Historic Ransom House

Published on 6:56 pm by willie.pritchett

The Historic Ransom House of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.,

Three years ago, Soror Beryl Borel, currently the Indiana State Director for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, made the suggestion to then Chapter President Bro. Arnald Beckwith and me, that the Xi Sigma Alumni Chapter should acquire the dilapidated Historic Ransom House, restore it and use it as a gathering place for the chapter and the community. Soror. Borel was currently the President of the Ransom Place Neighborhood Association and they were willing to lease the home for five years to an organization that would understand the history of the home and the resolve of the resolve of the neighborhood to preserve its past.  Unfortunately, Xi Sigma was struggling to keep the chapter active with just 4-5 members. So we passed on the opportunity.

After the formation and success of the Blue & White Unity Coalition in the summer of 2008, the discussion of acquiring the Ransom House began again. The plan was to make a bid with the three central Indiana Alumni Chapters of Zeta Phi Beta Sororities. Finding a consensus through the bureaucracies of the three Zeta chapters proved to be unlikely. So when talks broke down in the early spring of 2009, Xi Sigma decided to take on this large task alone. With the support of Soror Beryl Borel, the Ransom Place Neighborhood Association and the executive leadership of the Xi Sigma Alumni Chapter of Central Indiana, we were able to negotiate a ten year lease with an option for twenty and a right of rescission to fend off potential suitors.

The History of the Ransom Place District and the Historic Ransom House

The Ransom Place Historic District is the most intact 19th century neighborhood associated with African Americans in Indianapolis. The district was home to many black business leaders over its long history. The area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The area northwest of Monument Circle was identified as a black settlement in writings as early as the 1830s. Here churches, schools, and commercial areas developed to serve the black community. Redevelopment pressures from a major university in the 1960s meant that very few sections of the original neighborhoods of African Americans would survive. This section, however, remained a vital black community well into the 20th century.

The district is named for the prominent Ransom family that resided in the district. Freeman Ransom was the patriarch of the family. Freeman was an attorney and served as a corporate attorney for the legendary Madame C.J. Walker. Freeman Ransom managed the Madame C. J. Walker Company and the theater bearing her name, just once block from what is now known as the Ransom House. His son, Willard, also lived in the district and was a noted attorney. Other well known black civic leaders, doctors, attorneys, and other professionals lived in the district as well.

The Historic Ransom House: The Legacy Continues

The home currently known as the Historic Ransom House can be traced back to 1830. The home was built on the Circle by one of the first white settlers of Indianapolis. The home was later sold to one of his black servants and moved to another downtown site then moved again to the Near Downtown where it sat until 1990 next to the New Baptist Church.  The Church purchased the land and slated the house be demolished to make room for a new parking lot. The Ransom Place Neighborhood Association, several community leaders and the Indiana Foundation stepped in to preserve the house and moved it to its current location at 830 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The house served the community as a museum after its relocation, but became a victim of decreased visitation, deterioration and abandonment. It has stood, mostly unused for eight years.

Answering the call; Phi Beta Sigma will restore and return the Historic home to the community

The Xi Sigma Alumni Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc has a plan to restore and return the Historic Ransom House to the community. The Historic Ransom House is ideally located as the gateway to the Historic Ransom Place District, one block north of the Madame C.J. Walker Theater, one block west of the Indianapolis Canal, soon to be directly on the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, on the southern tip of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive which becomes West Street just one block south. West Street leads commuters into the heart of Downtown Indianapolis and is home for Victory Field, the expanded Indiana Convention Center and will soon welcome the new Marriott Conference Center & Hotel.

In addition to it retaining its duty as a museum, Xi Sigma will use the home to host its classes with its mentoring group, the Sigma Beta Club. They also plan to use the home as a gathering place for members, the residents of the Historic Ransom Place District and other small non-profit organizations. There will be common areas available for a classroom, a boardroom and a business center.

Xi Sigma plans to begin a capitol campaign immediately to raise funds to purchase and install a furnace in the house to protect the water pipes from and additional infrastructure. If you would like to become a sponsor or participant of the Historic Ransom House, please contact me directly.