Emma Christy was born February 10, 1865 in the town of Salem, in Washington County, Indiana to William W. and Hester Christy, Free African Americans who settled there in the 1830's from the Newberry District, South Carolina.
Her family moved to the town of Indianapolis when she was an infant. Emma graduated from Public School Number 17 and Shortridge High School.
On July 9, 1889, Emma married David M. Baker, born in 1870, Tennessee, who worked as a barber. They had a child, John W.D. Baker, born January 22, 1892, who died July 1899. David M. Baker died in 1928.
The William W. Christy family was well known in the African-American community of Indianapolis. W.W. Christy was one of 9 Directors and also was Treasurer of The Fidelity Savings and Loan Association in 1902. He owned a successful laundry at 643 Blake Street. His daughter Cora Christy was a long time school teacher with IPS while Emma worked at the laundry for many years. She became well known in the community in that capacity.
On June 15, 1918, Emma Baker became the first woman and the first African-American woman to be a police officer for the Indianapolis Police Department. She wore a badge and earned the same rate of pay as male officers. She was appreciated in the African-American community for her police work. Her primary duties were performing undercover shoplift and petty theft details.
From 1922-1938 Officer Baker was assigned to the Juvenile Court in the probation department. She was the only African-American assigned there in 1931. Emma Baker was very concerned with the welfare of children. She attended the Ohio Valley Regional Conference of the Child Welfare League of America in Indianapolis, March, 1930.
In 1938, due to a new chief of police's dislike for policewomen and economic influences from the Great Depression, Emma was assigned to be a matron in the jail. She retired from the department in August 1939. She was a member of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. In October 1947, Emma Baker, one of 70 African-Americans representing civic, business, labor and professional groups, were assigned to a special committee to elect William H. Wemmer, Republican, to be Mayor.
Emma for most of her adult life was a member of numerous social and religious organizations including the Loyal Legion Club of the AME Bethel Church, The Old Settlers Social and Civic Club and the Topaz Coral Club, of which she was elected club secretary in 1916.
Emma died on September 23, 1955 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery with her son and husband. No headstone was provided for them because there were no family members left with the means to purchase one.
On September 23, 2003, after the efforts of 500 IPS school children, businesses, private individuals and members of the Indianapolis Police Department, an imposing headstone containing the names of David, Emma and John W.D. Baker was dedicated at her final resting place. Among those attending the dedication were IPD Chief of Police Jerry L. Barker, Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson, State Police Superintendent Melvin Carroway and IPS School Superintendent Duncan P. Pritchett. The ceremony was carried on all media outlets in Indianapolis. Her grave site is now a stop on a tour conducted by Crown Hill Cemetery for Indianapolis Women of Note. In death, Emma Christy Baker had become the most illustrious member of an well known Indianapolis family.
Her family moved to the town of Indianapolis when she was an infant. Emma graduated from Public School Number 17 and Shortridge High School.
On July 9, 1889, Emma married David M. Baker, born in 1870, Tennessee, who worked as a barber. They had a child, John W.D. Baker, born January 22, 1892, who died July 1899. David M. Baker died in 1928.
The William W. Christy family was well known in the African-American community of Indianapolis. W.W. Christy was one of 9 Directors and also was Treasurer of The Fidelity Savings and Loan Association in 1902. He owned a successful laundry at 643 Blake Street. His daughter Cora Christy was a long time school teacher with IPS while Emma worked at the laundry for many years. She became well known in the community in that capacity.
On June 15, 1918, Emma Baker became the first woman and the first African-American woman to be a police officer for the Indianapolis Police Department. She wore a badge and earned the same rate of pay as male officers. She was appreciated in the African-American community for her police work. Her primary duties were performing undercover shoplift and petty theft details.
From 1922-1938 Officer Baker was assigned to the Juvenile Court in the probation department. She was the only African-American assigned there in 1931. Emma Baker was very concerned with the welfare of children. She attended the Ohio Valley Regional Conference of the Child Welfare League of America in Indianapolis, March, 1930.
In 1938, due to a new chief of police's dislike for policewomen and economic influences from the Great Depression, Emma was assigned to be a matron in the jail. She retired from the department in August 1939. She was a member of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. In October 1947, Emma Baker, one of 70 African-Americans representing civic, business, labor and professional groups, were assigned to a special committee to elect William H. Wemmer, Republican, to be Mayor.
Emma for most of her adult life was a member of numerous social and religious organizations including the Loyal Legion Club of the AME Bethel Church, The Old Settlers Social and Civic Club and the Topaz Coral Club, of which she was elected club secretary in 1916.
Emma died on September 23, 1955 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery with her son and husband. No headstone was provided for them because there were no family members left with the means to purchase one.
On September 23, 2003, after the efforts of 500 IPS school children, businesses, private individuals and members of the Indianapolis Police Department, an imposing headstone containing the names of David, Emma and John W.D. Baker was dedicated at her final resting place. Among those attending the dedication were IPD Chief of Police Jerry L. Barker, Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson, State Police Superintendent Melvin Carroway and IPS School Superintendent Duncan P. Pritchett. The ceremony was carried on all media outlets in Indianapolis. Her grave site is now a stop on a tour conducted by Crown Hill Cemetery for Indianapolis Women of Note. In death, Emma Christy Baker had become the most illustrious member of an well known Indianapolis family.
Emma Christy was born February 10, 1865 in the town of Salem, in Washington County, Indiana to William W. and Hester Christy, Free African Americans who settled there in the 1830's from the Newberry District, South Carolina.
Her family moved to the town of Indianapolis when she was an infant. Emma graduated from Public School Number 17 and Shortridge High School.
On July 9, 1889, Emma married David M. Baker, born in 1870, Tennessee, who worked as a barber. They had a child, John W.D. Baker, born January 22, 1892, who died July 1899. David M. Baker died in 1928.
The William W. Christy family was well known in the African-American community of Indianapolis. W.W. Christy was one of 9 Directors and also was Treasurer of The Fidelity Savings and Loan Association in 1902. He owned a successful laundry at 643 Blake Street. His daughter Cora Christy was a long time school teacher with IPS while Emma worked at the laundry for many years. She became well known in the community in that capacity.
On June 15, 1918, Emma Baker became the first woman and the first African-American woman to be a police officer for the Indianapolis Police Department. She wore a badge and earned the same rate of pay as male officers. She was appreciated in the African-American community for her police work. Her primary duties were performing undercover shoplift and petty theft details.
From 1922-1938 Officer Baker was assigned to the Juvenile Court in the probation department. She was the only African-American assigned there in 1931. Emma Baker was very concerned with the welfare of children. She attended the Ohio Valley Regional Conference of the Child Welfare League of America in Indianapolis, March, 1930.
In 1938, due to a new chief of police's dislike for policewomen and economic influences from the Great Depression, Emma was assigned to be a matron in the jail. She retired from the department in August 1939. She was a member of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. In October 1947, Emma Baker, one of 70 African-Americans representing civic, business, labor and professional groups, were assigned to a special committee to elect William H. Wemmer, Republican, to be Mayor.
Emma for most of her adult life was a member of numerous social and religious organizations including the Loyal Legion Club of the AME Bethel Church, The Old Settlers Social and Civic Club and the Topaz Coral Club, of which she was elected club secretary in 1916.
Emma died on September 23, 1955 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery with her son and husband. No headstone was provided for them because there were no family members left with the means to purchase one.
On September 23, 2003, after the efforts of 500 IPS school children, businesses, private individuals and members of the Indianapolis Police Department, an imposing headstone containing the names of David, Emma and John W.D. Baker was dedicated at her final resting place. Among those attending the dedication were IPD Chief of Police Jerry L. Barker, Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson, State Police Superintendent Melvin Carroway and IPS School Superintendent Duncan P. Pritchett. The ceremony was carried on all media outlets in Indianapolis. Her grave site is now a stop on a tour conducted by Crown Hill Cemetery for Indianapolis Women of Note. In death, Emma Christy Baker had become the most illustrious member of an well known Indianapolis family.
Her family moved to the town of Indianapolis when she was an infant. Emma graduated from Public School Number 17 and Shortridge High School.
On July 9, 1889, Emma married David M. Baker, born in 1870, Tennessee, who worked as a barber. They had a child, John W.D. Baker, born January 22, 1892, who died July 1899. David M. Baker died in 1928.
The William W. Christy family was well known in the African-American community of Indianapolis. W.W. Christy was one of 9 Directors and also was Treasurer of The Fidelity Savings and Loan Association in 1902. He owned a successful laundry at 643 Blake Street. His daughter Cora Christy was a long time school teacher with IPS while Emma worked at the laundry for many years. She became well known in the community in that capacity.
On June 15, 1918, Emma Baker became the first woman and the first African-American woman to be a police officer for the Indianapolis Police Department. She wore a badge and earned the same rate of pay as male officers. She was appreciated in the African-American community for her police work. Her primary duties were performing undercover shoplift and petty theft details.
From 1922-1938 Officer Baker was assigned to the Juvenile Court in the probation department. She was the only African-American assigned there in 1931. Emma Baker was very concerned with the welfare of children. She attended the Ohio Valley Regional Conference of the Child Welfare League of America in Indianapolis, March, 1930.
In 1938, due to a new chief of police's dislike for policewomen and economic influences from the Great Depression, Emma was assigned to be a matron in the jail. She retired from the department in August 1939. She was a member of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. In October 1947, Emma Baker, one of 70 African-Americans representing civic, business, labor and professional groups, were assigned to a special committee to elect William H. Wemmer, Republican, to be Mayor.
Emma for most of her adult life was a member of numerous social and religious organizations including the Loyal Legion Club of the AME Bethel Church, The Old Settlers Social and Civic Club and the Topaz Coral Club, of which she was elected club secretary in 1916.
Emma died on September 23, 1955 and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery with her son and husband. No headstone was provided for them because there were no family members left with the means to purchase one.
On September 23, 2003, after the efforts of 500 IPS school children, businesses, private individuals and members of the Indianapolis Police Department, an imposing headstone containing the names of David, Emma and John W.D. Baker was dedicated at her final resting place. Among those attending the dedication were IPD Chief of Police Jerry L. Barker, Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson, State Police Superintendent Melvin Carroway and IPS School Superintendent Duncan P. Pritchett. The ceremony was carried on all media outlets in Indianapolis. Her grave site is now a stop on a tour conducted by Crown Hill Cemetery for Indianapolis Women of Note. In death, Emma Christy Baker had become the most illustrious member of an well known Indianapolis family.
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