Louise Batties

After the retirement of Mae Belcher, Batties became executive director of the Phyllis Wheatley YMCA, a position that she held for many years. She ended her professional career as an English teacher at Arlington High School. An active socialite, she took a leadership role in many areas of the community. She worked with the Indianapolis Recorder newspaper with their Christmas Cheer Fund. Her fundraising ability was so successful that it led to the establishment of the Recorder Women Sponsors, an auxiliary organization to the Indianapolis Recorder Charities in 1951. The Easter Parade for Tots, Tweens, and Teens grew from the Women Sponsors. Much of the money raised from this effort was awarded as scholarship funds to Crispus Attucks High School graduates. From the early 1950s, the Indianapolis Recorder was replete with images of Louise Batties and charity activities, especially the Easter Parade. Batties was a member of the city’s first Human Rights Commission. She was also one of the first African Americans to serve on the board of directors for the Family Services Association. She was also a board member of the Church Federation of Indianapolis. Read more >>