Frank Basile Presents Emerging Stories Premiere A FORERUNNER OF FREEDOM: INDIANAPOLIS BETHEL AMC HISTORY TOLD THROUGH STORY, SONG AND DANCE

In 1991, The National Park Service put Bethel Cathedral AME at 414 West Vermont Street on the National Register of Historic Places, making it the first Black church in Indianapolis to earn that distinction.

With the support of the Frank Basile Emerging Stories Fellowship, artist Manón Voice researched more of its rich history and crafted it into an original, dynamic story, “A Forerunner of Freedom: Indianapolis Bethel AME History told through Story, Song and Dance,” which she will premiere on stage at Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center on November 5. Tickets are on sale now for the live performance and livestream.

In her piece, Voice will spotlight the connections of Bethel AME Church with the Underground Railroad and the anti-slavery movement before the Civil War. Some historians believe the congregations' support of the Abolitionist Movement caused it to be the target of arsonists in 1862. Still, Bethel AME remained a stalwart of hope in the local Black community through its commitment to education and community outreach.

Frank Basile Emerging Stories Premiere: “A Forerunner of Freedom: Indianapolis Bethel AMC History told through Story, Song and Dance” featuring Manón Voice