New Albany: History of Black Settlement

9 Locations | Curated by University of Louisville Public History Program

Black Americans, enslaved and free, had a presence in Floyd County from the beginnings of White settlement in the area. The 1830 census listed 265 Black residents. The population grew dramatically in later decades. By 1860 New Albany had the largest number of Black Americans in Indiana. Some worked in shipbuilding, as wagon drivers and draymen, while others on the Ohio River worked as boatmen, firemen, cooks, engineers, and chambermaids. A few owned property. Many lived in the West Union neighborhood, which became a target of racism as debate over slavery escalated. Black Americans lent support to Black freedom seekers fleeing the South and also served valiantly in the Civil War.

The history of Black Americans in New Albany is evident in many sites. Churches, public buildings, private houses, bridges, and cemeteries reflect the lives and experiences of Black Americans. This tour focuses on sites associated with the Black past. It highlights the diversity of the Black American experience and its centrality in southern Indiana history.

After the Civil War, Black Americans strived to become full participants in society. Many saw education as crucial for advancement. In 1869, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation encouraging local school districts to provide Black communities with free public schools. The law sought to…
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Before the Civil War, Black Americans had limited educational opportunities. White children had access to tutors, private academies, and, in some areas, public schools. By contrast, Black children, whether enslaved or free, rarely received formal schooling. In 1869, the Indiana General Assembly…
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Before the Civil War, New Albany was the largest city in Indiana. It also had the largest population of Black residents in the state. At least eight percent of Black Hoosiers lived in Floyd County. Black freedom seekers often fled the South by crossing the Ohio River at New Albany. Sites throughout…
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In the early 1830s, Andrew and Mary Israel arrived in New Albany, Indiana, from Ohio. Andrew, a native of Kentucky, earned his living as a cobbler. Mary, originally from Virginia, helped her husband finish shoes. Most of her time, however, went into managing a boarding house and hotel on Main…
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Believed to be the oldest Black church in New Albany, Bethel African American Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church has been a pillar of Black life and culture in southern Indiana for more than 150 years. Founded in 1848, the church became active in the antislavery crusade and supported Black…
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Lucy Higgs lived an extraordinary life. Born enslaved in North Carolina, she gained her freedom during the Civil War, became a nurse to the 23rd Regiment of Indiana Volunteers, and lived out her days in New Albany. In 1898, a special act of Congress awarded her a pension for her services during the…
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From the 1850s until the early twentieth century, Freedomland Cemetery served as the main burial ground for Black Americans in New Albany. Originally called the “Colored People’s Burial Grounds” and the “Colored People’s Graveyard,” it lies in a wooded area off Paoli Pike on the northwest…
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During the Civil War, New Albany became a strategic supply and training center for the Union Army. Federal officials turned the Floyd County Fairgrounds into Camp Noble and converted local schools into hospitals. As casualties mounted, a burial ground became essential. In July 1862, Congress…
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In August 1860, at a site beside the Charlestown Road on the northeast side of New Albany, Black Americans gathered to celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people in the West Indies a quarter-century before. Speaking before the group, a Reverend Kelly declared, “I say that you have a duty to…
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