| | Abstract: | The Indian Association of Cleveland (IAC) was formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1962 by Indian students attending Case Western Reserve University. In 1967 it began publishing The Lotus, one of the first Indian newspapers in the United States. In 1978, IAC also established India House, the first Indian community center in the United States, first occupying rented space in both the First English Lutheran Church at 2419 Euclid Heights Blvd. in Cleveland Heights, and the School on Magnolia at 10819 Magnolia Dr. in University Circle. In 1976 India House (renamed India Community Center) moved to its current location (2015) at 12412 Cedar Road in the Cedar-Fairmount neighborhood of Cleveland Heights. In 1980, the group became the Federation of India Community Associations (FICA), linking Cleveland to the broader National Federation of India Associations, with a mission to provide smaller local Indian-American groups with support, celebrate Indian-American heritage, and provide a unified face of the diverse Indian-American community in Cleveland. The collection consists of address lists, business files, correspondence, drawings, event programs, financial documents, ledgers, minutes, news clippings, notes, and photographs. | |
