Indianapolis, IN
Black innovation is American history. – Indianapolis Recorder
As Black History Month continues, the conversation often turns to enduring struggles and cultural triumphs. However, in the halls of the Indiana Statehouse, City-County Councilman Keith Graves (District 9) pointed to a more fundamental truth: the very infrastructure of modern American life — from the traffic light that guides our everyday commute to the refrigerator that preserves our everyday foods — is profoundly shaped by Black inventors whose stories have been systematically overlooked.
“The successes and the value that they (Black innovators) brought to our society is lost over the years, and sometimes intentionally lost,” Graves said during the Indy Black Chamber of Commerce’s Lunch with Legislators event.
Graves highlights figures like Garrett A. Morgan, the son of freed slaves who patented an early three-position traffic signal in 1923, a direct precursor to the lights that now orchestrate global traffic. He points to John Standard, who in 1887 refined the refrigerator with an improved ice-chamber (‘ice box’) design, advancing the technology of modern kitchen preservation.
Perhaps most poetically, Graves notes the humble reservoir in the ballpoint pen, an innovation by William B. Purvis in 1890 that solved the problem of even ink flow.
“All these pens in here,” Graves remarked, “those are Black inventions.”
These are not niche footnotes; they are pillars of daily life. Yet, as Graves argues, the narrative of American innovation has too often been whitewashed.
“We talk a lot about our experiences on the negative side,” Graves said. “I want us to promote the positives that we brought to this country and to the world.”
This erasure has tangible consequences for the present. Graves, a financial advisor with over two decades of experience, connects the historical dots to a contemporary crisis: the stifling of Black wealth creation.
“We had the country’s first Black millionaire in this city,” Graves said, referring to Madam C.J. Walker, the haircare magnate who built her empire in Indianapolis. “And there’s no reason why we shouldn’t see just tons of examples of her legacy around our city. We see Irsay, we see Eskenazi, we see Lucas … but we don’t see Black families’ names on buildings.”
His sentiment underscores a central theme: innovation without ownership and recognition fuels inequality. The genius of Black creators was harnessed to build national prosperity. At the same time, systemic barriers often prevented them and their descendants from fully sharing in its wealth.
The fabric of modern American life is woven with inventions by Black innovators, whose groundbreaking work from the late 19th century onward created the infrastructure of our daily routines. In 1881, Lewis Latimer made electric lighting practical and affordable with his durable carbon filament. Frederick McKinley Jones advanced the modern grocery supply chain in 1940 by inventing the mobile refrigeration unit. This legacy continued into the 1970s with Shirley Jackson, whose pioneering telecommunications research laid the foundation for touch-tone phones, fiber optics and caller ID.
Co-author of “Foundational Black American Inventors: 20 Household Inventions You Use Every Day,” Theresa Almon knows how important it is to preserve Black history for people.
“Why didn’t we learn this in school?” Almon asked on social media. “The doorknob microphone, potato chips and so much more were invented by foundational Black Americans.”
OLED montiors? Invented by Mark Dean. The standing dust pan? Invented by Lloyd Ray. The modern indoor toilet? Created by Thomas Elkins. The lightweight military cot? An invention of Leonard Bailey. The keychain? Frederick Loudin. The modern indoor clothes dryer? George Sampson.
The list of Black innovations is virtually endless.
The councilman’s call is for a conscious re-orientation — in education, in public discourse and in policy.
“We need to be focused on creating Black wealth again,” Graves told the Indianapolis Recorder. Graves views events like “Lunch with Legislators” as foundational for building the alliances necessary to “protect success,” noting that “when we see Black people succeeding, we see the forces that be trying to thwart it.”
Looking forward, Graves announced his kickoff event for his City-County Council re-election campaign, centered on education, homelessness, healthcare access and Indianapolis’ crisis-level eviction rates. His uses his platform as a modern extension of the same fight for equity and recognition.
The story of Black innovation is not a segregated subplot. It is the story of the American pencil, pantry, and street corner. As Graves powerfully reminds us, honoring that history is not merely an act of retroactive gratitude; it is an essential step toward building a future where the next generation of Garrett Morgans and Madam Walkers can see their names — and their legacies — written into the fabric of the nation they helped invent.
“We should be teaching about this all year, not just one month,” Almon said.
Contact Multimedia Reporter Noral Parham at 317=762=7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
IndyCar race results from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
IndyCar Series drivers are on the grid in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course is set to host a day of open wheel racing.
View Indianapolis race results for the IndyCar Series below.
Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward set the front row. 85 laps laps of stock car racing are up next…
Race Report
Green flag, Alex Palou is clear out of turn one. Pato O’Ward is turned! Scott Dixon and others are collected. The caution is out.
Penalty: Felix Rosenqvist will serve a drive thru penalty for contact in turn one.
Green, Palou leads Malukas and Kirkwood into turn one.
Lap 7, Kirkwood dives inside of Malukas into turn one. Kirkwood takes 2nd away.
Lap 21, Alexander Rossi is stalled and the caution is out. Multiple pit strategies are now in play.
Palou heads for the pit lane. Power is handed the lead as Palou restarts 19th.
Green, Power leads Malukas and Lundgaard. Felix Rosenqvist jumps over the top of Kyffin Simpson, caution.
Power pits from the lead with others. Malukas is handed the lead.
Green, Malukas leads Lunagaard into turn one.
Lap 48, Malukas and others head for the pit lane. Lundgaard pits the following lap. Malukas cycles out ahead. Malukas is saving fuel.
Lap 52, Power leads Malukas by 8 seconds.
Lap 63, Alex Palou pits for the final time from 5th.
20 to go, Lundgaard and many of the leaders dive for the pit lane. A lap later, Malukas heads for the pit lane.
Malukas cycles out ahead of Lundgaard. Lundgaard trails by 1.3 seconds.
18 to go, Lundgaard is all over the gearbox of the leader! Malukas blocks the inside into turn one. He misses a shift and Lundgaard pulls on the outside. They fight for space into turn four, Lundgaard to the lead!
8 to go, Lundgaard leads Malukas by 3 seconds. He’s driving away.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Race Results
May 9, 2026
IndyCar Series
Pos | Driver
1. Christian Lundgaard
2. David Malukas
3. Graham Rahal
4. Josef Newgarden
5. Alex Palou
6. Scott Dixon
7. Louis Foster
8. Dennis Hauger
9. Kyle Kirkwood
10. Nolan Siegel
11. Marcus Armstrong
12. Kyffin Simpson
13. Will Power
14. Santino Ferrucci
15. Rinus VeeKay
16. Scott McLaughlin
17. Sting Ray Robb
18. Pato O’Ward
19. Caio Collet
20. Mick Schumacher
21. Romain Grosjean
22. Marcus Ericsson
23. Felix Rosenqvist
24. Christian Rasmussen
25. Alexander Rossi
IndyCar Series
Point Standings
Pending
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Video Highlights
Pending
Links
Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indycar
TODAY
Early clouds give way to gradual clearing, and the afternoon turns much nicer than the damp start might suggest. Highs reach the mid 70s, with a west-southwest breeze around 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. Once we get past the morning gray, this looks like a very usable day for outdoor plans, just a bit breezy at times.
TONIGHT
Clouds increase again overnight, and scattered showers with a few thunderstorms may arrive late, mainly after 3 a.m. Lows settle in the mid 50s, with a light breeze becoming northerly late. Most of the evening stays quiet, but by early Sunday morning a few neighborhoods could hear some rain on the roof.
MOTHER’S DAY
Cooler than Saturday, with a mix of clouds and some breaks of sun along with the chance for an isolated shower. Highs top out in the mid 60s, and a north breeze around 5 to 10 mph adds a slightly cooler feel. It is not a washout, but it is also not as nice as Saturday afternoon, especially south of Indianapolis where a stray shower may hang on longer.
TOMORROW NIGHT
Partly cloudy and cooler, with lows in the mid 40s and a north northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph. The air dries out nicely, and this looks like a quiet, comfortable night across central Indiana.
MONDAY
Bright and seasonably cool with sunshine taking over. Highs reach the mid 60s, with a light north wind around 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. This looks like one of the cleaner forecast days of the stretch, great for errands, practices, or getting outside without weather trouble.
MONDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and chilly again, with lows in the low to mid 40s and light wind fading late. Quiet weather continues, and there are no meaningful travel concerns overnight.
TUESDAY
Another decent start, then clouds begin to increase later with a chance for showers and thunderstorms after mid afternoon. Highs reach the mid 60s, with a light south southwest breeze around 5 to 10 mph. Most of the day still looks usable, but the late afternoon and evening carry the next better rain signal.
TUESDAY NIGHT
Showers and thunderstorms become more likely for part of the night before activity starts to ease later on. Lows hold in the low to mid 50s, with a south-southwest wind around 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. It does not look like a high-end severe setup right now, but it is enough of a signal to keep an eye on late evening plans.
WEDNESDAY
A leftover shower is possible early, then the trend turns drier with more sun returning through the day. Highs recover into the upper 60s, and a northwest breeze around 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph will make it feel a little brisker at times. The day improves as it goes, and by afternoon it should look much better than the early morning may suggest.
7 DAY FORECAST
After a milder Saturday and a small late Saturday night into Sunday shower window, the broader pattern settles down for Sunday night and Monday with quieter, cooler weather in place. The next more meaningful chance for rain arrives Tuesday into Tuesday night as another system approaches, then drier conditions return Wednesday as that system pulls away. Temperatures run in the 70s Saturday, slip back into the 60s Sunday through Tuesday, then edge a little milder again by midweek. Confidence is best in the quiet Sunday night through Monday stretch, while the exact timing of Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night rain could still wobble a bit.
Editor’s note: This interview is part of our ‘Meet the Candidates’ show. Watch past episodes here.
After working in education for about 15 years, Andrea Hunley won her first bid for political office four years ago in an Indiana Senate district covering the core of Indianapolis.
On May 8, Hunley, 42, officially launched her campaign for an office that she says feels closer to home: Indianapolis mayor.
About a year ahead of the May 2027 mayoral primary, Hunley sat down with IndyStar on May 5 to discuss what she hopes to accomplish as mayor, why her candidacy differs from her challengers, and how she thinks about hot-button issues like education, public safety and data centers.
At this point, Hunley will face longtime Indianapolis City-County Councilor Vop Osili and Department of Public Works administrator David Bride. Both candidates will also be invited for sit-down interviews with IndyStar in the coming weeks.
Email Indianapolis City Hall Reporter Jordan Smith at JTSmith@indystar.com. Follow him on X @jordantsmith09 and Bluesky @jordanaccidentally.bsky.social.
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