After nearly four years of research and collaboration, the Carnegie Center for Art and History is pleased to unveil Remembered: the Life of Lucy Higgs Nichols, the latest addition to the award-winning permanent exhibit Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage: Men and Women of the Underground Railroad.

The exhibit guides visitors through Lucy’s life, from 1838 — 1915. Period documents and letters detail her life as a slave in Tennessee, a nurse during the Civil War, and her post-war life in freedom. It highlights her six year battle for a nurse’s pension, which was ultimately awarded through a Special Act of Congress. Visitors can explore maps that pinpoint the paths she took and examine actual artifacts from the Civil War, including an Enfield rifle and an amputation saw of the same type used by the surgeons Lucy served with in the 23rd Indiana Volunteers.

Click below to listen to the audio portion of “Remembered: The Life of Lucy Higgs Nichols”

A free, live educational program inspired by Lucy Higgs Nichols’ story is available for free for 3rd and 5th graders in Southern Indiana. View more information about how to schedule this program for your school or non-profit organization on our Learning page.