History

Human Rights Day 2002

                The first Terre Haute Human Rights Day was held April 12, 2002.  University faculty, students, and community leaders joined to celebrate and sponsor a variety of learning activities.  Workshops and panel discussions were held throughout the week. Mrs. Eva Kor, a Holocaust survivor, led a remembrance program and Dr. Joe Feagin, a founding member of the U.S. Army’s diversity training, was the featured presenter.  His remarks emphasized that social change requires commitment, planning, and determination.  Dr. Feagin spoke to three different groups, including members of the Terre Haute youth chapters of Amnesty International and NAACP, and ISU's Alpha Kappa Delta Chapter (Sociology Honorary Society).  Martha Jordan of the Martin Luther King Center gave an a capella vocal performance and an official declaration marking Human Rights Day was issued by Terre Haute Mayor Judy Anderson. 

 
Human Rights Day 2003

               More than 1500 people attended events associated with the second Human Right Day on April 10, 2003.  Participants were welcomed by ISU President Benjamin, Dean Diane Michelfelder, Mayor Judy Anderson, and Vigo County School Superintendent Dan Tanoos.  Art contest winner Amanda Greene was recognized and her winning entry, "Freedom," was featured on the cover of the day's program.  Eva Mozes Kor, Holocaust Survivor, was Honorary Human Rights Chair.  Jesse Taylor, Director of Region V of the U.S. Dept of Justice's Community Relations Services, gave the Keynote Address.  Featured speakers included Bernardine Dorhn, Director of the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University's School of Law, Claire King of the National Advisory Board for Teaching Tolerance at the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Shayna Plaut, Regional Human Rights Coordinator for Amnesty International.  Theatrical productions highlighted the contributions of Eugene V. Debs and Emma Goldman.  Many participants joined the Terre Haute Abolition Network for their monthly witness against the death penalty.

Human Rights Day 2004

              On April 15, 2004, a standing-room-only crowd heard Georgetown University Law Professor and former U.S. Congressman Father Robert Drinan, S. J. deliver the Plenary Session address, “The Human Rights Revolution: History and Hope,” followed by a lively question and answer session.  Welcome remarks were delivered by ISU President Lloyd Benjamin III, Principal Mick Newport of North Vigo High School, and Indiana Civil Rights Commission Director Sandra Leek.  Tuskegee Airman Pompey Hawkins was introduced as one of Indiana’s National Treasures.  The program featured cover art by Tyler Phelps of North Vermillion High School (photograph, Will Work for Work) and Kristina Bittles of Greencastle High School (pastel and charcoal drawing, Freedom).  ISU Community Service Fellow Eric LaFary was our Master of Ceremonies.  A wide variety of workshops were presented by visiting speakers, including N.A.A.C.P. Deputy General Counsel Angela Ciccolo, J.D., Amnesty International’s Christopher Watson, Rose Hulman Unity, Indiana AFL/CIO Organizing Institute’s Michael Wilmore, Indiana Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Samuel Norvanis, African American Institute for Policy Studies Director Efia Nwangaza, Terre Haute N.A.A.C.P.’s Youth Council, Sister Kathleen Desautels, S.P., Rose Hulman’s Jewish Culture Club, St. Mary-of-the-Woods’ Social Justice Club, CODA, the Sisters of Providence, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Terre Haute’s Abolition Network.  More than 300 people played “The Poverty Game,” presented by ISU Social Work students.  Representatives from 25 social service and community organizations staffed information tables.  Many participants joined the Abolition Network’s monthly Witness Against the Death Penalty.  ISU’s Theater Department presented staged readings of Joan Halden’s Nickel and Dimed for high school students and the general public.  More than 2000 people took part in the various presentations and events and  Steering Committee members committed themselves to an even better Human Rights Day 2005!

Human Rights Day 2005

               An estimated 2500 people participated in various events organized for Human Rights Day 2005 on April 14th.   The day began with "It's a Small World After All," sung by members of ISU's Early Childhood Education Center Chorus, whose director, Gail Gottschling, received a United Nations musical globe in appreciation of their performance.  Terre Haute Mayor Kevin Burke, ISU President Lloyd Benjamin III, Civil Rights Commission Director Gregory Kellam Scott, J.D., and Master of Ceremonies Eric LaFary, ISU Graduate Student in the Dept. of Geography, Geology, and Anthropology, welcomed those assembled.   Assistant Director LaNeeca Williams of the ISU Diversity/Affirmative Action Office introduced Indiana National Treasures Jean and George Umemura and presented them with a plaque in recognition of their triumph over adversity and appreciation of their exemplary human spirit. The plenary address, Children's Rights Around the World, was given by A. Widney Brown, J.D., of Human Rights Watch, and drew a crowd of more than 500 students, faculty, and community listeners.  The theme of Children's Rights was illustrated by the program's cover art, including an excerpt from Ana Coniglio's mixed media handmade book, Bedtime Stories, and a digital photo, Right of Passage? by Josh Rankin, Travis Allison, and Kelly Knight.  The art exhibition featured more than 60 pieces by students from four counties.  Presentations and workshops included representatives from a wide variety of organizations, including Human Rights Watch, the Center for Wrongful Conviction's 8th Day Center for Justice, Amnesty International, the Council on Domestic Abuse, the AFL/CIO's Organizing Institute,  UCLA's Geffen Institute, World Vision, the Sisters of Providence, Terre Haute NAACP's Youth Council, Rose-Hulman Unity, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Indiana Civil Rights Commission.  "Guilty Until Proven Innocent," presented by exonerated death row prisoner Kirk Bloodsworth, was cited by many as particularly moving and effective. Information tables staffed by representatives of more than 20 organizations lined the halls outside Dede I and the "Poverty Game" drew hundreds of enthusiastic participants.  An original play, An American Lynching: The Emmett Till Story, written by ISU graduate students George Potter and Monique Mosley, was presented as a staged reading for more than 200 high school students at noon and an additional  300 community viewers at 4 o'clock.  An enthusiastic crowd participated in the Terre Haute March Against Hate just after this presentation.  A pizza supper for marchers and a reception honoring winning entrants in the art exhibition wound up the day's activities.  Terre Haute Mayor Kevin Burke proclaimed April 14th, 2005, as Human Rights Day and the City Street Dept. re-named a section of North 5th Street "Human Rights Way" in recognition of our community's commitment to freedom, justice, and peace.

Human Rights Day 2006

              Once again, a record crowd took part in Human Rights Day on the beautiful Indiana State University campus.  Our 2006 theme, The Right to an Adequate Standard of Living, fostered an explosion of local activism in addition to the day's program.  ISU's campus-wide effort of staff, students, faculty, and administration raised $12,000 to underwrite House # 51 for Wabash Valley's Habitat for Humanity's selected family.  The house was completed and occupied in June!  HRD participants also donated $300 in cash and 200 pounds of canned goods to the Catholic Charities Food Bank.  This year's Mistress of Ceremonies was ISU Criminology graduate student, Melissa Long.  Terre Haute Mayor Kevin Burke, ISU President Lloyd Benjamin III, and North Vigo High School Principal Mick Newport welcomed those assembled.  Indiana National Treasure, Mother Bettie Davis of Terre Haute, was profiled and introduced by Terre Haute N.A.A.C.P. Youth Council's Korrie Williams.  Mother Bettie was surprised to see more than 250 audience members wearing t-shirts with her name and image!  Human Rights Day plenary speaker Sister Mary Scullion of Philadelphia's Project H.O.M.E. was introduced by Sister Jenny Howard of St.-Mary-of-the-Woods College.  Sister Scullion encouraged those present to hold politicians accountable for improving communities by using public money for the public good.  Both D.C. Kitchen's Robert Egger and California Bay Area's B.O.S.S. Director Boona Cheema emphasized cooperative efforts among local social service agencies and businesses to create new work training initiatives which can lead to empowerment and self-sufficiency for those currently living in poverty.  By popular demand, exonerated Death Row prisoner Kirk Bloodsworth returned to recount his ordeal and urged those present to work for social justice.  In collaboration with ISU's English Department and Cunningham Memorial Library, Dr Francisco Jiménez spoke to a group of 200 middle school students about his childhood experiences in a family of poverty-stricken migrant workers.  Students prepared for this event by reading and studying his award-winning novel, The Circuit.  Dr. Jiménez also met with ISU faculty and students, who were greatly moved by his candor and humility.  HRD participants saw Living Voices' dramatic presentation, La Causa, which profiled César Chavez and the struggle for farmworkers' rights.  Poverty--Its NOT a Game, presented by ISU's Social Work Department, occupied the entire 4th floor of HMSU this year and set an attendance record.  The art exhibit, Edged Out--Poverty and Separation, also drew its largest audience ever.  The winning entry was Just One Chance (Solamente una Oportunidad) by Terre Haute senior Robert Powell of McLean Education Center.  The Terre Haute Stop the War in Iraq group sponsored the installation of Arlington West, featuring white crosses to represent fallen American soldiers and Dr. Ralph Leck spoke about ethics and war.  Workshops and a debate rounded out the program and featured high school students from Terre Haute N.A.A.C.P. Youth Council (a panel on A Living Wage), students from North Vigo High School's Amnesty International (a panel on volunteer opportunities to fight poverty), and college students from Rose-Hulman's Unity and ISU's Great Ideas Philosophy Clubs, who debated Gay Marriage: Pro and Con.  Table displays highlighted local community and social service organizations.    Terre Haute's March Against Hate was followed by a pizza supper at The Fountain, where all were treated to live music provided by Terre Haute North Vigo's Close Enough to Jazz combo.

Human Rights Day 2007

               This year’s theme, The Right to Freedom of Expression, introduced “Speakers’ Corner” to participants in Terre Haute Human Rights Day.  An open microphone was available for two hours at The Fountain on our beautiful Indiana State University campus.  Good weather, earnest speakers and listeners, and excellent spirit contributed to the success of this event, which was managed by Terre Haute Stop War on Iraq, ISU’s Sociology Department students, and the Great Ideas Philosophy Club.  Attendees began calling it “The Rant,” in the best tradition of free expression.  The Arlington West installation near The Fountain, sponsored by Terre Haute Stop War on Iraq, again served as a reminder of the cost and sacrifice associated with war.   The Human Rights Day 2007’s  Mistress of Ceremonies was ISU Communications major, Michelle Jordan and she introduced the videotaped presentation of this year’s Indiana National Treasure award to Indiana’s U. S. Rep. Julia Carson of Indianapolis. Peter Ciancone, Special Asst. to Terre Haute Mayor Kevin Burke, Lloyd Benjamin III, ISU President, and Mick Newport, Terre Haute North Vigo High School Principal, gave welcoming remarks at the Opening Reception.  Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Sichan Siv was introduced by ISU Political Science Professor Dr. Michael Chambers.  Ambassador Siv spoke eloquently about his experiences as a refugee/escapee from Cambodia, including his perspective on the challenges and opportunities awaiting those who relocate to the United States. His book, Death and Rebirth: Up From the Killing Fields, was published later in 2007.  Sister Ngwang Sangdrol was introduced to those assembled by Indiana Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Claudia Peña Porretti, J.D.  Sister Sangdrol later spoke, with assistance from a translator, about her personal journey from champion of free speech jailed for many years in Tibet and now relocated in the United States as the result of international efforts by Amnesty International and other groups.  A panel discussion on freedom of the press was moderated by Dave Cox (Sisters of Providence) and featured Craig Klugman (Editor, Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette), Stephanie Salter (Asst Editor, Terre Haute Tribune-Star), and Warren Watson (Director, Journalist Institute for Digital Education, Activities and Scholarship at Ball State University).  Afternoon workshops included: Porretti’s talk, “American Civil Liberties Union—Guardian of the First Amendment”; NAACP Terre Haute Branch Youth Council’s panel on “Free Expression and Music Lyrics”; Bill Stant (Indiana Green Party Co-Chair) on “Human Rights and Single Issue Movements”; photo-journalist Maia Wechsler’s presentation, “Social Justice and Documentary Art”; Dr. Ralph Leck (Marian College) on “The Science of Sexuality and the Politics of Sexual Freedom,”; and Terre Haute North Vigo High School’s Amnesty International sponsor, Linda Lambert’s presentation, “Anti-Torture Activism.”  POVERTY—It’s NOT a Game took over the 4th floor of HMSU and the ISU’s Social Work Department students wowed hundreds of participants during their four hour stint.  This year’s Human Rights Day program included more performance venues than ever, including a Writers’ Workshop and concert by Carrie Newcomer (folk singer/ human rights activist from Brown County, Indiana), an entertaining dance presentation by Condiments Upon Request (Terre Haute Ryves Hall Youth Performers), and the extraordinary Exonerated, a play featuring local performers directed by Ann Venable, which brought many in the audience to tears.  This year’s art exhibition, Freedom Through Expression, included more varied exhibits than ever (a chair, several dioramas, videotapes, paintings, drawings, sculpture, and inter-active pieces).  The winning entrant was Individuality, a bright red papier-mãché piece by 9th grader Katie Richards of Rockville Jr/Sr High School.  ISU’s Affirmative Action/ Diversity Office led participants in the traditional March Against Hate parade around campus, followed by pizza at The Fountain.  The Human Rights Day 2007 Steering Committee thanks all participants, presenters, and sponsors for their contributions and devotion to this effort.  We did it together.