As Indiana’s first Black police detective and an early advocate for civil rights, Benjamin Thornton had been navigating perilous situations since his escape from slavery nearly 30 years earlier.
Now, 124 years after succumbing to pneumonia during a stakeout to capture a murder suspect, Thornton has been posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and honored with a place on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., recognizing his death in the line of duty.
These accolades pay tribute to a trailblazing detective who earned national acclaim for his investigative prowess and paved the way for future Black officers, as detailed in Pearsey’s book about Thornton, subtitled “The Fly Detective of Indianapolis.”
