by David Pettegrew It was, strangely enough, March 11, 2020, the day everything changed, when I posted the last annual update about the work of the Digital Harrisburg Initiative. Little could I have imagined then how profoundly a pandemic would disrupt and change us over the next two and a half years. But here we … Continue reading Reenergizing the Digital Harrisburg Initiative: A 2022 Update
For Immediate Release A New Book Celebrates Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s Historic African American Community and the Old Eighth Ward!!! The Digital Press at the University of North Dakota is proud to announce the release of One Hundred Voices: Harrisburg’s Historic African American Community, 1850-1920 edited by Calobe Jackson, Jr., Katie Wingert McArdle, David Pettegrew, and with … Continue reading NEW: A Book about Harrisburg’s Historic African American Community and the Old Eighth Ward
It's been some time since our last general update on the Digital Harrisburg Initiative, but that is not for lack of trying. Over the last year, in fact, our operation at Messiah College has grown, and our teams have been buzzing in activities, projects, digital tools, meetings, research, and public collaborations with community partners. It's … Continue reading Digital Harrisburg Initiative: March 2020 Update
The most recent issue of ShowcaseNow! Magazine features a nice little piece by Lenwood Sloan about the Look Up and Look Out campaign which will tell the stories of the Old Eighth Ward between 1870 and 1920. We expect to launch that officially with posters and webpages in the next couple of weeks. In the … Continue reading Look Up, Look Out: Time Travel to the Old 8th Ward
Kelly Summerford has posted a little video preview of the monument being designed for the Commonwealth Monument Project. Check out the video below! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYufVDpHupY&feature=youtu.be
Join us this Saturday, May 4, 2:00-4:00 for a Salon Celebration honoring white carnation descendants of the 100 Voices and other inhabitants of the Old Eighth Ward. The event will be held at Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center at 1102 N. 3rd Street. Between 2:00 and 3:00, visitors can circulate between different tables and information booths, … Continue reading Saturday Salon, May 4, 2:00-4:00
Join the Commonwealth Monument Project this coming Saturday for the next Chautauqua Workshop (on previous workshops, see this post). WHO: IIPT-TFEC Harrisburg Peace Promenade: The Commonwealth Monument Project WHAT: CHAUTAUQUA: Pennsylvania and the Underground Railroad: The Road to Harrisburg: a "Live and Learn" workshop WHEN: Saturday, April 20, 2019 Noon-2 p WHERE: McCormick Public Library, … Continue reading Pennsylvania and the Underground Railroad: Chautauqua Workshop, (April 20)
In partnership with the Commonwealth Monument Project, we are launching a campaign via Facebook, Twitter, and this blog to track down direct descendants of 100 influential African-American citizens who called Harrisburg their home in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Our collaborators in the project, history detectives Mr. Calobe Jackson, Lenwood Sloan, and Jeb … Continue reading Do You Know ME? Help us find descendants of 100 important Harrisburgers
M. Diane McCormick published a recent piece on the Commonwealth Monument Project at The Burg. Titled Pieces of the Puzzle, the essay details the project and also includes a video interview with Mr. Lenwood Sloan. Here's a taste of the article: "The stories lurk in half-forgotten memories. The images hide in boxes stashed in attics. … Continue reading Pieces of the Puzzle (The Burg Article on the Old Eighth Ward)
We recently kicked off the Commonwealth Monument Project with the first of six “Chautauqua Series” lectures at the McCormick Public Library. Close to 40 people came in and out during a two hour session. The library staff were supportive and helpful throughout. Mr. Lenwood Sloan facilitated an excellent series of presentations and conversations about the … Continue reading Reimagining the Old Eighth Ward: A Reflection on the First Chautauqua Lecture
Digital Harrisburg 