Actress Veronique Briscoe-Beuoy and elementary school students re-enact the Polly Strong case in the state’s historic courtroom.

The Indiana Supreme Court is celebrating Black History Month by hosting the interactive drama Bound for Freedom: the Case of Polly Strong in its courtroom, Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard announced. Because of snowfall, there will only be one performance at 11:30 am EST.   

Bound for Freedom: the Case of Polly Strong is based on an 1820 Knox County case, Lasselle v. State.  The case was brought on behalf of a young black woman, Polly Strong, who was being held as a slave by Vincennes businessman Hyacinthe Lasselle.  The Knox Circuit Court ruled in favor of Lasselle, giving him custody of Polly.  Polly’s lawyers appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court.  The Supreme Court ruled in Polly’s favor, determining that Indiana had banned slavery in 1816, and held that Lasselle’s claim to Polly violated that prohibition.  Polly was set free.

Students from four Indianapolis schools will play the characters of Hyacinthe Lasselle, the three judges of the 1820 Indiana Supreme Court, members of Polly’s family, and a variety of other supporting roles. Participating schools include Cold Springs Elementary School, Sidener Academy, Christ the King Catholic School, and Nora Elementary School.

The following one-hour performances are free and open to the public, but seating is limited.  Media interested in attending should contact Indiana Supreme Court Public Information Officer, Kathryn Dolan at kdolan@courts.state.in.us or 317-234-4722.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Indiana Supreme Court Courtroom
Indiana State House, 3rd Floor
11:30 am EST

The script for Bound for Freedom: the Case of Polly Strong was developed by “Courts in the Classroom” (CITC) and the Leora Brown School in Corydon, with funding from the Indiana Bar Foundation.  Lesson plans, the script, teacher background materials, video from previous programs and extensive court documents about Lasselle v. State are available from CITC.   

CITC develops educational programming on behalf of the Indiana Supreme Court.  Its primary objective is to help educators, students, historians, and interested citizens learn the history and operation of Indiana’s judicial branch.  For more information about this or any other program, please contact Dr. Elizabeth R. Osborn at eosborn@courts.state.in.us or 317-232-2550 or visit courts.in.gov/citc.