Local Leaders
Rick Cottman
Rick Cottman, a member of the New Castle NAACP, was influential in organizing a march in New Castle to bring awareness to racial discrimination in employment practices in the city. African American citizens were not getting good government service jobs, and instead were restricted to lowly service jobs. Mr. Cottman and Reverend Charles Harrison wrote articles in the local newspaper to draw attention to the march. While they grabbed the attention of the community, Mr. Cottman was the target of a hate crime. He found a cross burning in his front yard while he and his family were home. Nevertheless, the march was a success and resulted in the hiring of the first black firefighter in New Castle.
Hurley Goodall
Hurley Goodall is one of the most prominent figures in Muncie and Delware County’s civil rights history. Mr. Goodall worked toward achieving equal opportunities for African Americans in Delaware County and the Muncie community. Along with Reverend Oliver, Mr. Goodall demanded that the Pepsi Cola company hire African Americans, which was successful. Mr. Goodall was one of the first two African-American members of the Muncie Fire Department and was elected as the first African-American member of the Muncie School Board, in which he was influential in putting an end to the Southside controversy.
Hurley Goodall
Ball State Archives and Special Collections
Hurley Goodall was the first paid black firefighter in Muncie, Indiana and also the first African-American to serve on Muncie's school board. He also was the first black legislator from Delaware County to serve in the state of Indiana's legislature.
Johnny Wilson
Johnny Wilson is a star athlete from Anderson who had a very successful career in sports. Wilson ran track, played in the Negro League for baseball, and played basketball, even playing for the Harlem Globetrotters. When he traveled with his basketball team during college, he was not allowed to eat or sleep with the rest of the team because of his skin color. Mr. Wilson is an incredible example of a success story in overcoming discriminatory attitudes and actions.
Vivian Conley was an activist for civil rights, education, and senior citizens. She was the first African-American non- traditional student at Ball State University. She created and called for the first non-traditional student union at the university. Ms. Conley also was involved in the campaigns to desegregate Tuhey Pool during the 1950’s, as well as to end the use of the Confederate flag as a symbol at Southside High School during the 1970’s.
Vivian Conley
Ball State Archives and Special Collections
Ball State Archives and Special Collections
Oatess Archey grew up in Marion during the 1930’s. Upon returning to Marion Community Schools as an adult, he saw that there were no African-American teachers in the system. So he applied for a teaching job. Even though he has high qualifications, he was offered a job as a janitor rather than a teacher. Mr. Archey eventually was recruited into the FBI and taught police officers from around the nation and the world, as well as other FBI agents. Mr. Archey later became the first African American sheriff of Marion.
Oatess Archey
Ball State Archives and Special Collections
James Cameron was 16 years old when he was arrested along with two friends on suspicion they commited a murder. Before he and his friends could be placed on trial, a mob of people broke them out of jail to lynch them. Just as the mob was able to lynch Mr. Cameron, someone yelled out from the crowd, "He didn't do it!" The mob cut him down from the tree. He went on to become an activist as well as founded several chapters of the NAACP and the Black Holocaust Museum.
Ball State Archives and Special Collections
Ball State Archives and Special Collections