Honoring Hines

The late abstract painter Felrath Hines was commemorated by the Indiana State Museum with an exhibition of his artwork in 2019. On Thursday, April 27, the museum helped honor him again – this time with a historical marker outside his alma mater, Crispus Attucks High School.

THE MARKER READS:

Felrath Hines, Jr.

Black abstract painter Samuel Felrath Hines, Jr. was born in Indianapolis in 1913. He graduated from segregated Crispus Attucks High School in 1931. Trained at the Art Institute of Chicago, Hines moved to New York City, where he became immersed in the modernist movement of the 1950s. Major museums exhibited his pieces, which used geometric forms and radiant color.

Hines participated in the 1963 March on Washington and joined Spiral, a group of Black artists advocating for racial equality. Though passionate about civil rights, he separated his activism from his artwork. Hines restored pieces for Georgia O’Keeffe and served as conservator of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, but prioritized painting until his 1993 death. Located at the corner of Oscar Robertson Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, the marker is the result of two years of work by the museum to research and apply to the Indiana Historical Bureau for approval.

In 2018, former ISMHS Fine Arts Curator

Rachel Berenson Perry wrote the biography “The Life and Art of Felrath Hines: From Dark to Light.” The next year, the museum presented a well-received exhibition called “It’s About Time: The Artwork of Felrath Hines,” showcasing more than 20 of his paintings.

Sometime after the exhibit closed, Perry suggested the idea of a marker to recognize Hines. Museum officials supported the idea.

In a short ceremony unveiling the marker, Kisha Tandy, ISMHS curator of social history, said, “Today, we celebrate his life and work. There are many individuals who have helped and supported this project. We appreciate your time and efforts.” She credited:

-Rachel Perry, fine arts curator emerita, “for your dedication and ongoing efforts in honoring Felrath Hines with this historical marker.”

-Cathy Ferree, the president and CEO of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, “for supporting this project. We are honored to sponsor the historical marker.”

-Crispus Attucks Principal Lauren Franklin, “for allowing the marker to be placed on the grounds of the historic Crispus Attucks High School.”

-The Indianapolis Public Schools facilities team and Greg Stropes for installing the marker; Dr. Patricia Payne, for supporting the marker project; and Robert Chester, curator of the Crispus Attucks High School Museum, for moving the project forward. State historical markers – there are 750 of them across the state – commemorate significant individuals, organizations, places and events in Indiana history. These markers help communities throughout the state promote, preserve and present their history for the education and enjoyment of residents and tourists.