The following articles describe a troubling racial incident in Indianapolis and, later, Yorktown in the 1970’s. Fifty years later, I think we can speak to this part of our local history.
The 1960’s and 1970’s were a time of great political unrest and tension. The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1965. People were dying in Vietnam nightly on our television. Although the Vietnam War ended for the U.S. in 1975, the fight for civil rights continues even today.
In 1970, we lived in an emotional tinder box. The first article was on the front page of the Daily News on March 20, 1970. It discusses the removal of a black student teacher, Myron Richardson, from teaching at Yorktown High School. Richardson’s removal happened after a semi-state brawl in which black students from Indianapolis fought with white Yorktown students post game. Four Yorktown students were beaten.
The game was win for Muncie Central against Crispus Attucks in Indianapolis. The Yorktown team wasn’t playing.
BSU Junior, Richardson had nothing to do with the fight, he happened to be the only black person within Yorktown Schools. Yorktown had never had a black student or a black teacher prior to this time. YHS Principal Vories dismissed the black student teacher but under pressure reinstated him days later. The dismissal was to ease tensions at the school said Vories. Although some said that there were no tensions at YHS until Richardson was dismissed.
Many saw the dismissal of the student teacher as racist and not a safety issue at all. I applaud the students who stood up for Mr. Richardson, the vocal teachers, and Dwight Hoover, BSU historian, for trying to ensure Richardson was reinstated and black BSU students would be treated equally as they went to communities to student teach.
Then YHS teacher, Larry Carmichael said that “the [Yorktown] community was a privileged community money-wise but culturally deprived.” I would have to agree with him.
There is history to back Carmichael’s statement. According to one older, lifelong Yorktown resident, Yorktown was a Sundown Town. That meant that only whites were allowed in the town after dark. I’m unsure of how long Yorktown was a Sundown town–whether by legal means or not.
In doing research on land sales in Yorktown, I see on deeds even in the mid 1960’s that state the property may not be sold to a black person.
A historical fact: when Indiana was founded, the original 1851 state constitution barred people of color from settling in the state with some exceptions. Eventually that was overturned or repealed by the Supreme Court during Reconstruction following the Civil War.
On the other hand, slavery was also outlawed in Indiana (with some exceptions). Indiana also outlawed indentured servitude calling it “near slavery”.
Please add to the discussion below. What do you remember about this specific incident in 1970? I caution in advance that absolutely NO RACIST or HATEFUL statements will be tolerated.
One final note about our community’s progress towards diversity. We are now all welcoming but the 2010 census shows that 96% of our population are white. The black population was only 1.5% in 2010. About the same for the Asian population. If the same as the nation, there would be about a 10% black population in our town. The continuing effects of being a Sundown town are evidenced even today. The 2020 census will be interesting.
A footnote: I did check on Myron Kenneth Richardson to see what became of him. He is now retired from Human Resources at GM and was also the Executive Director of Flanner House in Indianapolis, a non-profit which feeds the hungry and helps people become self-reliant. He lives in Carmel with his family. I may try to interview him in the future.
