INDIANAPOLIS — On November 14, 1925, the state of Indiana and the nation at large witnessed the unraveling of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and its grip on Indiana politics and society. The KKK rose to prominence across the nation, and in Indiana.
Most histories of the KKK acknowledge the organization’s demise by 1926, but few explain the events leading to its dismantling. Those events began on March 15, 1925, when Irvington resident Madge Oberholtzer reluctantly attended a late-night business meeting at the home of D.C. Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan. The tragic events following that gathering altered the course of history for Indiana, and arguably the nation.
To recognize the 100th year of Oberholtzer’s death and the subsequent trial and conviction of Stephenson, multiple organizations have come together to provide opportunities for discussion and learning, and to reflect on a difficult shared legacy of our history. Some of the organizations involved in the commemoration include the Indianapolis Public Library, the Indiana Historical Society, Indiana State Library, Marion County Historical Society, and the Irvington Historical Society.
Beginning Saturday, March 1, the Irvington Historical Society will feature an exhibit that explores the life of Dr. John Kaylor Kingsbury, a major figure in Madge Oberholtzer’s life and D.C. Stephenson’s murder conviction. It will be in conjunction with the unveiling of the Irvington mural celebrating Madge Oberholtzer. This exhibit will focus on the life of Dr Kingsbury, his professional life, his entrepreneurial interests, and the part he played in Stephenson’s conviction. It takes place in the only building remaining of Butler’s Irvington campus. The exhibit is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m. at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center, 5350 University Ave. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.
Sampson Levingston (Through2Eyes Indiana) will take individuals on a walking tour of Irvington to learn about some of the influential women who have lived in the community, focusing on the life and legacy of Madge Oberholtzer. The walks will take place on Saturday, March 15 at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 19 at 10:30 a.m., and Saturday, March 29 at 2 p.m. starting at the Irvington Library, 5625 E. Washington St. Registration is required for the tours, at indypl.org
On Tuesday, April 22 at 6 p.m., Irvington author Charlotte Ottinger will be at the Irvington Branch to talk about her book, Madge: The Life and Times of Madge Oberholtzer. Admission is free.
On Thursday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Madam Walker Legacy Center, 617 Indiana Ave., the46th Annual Marian McFadden Memorial Lecture will feature a special discussion with acclaimed writer and historian Timothy Egan, veteran chronicler of the American experience and author of A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Tickets are free but extremely limited and will be available to the public beginning Friday, March 7 at 5 p.m., while supplies last. Visit indypl.org to reserve a ticket.
This event will be recorded! If you are unable to secure a ticket, please visit The Indianapolis Public Library on YouTube to watch the lecture for up to a week following the event.
A book signing will follow Egan’s presentation.
