The first YWCA branch in Indianapolis opened its doors in 1895, but was segregated. Five prominent women leaders including Madam C.J. Walker formed a committee to create a center specifically for Black women and girls in the city.
The Indianapolis Phyllis Wheatley YWCA opened in 1921 in a building on California Street. It is named after the first published African American woman poet in the U.S. Due to an increase in enrollment the “Wheatley Y,” moved into a new, three-story building at 653 N. West in 1928. The organization closed in 1959, after 35 years once YWCAs were desegregated.
On April 26, more than 100 residents, leaders and stakeholders gathered on the lawn of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church for the unveiling of the historical marker to honor the history of the YWCA branch.
Rhoda Stuart-Keough, a lifelong parishioner of St. Philip’s, raises her hands as she receives recognition for her involvement in the preservation of the history of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA on April 26, 2025. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
City-County Councilor Dr. Carlos W Perkins, who is a pastor at Bethel Cathedral AME Zionsville, speaks during the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA plaque dedication ceremony April 26, 2025. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
A photo of two girls in a documentary about the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA is projected before the ceremony of the plaque dedication April 26, 2025. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
A free copy of “Legacy Lands | Protopian Futures,” a multi-disciplinary design studio book produced by the Harvard Graduate School of Design, sits on a pew April 26, 2025, at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
A participant of the ceremony looks over a copy of “Legacy Lands | Protopian Futures,” a multi-disciplinary design studio book produced by the Harvard Graduate School of Design, on April 26, 2025, at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
Buttons for donors to the plaque dedication sit on a table April 26, 2025. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
Olivia Lockhart, a member of Bethel AME, poses for a portrait April 26, 2025, during the ceremony. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
Linda Simms Evans holds a copy of “Legacy Lands | Protopian Futures” on April 26, 2025, during the ceremony. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
Gail Dent, a member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, waits at the entry to greet participants of the plaque dedication ceremony for the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA building, April 26, 2025, in downtown Indianapolis. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
Participants of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA plaque dedication ceremony listen as Dr. Joseph Tucker Edmonds, professor of Africana and religious studies at IU Indianapolis, speaks April 26, 2025 outside of St. Philip’s Espiscopal church. Credit: Ted Somerville for Mirror Indy
Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or [email protected].
Ted Somerville is a Mirror Indy freelance contributor. You can reach him at [email protected].
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