How the Omni Hotel renovated history
As the Omni Severin Hotel underwent a $24 million renovation in 2024, its history as a safe space for Black travelers was not overlooked.
Why it matters: Traveling while Black presented real challenges in America. Green Books helped Black travelers navigate those obstacles — even in northern states, where segregation was less visible but still enforced.
What they're saying:"We're honored to represent those businesses who chose to make a significant commitment to inclusivity and offer a safe place to Black travelers as they stay for business or pleasure, or as a waypoint to other destinations," Steve Quackenbush, general manager for Omni Severin Hotel, told Axios.
"That is a very important part of our history as a country, and it's nice to be cemented in that with other local places that have that history of inclusion tied to them as well, like the Slippery Noodle, which is also really close to us."
The big picture: While most of the approximately 115 Indianapolis businesses once listed in the Green Book have been demolished, Downtown Indy's art deco hotel is an opulent reminder of an oft-forgotten history.
From the 1930s through the mid-1960s, the guides served as encyclopedias of businesses and resources nationwide that welcomed Black travelers.
Driving the news: Quackenbush said the Omni renovation blended Indy's Civil Rights history with modern amenities.
The renovation included a reimagined hotel lobby and revamped dining options that draw inspiration from the days of train travel in a nod to the hotel's proximity to Union Station.
"We really wanted to lean into that because history gives you a sense of place and authenticity," he said. "It's very rare to find a place that has done its due diligence and really designs things that make sense for the place that they're at."
Zoom in: Quackenbush said considering the Omni's location at "the crossroads of the country," its importance as a travel hub during a dangerous time for Black people should be remembered.
"The fact that 50% of the U.S. population is only an eight-hour drive away makes us really central to that argument," he said. "We were the first Union Station built in the United States in the 1800s, and at its peak, we had 25,000 people coming through the station every single day on 120 trains or more."
Fun fact: Quackenbush said as crews were installing a new HVAC unit on the roof, a building scan revealed a tunnel running from the Omni directly to Union Station that has since been covered up.
"It was going from our laundry area to Union Station underground," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Buzz Feed
an hour ago
- Buzz Feed
23 Life-Upgrading Finds From Black-Owned Businesses
A pair of hammered glass martini glasses with gold rims because your fancy cocktail deserves more than a boring cup. The textured glass will catch the light like a dream, and it even comes with two gold picks so your olives or cherries can be a little extra. Sisterly Drinkware is a Black woman-owned small business that makes handmade glassware. Promising review: "These have been one of my favorite finds on Amazon. This set of martini glasses is not only gorgeous, but they're large and come with cute cocktail skewers. These glasses are a great way to elevate your cocktail gatherings!" —Arriana Get it from Amazon for $45.99 (available in three styles). Ghetto Gastro Sweet Potato Pancake & Waffle Mix your tastebuds deserve to try immediately — the reviews raving about the texture and perfect sweetness of the sweet potato flavor speak for themselves. Bread Beauty Supply's Hair Mask Creamy Deep Conditioner — it works on all hair types, but was really developed with curly and textured hair in mind! Australian Kakadu plum + starflower oil join forces to create a superrrr hydrating, but super lightweight formula. An iconic Telfar shopper in a medium puffer style that'll help you carry basically whatever you may need for the day. These bags are super sturdy, an IYKYK accessory, and come in several colors. If the name sounds a little familiar, it might be because Beyoncé wore a Telfar look on her Cowboy Carter tour at MetLife Stadium. Or simply because you've followed anything about fashion in the past decade or so! A fashion-forward Cincha travel belt that can accommodate most any carry-on as it expands to 45 inches. This way, when your summer travels have you here, there, and everywhere, you can stack your bags instead of juggling them. A pair of classic gold-dipped hoops that take ~literally~ no effort or know-how to style. While they're pretty substantial in size, they are unbelievably lightweight so you don't have to worry about saggy lobes. A variety pack of Partake cookies that are gluten-free, kosher, and vegan! They come in delish flavors like birthday cake, ginger snap, double chocolate brownie, and cookie butter. Touch Radiance's Sweet Like Mango Body Butter — it hydrates and smoothes skin with shea butter, vitamin E, and avocado and jojoba oils (among others). Best of all, it leaves you supple but not greasy! A waterproof, UPF 50 Kin Apparel satin-lined bucket hat from a brand that's perfected satin-lined clothes and accessories to help protect your hair and keep it smooth and frizz-free. Also, we could all use another bucket hat! A tube of Black Girl Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 that's a sunscreen and a moisturizer. This genius product was developed specifically for dark skin tones, and will leave no chalky residue on your skin after application. Black Girl Sunscreen is a Black woman-owned small business whose sunscreen is designed not to leave a white cast on melanated skin. It's ultra-sheer, water-resistant, and super nourishing. Plus, it's cruelty-free! Promising review: "I like that it doesn't have a strong sunscreen smell, which usually bothers me. Usually sunscreens make my skin look ashy and leave an odd color, but this one is great for dark skin tones. It leaves my skin glowing, feels lightweight, and doesn't cause breakouts like other face sunscreens I've used." —Sara BrodzinskiGet it from from Amazon for $9.99. A Dozen Cousins microwave beans variety pack might just become a pantry staple for you (they have for me!) once you realize how easily these microwavable mains will fit into your meal rotation. But that's just where the beans start! A 1,000-piece puzzle from Apostrophe Puzzles that'll give you and your roomies something to do with your hands while you watch all the drama go down on Love Island this season. It features a stunning take on Rosie the Riveter you'll absolutely want to frame when you've finished putting it together. A wall-mounted hat rack can take up *very* little room while helping maintain the shape of your caps. Each stores up to 20 baseball caps so you can finally get back some shelf space in your closet. (You may have seen this on Shark Tank!) A Speakeasy luxury candle so beloved by reviewers that many have made it the "signature scent" of their home. The blend of bourbon and palo alto is made all the more rich and complex by notes of cardamom, dark chocolate, and smoked incense, meant to "transport you to Harlem's clandestine nightclubs and secret lounges during the 1920s." A uniquely gorgeous watercolor art print to make a statement on your living room wall and give you something colorful to look forward to every day when you come home. Handmade linen dolls featuring a variety of hair textures and skin tones you might find yourself ordering for yourself even if you don't have a little one at home. The detailing on these beauties is truly incredible — they're better dressed than I am! A pair of merino wool crew socks from Shark Tank that'll wick away moisture, deter stinky odors with some comfy bells and whistles (meaning, 360-degree arch support, a flat toe seam, and extra heel cushioning). But the real kicker here is that these socks are made specifically for women's feet, which oftentimes have higher arches and narrower heels than men's feet. So you won't need to size down from a men's size to get the benefits of a superior sock. A customizable Buttah Skin kit to help you bring out your inner ~glow~, thanks to nurturing ingredients to help with dryness, discoloration, oiliness, and blemishes. If you're someone who needs a solid skincare routine, this is an excellent way to start a tried-and-true one! A concrete catch-all tray from Tara Jayne Designs because even your loose change deserves to rest on something gorgeous. Hand-poured and hand-painted with an eucalyptus branch motif, this sleek little tray brings serious artisan energy to your nightstand, vanity, or entryway. It's sealed with heat-resistant resin and finished with cork on the bottom, so it's both beautiful *and* furniture-friendly. Tara Jayne Designs is a Philadelphia-based Black woman-owned small business creating unique and functional concrete home review: "This tray is gorgeous! It is very well made and fits well in an array of decor styles. It is fairly large, so you can display/store quite a bit, and it is worth the price point. I will definitely order again!" —Kristina MitchellGet it from Tara Jayne Designs on Etsy for $30. A gorgeous ring from Adore Adorn you'll start planning all of your looks around — it comes in an array of stones and will look oh-so-fabulous alongside the baubles you already wear daily. Sugardoh's Ingrown Magic Wand made with a blend of sensitive-skin friendly blend of exfoliating and brightening acids both to help prevent the infection of ingrown hair, and to help with discoloration and hyperpigmentation caused by hair removal. A splurge-worthy iridescent cake stand from Estelle's Colored Glass you'll want to leave out on display at all times. It's not our fault if you *also* decide you need to whip up a delicious cake or muffins to plop on top of it weekly. A brass and crystal air plant mobile that'll turn your greenery into actual art. With eight shimmering prisms and space for four air plants, it's elegant, simple, and quietly show-offy in the best possible way. Hang it in a sunny window and let it do its thing.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump Was Secretly ‘Hurt' by Musk's Savage Attacks
President Donald Trump was left emotional after his 'first buddy,' Tesla CEO Elon Musk, engaged in a bitter online feud with him last week, an insider revealed. 'The president was actually hurt,' a Trump confidant who spoke with him about their spat told Axios. 'Yes, he has feelings, and he was hurt the way anyone would be when a friend turns on them.' In public, Trump appears to be projecting a defiant front amid the feud. He signaled Saturday that his relationship with Musk was finished and that he had no intention of patching things up. The president's epic falling out with Musk was sparked by a fiery clash over Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act.' Musk blasted the proposed spending package as fiscally reckless and a 'disgusting abomination' that would sabotage his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by adding trillions to the deficit. He even went as far as to post a bombshell claim on X that Trump is named in the so-called 'Epstein files.' But after the explosive allegations, Musk made a groveling U-turn on Wednesday morning. 'I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,' he wrote. The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment. Meanwhile, White House insiders told Axios that Trump's response to the Los Angeles protests against actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have helped Trump bounce back from the Musk meltdown. 'But that's gone now. L.A. wiped away the Elon drama,' the source said. 'What's driving the president is how the riots of 2020 are seared into his brain, and how he wished he could've sent in the troops to end it.' Musk, who had once enjoyed a cozy relationship with Trump as he headed DOGE, has been doing damage control amid the protests, resharing Trump's Truth Social posts about the riots and posts by Vice President JD Vance, likely in a bid to show some solidarity with the president. Trump unleashed his presidential powers in a dramatic showdown with California Gov. Gavin Newsom over the weekend, moving to federalize the state's National Guard in a rare and controversial move. Protests erupted in downtown Los Angeles amid reports that detainees were being held in the basement of a federal building. ICE has denied these claims. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Northern Command told The New York Times that some 700 Marines are expected to be deployed to the streets of Los Angeles on Wednesday, joining National Guard troops already on the ground.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump AI czar hits back at ‘doomer cult' and mass-unemployment fears
White House AI czar David Sacks dismissed concerns about artificial intelligence taking away jobs on Tuesday, just days after a major AI leader warned the technology could lead unemployment to climb as high as 20% in the next few years. 'Personally, I don't think it's (AI) going to lead to a giant wave of unemployment,' Sacks told attendees at the Amazon Web Services summit in Washington, DC. 'I think it's actually very hard to replace a human job entirely. I think it's easier to replace pieces of it.' 'I don't think we're going to have 20% unemployment,' he added. The comments come after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei told Axios that artificial intelligence could wipe out as much as half of entry-level, white-collar jobs in the next one to five years. In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper last month, Amodei said he feared people won't adapt quickly enough to the speed of AI's innovations. 'I really worry, particularly at the entry level, that the AI models are very much at the center of what an entry level human-worker would do,' he cautioned. 'I think we do need to be raising the alarm. I think we do need to be concerned about it. I think policymakers do need to worry about it.' 'AI is starting to get better than humans at almost all intellectual tasks, and we're going to collectively, as a society, grapple with it,' Amodei continued. Experts predict at least some economic upheaval due to the swift adoption of new technology, but opinions vary widely on how, when or even to what extent that will happen in the world's largest economy. Sacks singled out what he called a 'doomer cult,' which supports what he believes is restrictive AI regulation, underestimates the capacity for AI-driven economic growth and overestimates potential job losses. 'I could see AI driving our growth rate to something like 4 or 5%' he said. 'I think you're already seeing the beginning of an AI boom. I mean, I'm very optimistic that this will be a huge economic tailwind for us.' Still, Sacks acknowledged that AI will inflict some pain for people whose opportunities may be upended by the new technology. 'There will be some retraining that is required for students and workers, and I don't want to minimize that,' Sacks continued. 'So there will be challenges too, but I think it's going to be a really bright future.' A recent survey from the Pew Research Center found that nearly two in three US adults believe that AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next two decades. More than half of all Americans say they are 'extremely' or 'very' concerned about job losses due to AI. But it nevertheless remains a national security priority, Sacks said. He told attendees that he believed China is only three to six months behind the United States in AI. 'China is not years behind us in AI,' he said. 'It's a very close race.' Sacks' comments come as President Donald Trump is trying to pass his sweeping domestic policy and tax cut bill, which includes a 10-year moratorium on enforcement of state AI regulations, including laws aimed at preventing hiring discrimination or non-consensual, explicit deepfakes. Academics, tech workers and advocacy groups have warned the provision could shield AI companies from potential harms they inflict on society. Anthropic's Amodei told CNN he sees huge potential in AI, which he believes could cure cancer. But he also fretted about what that advancement could cost in jobs. 'I really worry, particularly at the entry level, that the AI models are, you know, very much at the center of what an entry level human worker would do,' he said. But Sacks said AI is coming, and it's best to be prepared rather than try to stop it. It will proliferate throughout the economy as chips powering AI grow more powerful and enable significantly more intelligent models. 'I don't think that the right thing to do here is to throw up a wall and just be so afraid of AI that we try to resist it,' he said. 'It's kind of like telling the tides to stop. It's just not going to happen.'
