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1956, Indianapolis. A two-bedroom shack on Douglass Street. Many businesses are being shut down and boarded up, and families are being forced to move out of their homes due to the changes in the city. What once bustled with jazz, blues, laughter, and sunshine has become a dark, cold, and lonely place where many struggle to find their way. Historical background to this play.
In the 1950s, Indiana Avenue and surrounding neighborhoods in Indianapolis faced severe housing crises, particularly affecting the Black community. Many homes were substandard, poorly maintained, and unsafe due to neglect by landlords and inadequate city oversight. One particularly tragic incident occurred in 1956, when an electrical fire killed two toddlers in a dilapidated shack at 614-6 Douglass Street. The structure, which was essentially partitioned with cardboard, was part of a back addition to a duplex. The mother of the children had repeatedly complained about electrical issues to the landlord, but no repairs had been made. During the fire, the flames spread too quickly for nearby residents to save the children.
This fire was a symptom of the larger housing and safety problems in Black neighborhoods. Many landlords, both Black and White, profited from renting out substandard housing to the rapidly growing Black population, exacerbated by the city's lack of proper housing regulations and inspections. Indiana Avenue, historically a center of Black culture, suffered from these conditions while also facing systemic displacement and urban renewal, which further destabilized the community.
The story of the fire, along with many other similar incidents, underscores the dangerous living conditions faced by the Black population in Indianapolis during this period, a direct result of discriminatory housing policies and economic exploitation.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave,Indianapolis,IN,United States
