Lionel Artis

Lionel F. Artis (1895 – 1971) was a civil servant and administrator in the United States. Artis became the first Black person to be appointed to a policy-making municipal agency in Indianapolis when he was a named a member of the Indianapolis Board of Health and Hospitals.

Early life Artis was born in Paris, Illinois. His family moved to Indianapolis when he was a child. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and studied in Beaune, France while in Europe.

He studied at Butler University before transferring to the University of Chicago where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1933. In 1941, he earned his Master of Arts from Indiana University. He managed Lockefield Gardens, the first community housing complex in Indianapolis, from 1937 to 1969. He also organized the Flanner House Homes, single and duplex family dwellings built in the 1950s for Black families. An African American art collector, Artis also organized art exhibitions at YMCA.

He became the first Black person to be appointed to a policy-making municipal agency when he was named to the board of the Indianapolis Board of Health and Hospitals. In the 1920s, Artis corresponded with W.E.B. Du Bois, to whom he submitted pieces about the fraternity for The Crisis. Two of the pieces he submitted were returned by Du Bois.

Later life and legacy

In 1967, Artis was named "Man of the Year" by the B'nai B'rith Lodge 58 and "Most Wanted Man" by the Community Service Council. He was also honored by the Indianapolis Urban League, the Jewish Community Relations Council, Family Service Association, and Fall Creek YMCA. Artis is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery.

His papers reside in the collection of the Indiana Historical Society.