September 2, 2025

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Shake Library at Vincennes University invites visitors to explore the experiences of Asians and their impact on Indiana with a traveling exhibit from the Indiana Historical Society (IHS).

The exhibit, “Be Heard: Asian Experiences in Indiana,” will be open to the public Sept. 9 through Oct. 7, 2025 during normal library hours, at the Shake Library, located inside the Shake Learning Resource Center at 130 College Ave. on the Vincennes Campus.

“Be Heard: Asian Experiences in Indiana” is based on interviews of individuals of varying cultural backgrounds who recall what it has been like to be Asian in the Hoosier State throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Content in the exhibit and overall collection reflects on their culture as well as their contributions to local communities and the state.

This exhibit is an extension of the Indiana Historical Society’s collecting initiative to start a conversation with the statewide Asian community in order to collect and preserve the narrative of this heritage in Indiana. The countries explored in depth are China, Japan, Tibet, Taiwan, India, Iran and the Middle East, Korea, Philippines, Myanmar and other South Asian nations.

Highlighted in this exhibit are Japanese internment camps along with the immigration laws of the late 19th and early 20th centuries that restricted entry from most Asian countries. There is also discussion of the various religions of India and their place in Hoosier culture.

For more information or to plan your visit, call 812-888-4165 or visit vinu.libguides.com/shakelibrary/BeHeard.

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