Detail view of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument by Hadley Fruits for Landmark Columbus Foundation

The Monument Knows
Public Conversation No. 1
with Salamishah Tillet and Jordan Ryan

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
Program begins at 5:00 p.m.
Free and open to the public
Advance registration encouraged
Following the conversation, attendees are invited to a guided group walk around the Circle

Join Monumental Gestures for the first public conversation of The Monument Knows, a new public humanities and civic research project exploring the histories, meanings, and future possibilities of Monument Circle and the Soldiers & Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis.

This inaugural conversation features Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, cultural critic, and scholar Salamishah Tillet alongside Indianapolis-based cultural researcher and public historian Jordan Ryan. Together, they will explore how monuments shape civic identity, collective memory, and public life. Tillet will discuss the role monuments play in American culture and public discourse, while Ryan will offer historical insights into Monument Circle’s evolving significance in Indianapolis.

Developed by Monumental Gestures in partnership with Merritt Chase, The Monument Knows invites residents to engage with one of Indianapolis’ most iconic public spaces through conversation, research, and storytelling. The project asks a simple but deep question: What does the monument know?

Following the conversation, attendees are invited to participate in a guided group walk around Monument Circle and the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, followed by light refreshments at Spark.

This event is part of a four-part public conversation series, and an opportunity to reconsider Monument Circle as a living civic space where history, memory, and the future remain in active conversation. Learn more at askthemonument.org.

From left: Salamishah Tillet, Jordan Ryan

Special Guest Biographies

Salamishah Tillet is a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, cultural critic, and scholar whose work explores race, gender, social justice, and public memory in American culture. She is a contributing critic-at-large for The New York Times and co-founder of the nonprofit A Long Walk Home. Tillet is the Henry Rutgers Professor of African American and African Studies and Creative Writing at Rutgers University-Newark. Her writing and commentary have appeared in numerous national publications and media outlets, and her work frequently examines how monuments, public space, art, and cultural narratives shape civic identity and collective memory.

Jordan Ryan is a cultural researcher, strategist, and Indianapolis-based civic practitioner whose work focuses on public memory, cultural identity, and community storytelling. As a research collaborator with Monumental Gestures, Ryan contributes to projects that examine how public spaces reflect histories, belonging, and collective civic experience. His work bridges research, public engagement, and cultural strategy to help communities navigate complex conversations around place and identity.