Midwestern Archaeology Podcast · Lee Strange; Science Communicator

Episode 11: Uncovering Evansville, Indiana's Hidden Histories with Tory Schendel-Vyvoda

November 11, 2025·39 min

Interview with Tori Shandell-Vivoda, curator at Evansville African American Museum, tracing her unlikely journey from medieval studies to uncovering hidden African American history in Southern Indiana. The episode reveals how a transformative encounter with medieval art at 18 led to specialized scholarship on Hildegard von Bingen, and how after career setbacks, she redirected her expertise toward preserving Baptist town—a historically resilient African American neighborhood that grew from 127 to 3,900 residents in 20 years despite racist pressure and violence, and was only officially recognized nationally in 2023.

As heard by us

A serious local-history conversation about art, memory, and the ethics of ancestry.

This episode stays centered on Tori Shandell-Vivoda's work in Evansville, with the conversation moving through art, history, activism, and community service. Lee Strange keeps things moving, and Tori comes across as wide-ranging and thoughtful.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for Evansville history, Black memory, and a guest who connects art, history, and activism.

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