A civil rights leader, a historian, a politician, a firefighter and even an author are just a few ways to describe the impact one man had on the Muncie community.
Hurley C. Goodall Jr. was born and raised as a member of the Muncie community and graduated from Muncie Central in 1945, according to Minnetrista. He was one of the first Black firefighters in Muncie, and he dedicated a lot of his time to documenting the history of Black people in the area.
In 2017, the Delaware County Historical Society and Community Enhancement Projects began fundraising for a statue to honor Goodall’s legacy.
Beyond his trailblazing in Muncie, he also served in the Indiana House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party from 1978 to 1992. He was also a founding member and served as the first chair of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, according to Ball State University.
Chris Flook works in Ball State’s Department of Media and teaches students to use modern storytelling to help people better engage with historical events.
He grew up in Muncie and said Goodall was “spoken as a hero” in his family. He got the opportunity to learn even more about him through the project. With his position as the president of the historical society at that time, he was largely responsible for the coordination of the statue.
“We wanted to really make something that was public art that honors someone that made such a huge impact within the community,” Flook said. “Hurley was a historian in his own right. He was a firefighter, he was the first African American on the school board, he was a representative in the General Assembly, and so he did all these really amazing things.”
By 2019, enough money was raised to commission Indiana artist William “Bill” Wolfe to design and create the iron and hydro stone sculpture of Goodall in Firemen’s Park.
Wolfe explained each little detail within the artwork was meticulously thought out. He said, through his research, he found that Goodall was a “sharp dresser,” so it felt natural to put him in a suit.
He also said he chose to memorialize Goodall with a pose that felt like him. His statue depicts him with one foot propped up on a block with his hands resting on his knee to give him a more relaxed feel.
“When I think of him, I think of more just a person of the people. It’s the only way I can describe it,” Wolfe said. “So to me, rather than have him stoically standing there, all puffed up and a straight statue, he’s a little more [of a] relaxed Hurley and approachable.”
Beyond being a symbol of his lasting influence in Muncie, for some, the statue serves as a reminder of a deeper connection they had with Goodall.
To Robert Olden, he was known as Uncle Junior, and they spent a lot of time together throughout his life. Olden’s mother was a widow, as his father was killed in World War II. When Goodall came home from service, Olden spent a lot more time with his uncle.
He has fond memories of their visits, and they formed a close relationship. He helped guide him through many milestones, like following in his footsteps and becoming a firefighter or when he taught his nephew how to drive.
“I’m very proud to have been his nephew. I’m very proud of him as a person and the example [my family] set for me,” Olden said. “He served well in this community because he wanted to serve this community.”
Hurley Goodall applauds at his statue dedication ceremony May 23, 2019, at Cornerstone Park. Goodall is a former Indiana state representative, former Muncie Community Schools Board member, veteran and one of the first African-American firefighters in the Muncie Fire Department. Britney S. Kendrick, DN
When the statue was unveiled at Firemen’s Park in May 2019, Olden attended the event with his uncle and other family members. He was asked to speak in front of the community and hopes people, especially younger generations, look at Hurley’s statue and think of the possibilities and know that they can be whoever they want to be.
“If you have an interest, if you have a goal, if you have a passion, think it. It’s available to you,” Olden said. “Have a drive within yourself to do those things that you have passion for.”
Wolfe said creating this statue was unique because he had the opportunity to have the person he was replicating stand in front of him.
When Goodall and Wolfe first met, Wolfe used the opportunity to trace the landscape of Goodall’s face with his fingertips and feel the mass of his head in his hands to better reflect Goodall’s appearance in his work.
“When you do that, it registers almost like measurements … from my hands and fingertips to my brain. And then it really did mean something to me when I started on the sculpture,” Wolfe said.
He said he hopes this physical reminder of Goodall’s impact leads to more people learning about who he was and why he’s important.
“I just hope they see him standing there and it draws attention and pulls them in to maybe want to read a little bit more about whose statue that is … The guy had a really wonderful life, I think,” Wolfe said. “Hurley will go down in history with his accomplishments, so he won’t be forgotten now.”
Flook said while sculptures don’t clearly communicate history alone, they draw people in to spark a conversation and encourage them to learn more about what the artwork represents.
“What motivated me was lots of people know Hurley. Hurley was still alive when we put the statue up … I’m worried about 50 years from now, his legacy may not be as remembered as well then,” Flook said. “Having something physical on the landscape means that, hopefully, that will start or trigger discussions.”
To Olden, the statue represents the strides his uncle made with civil rights in Indiana and opportunities that have since opened up for Black people.
“We had a Black president. We [had] a Black vice president. Those broke ceilings, those broke positions that hadn’t been retained before. But lower than that, we have Black folks everywhere doing everything,” Olden said.
Goodall died May 12, 2021, just two years after the dedication and unveiling of the statue. But the sculpture of him in Firemen’s Park will help ensure his story and his legacy live on.
Contact Ella Howell via email at ella.howell@bsu.edu.
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