, filling-station proprietor, laborer, and community member whose life was deeply connected to Indiana Avenue during the mid-20th century.
Once visible in his community and in the pages of the Indianapolis Recorder, Herbert’s story had largely disappeared from public memory. Recovering his life has meant piecing together family history, archival records, newspapers, photographs, and community history to return his story to the historical record.
Some stories are not lost. They are waiting to be recovered.
FROM RECOVERY TO PUBLIC RECORD
Herbert Hawkins’s story has moved beyond family memory and back into the public record.
INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER
Herbert Hawkins’s life and legacy have returned to the pages of the historic Black newspaper that once documented his place in Indianapolis community life.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF INDIANAPOLIS
Historical research on Herbert G. Hawkins has entered the city’s permanent public record through a published Encyclopedia of Indianapolis entry.
SPIRIT & PLACE
Herbert’s story will reach new audiences through public programming exploring his life, Indiana Avenue, memory, and the recovery of overlooked Black history.
THE HUB
Herbert’s recovered history is also entering educational spaces through programming examining erasure, historical memory, and the restoration of Black voices.