GREENFIELD — A historical marker will soon be installed in downtown Greenfield to honor George Knox, a prominent Black businessman whose legacy has shaped Hancock County and the state of Indiana.
Knox was born into slavery in Tennessee in 1841. He escaped during the Civil War and made his way to Indiana, where he began breaking barriers in the 1860s.
"He ended up escaping during the Civil War, coming to Indiana," said Marissa Purcell, with the James Whitcomb Riley Boyhood Home and Museum.
At the time, Knox was one of only two Black families in Hancock County. He faced adversity, hate, and threats — including from the Ku Klux Klan.
"They would all be receiving threats, especially him," Purcell said.
Despite those threats, Knox opened a barbershop in Greenfield and later expanded to Indianapolis, where he hired Black barbers and created economic opportunity in the community.
"He's making sure that they're employed and earning good money," Purcell said.
He serviced several prominent people during that time including James Whitcomb Riley who he developed a good relationship with.
His impact extended beyond business and into politics. Knox was nominated as an alternate candidate for the presidential nomination conventions.
He also owned the Indianapolis Freeman, an African American newspaper in Indiana, and helped establish the first African American church in Greenfield.
"He was a barber, so he owned a barbershop here in Greenfield and later in Indianapolis as well. It was very significant," Purcell said.
Knox's great-grandchildren — 85-year-old George Knox III and his younger sister Adelaide Knox Jones — have spent decades keeping that history alive.
"It's a gift. It's a gift that too few of us, especially Black people, have. Because to know something about where you came from," George Knox III said.
Knox Jones echoed that sentiment.
"It's a gift and it's a responsibility. It's a responsibility to educate. Not only our own kids and relatives, but people all around us," Adelaide Knox Jones said.
Now, Hancock County is joining that effort. Purcell and the museum helped lead the push to establish a historical marker, working alongside several organizations in the county.
Knox's descendants attended the dedication ceremony last fall.
The historical marker is set to be installed by the end of the year.
It will be placed between City Hall and the Greenfield Chocolate Shop, near the former Gooding Tavern where Knox opened his first shop.
Knox III said the recognition speaks well of the community.
"Bringing him forward and honoring him says something very positive about them," Knox III said.
Purcell said the marker is long overdue.
"They've long deserved this. Long deserved this. Future generations can learn about who Knox was," she told WRTV.
"It's a history that we all own together," added Knox Jones.
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Naja Woods started her journalism career in 2019 after graduating from Knox College in Illinois. She’s always looking forward to making a difference by empowering the diverse communities throughout the area and helping share their unique perspectives through storytelling. Share your story ideas and important issues with Naja by emailing news@wrtv.com.
