African-American students during the late 1800s in Indiana

<p style="font-weight: 400;">During the 1860s and '70s, "colored schools" (the term used during that era) began to open in Indiana. State laws required Black students to be educated in schools separate from their white counterparts.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">In 1886, the ceremony for the first graduate of <strong>Vincennes Colored High School </strong>in southwestern Indiana sparked a national controversy when whites boycotted the event, according to an article in the spring issue of <em><strong><a href= "https://images.indianahistory.org/digital/collection/p16797coll39">Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History</a></strong></em>, the magazine published by the <strong><a href= "https://indianahistory.org/">Indiana Historical Society</a></strong>.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">The article's author is acclaimed journalist, historian and researcher <strong><a href= "https://ijhf.org/trotter-eunice">Eunice Trotter</a></strong>, who will be Nelson's guest to share insights about the ways Indiana cities handled the education of African American youth during the late 19th century.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">During the 1870s, the first African-American student graduated from a predominantly white high school in <strong>Indianapolis</strong>. <strong>Mary Rann</strong> graduated from <strong>Indianapolis High School</strong> (later renamed <strong><a href= "https://myips.org/shortridge/">Shortridge High School</a></strong>) in 1876. While much about her background and the milestone event is unknown, "it did open the way for others," Eunice writes.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">The high school graduation 10 years later of Vincennes resident <strong>Grace Brewer</strong> was much more widely publicized because of the boycott of the citywide commencement by many white residents. They included pastors of local churches and business leaders as well as their teenage sons and daughters who were scheduled to graduate from <strong><a href= "https://www.vcsc.k12.in.us/lincoln-high-info/">Vincennes High School</a><