Resistance at the County Jail: A Fugitive Slave Case in Harrisburg, 1850

Posted on by David Pettegrew

Messiah 2025 alum, JT Crocenzi, a long-time contributor to Harrisburg Historical, has published an important article exploring the case of resistance of Harrisburg's African American community to slave catchers in August-September 1850. Titled "Violence at the Jailhouse: A Fugitive Slave Case in Harrisburg," the article tells the story of George Wilson, Samuel Brooks, and a … Continue reading Resistance at the County Jail: A Fugitive Slave Case in Harrisburg, 1850

Remembering the Harrisburg Zoo

Posted on by David Pettegrew

Flashback Thursday: Nearly a century ago this week, Harrisburg Telegraph carried a story about the new "triplets" -- baby lions -- that could be seen in Harrisburg Zoological Park. Did you even know that Harrisburg had a zoo? From 1929 to 1945, Harrisburg's dailies regularly reported updates about the various animals--lions, bears, snakes, bison, monkeys, … Continue reading Remembering the Harrisburg Zoo

Today in History: Charles Dickens Visits Harrisburg in 1842

Posted on by David Pettegrew

On March 24, 1842, the well-known English writer and journalist Charles Dickens traveled through Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in his first American tour. Hannah Boes, History major at Messiah University, has just published an article on Dickens' visit at Harrisburg Historical. Here's a glimpse: "The celebrated English writer Charles Dickens, along with his wife, Catherine, and her … Continue reading Today in History: Charles Dickens Visits Harrisburg in 1842

Catalytic Agents: The Lenwood Sloan Impact

Posted on by David Pettegrew

This article is the first in a series of posts of the Center for Public Humanities at Messiah University that highlights the voices of activists, educators, and community leaders in the Harrisburg area who are advancing civil rights and preserving history. With this initial post, we honor the late visionary, Lenwood Sloan, whose partnership with … Continue reading Catalytic Agents: The Lenwood Sloan Impact

Digital Harrisburg: A Winter 2026 Update

Posted on by David Pettegrew

The winter snow and bitter cold are slowly receding in central Pennsylvania and giving us hope for the early arrival of spring. Our semester at Messiah University is rolling along in the sixth week. Our annual Humanities Symposium is upon us and the Center for Public Humanities student fellows are engaged in a range of … Continue reading Digital Harrisburg: A Winter 2026 Update

The Digital Harrisburg Initiative in Fall 2025

Posted on by David Pettegrew

Fall semester 2025 at Messiah University began six weeks ago and our students have been busy working on a number of projects related to the history of Harrisburg. As the coordinator for digital humanities with Messiah University's Center for Public Humanities (CPH), I'm excited about what our students will accomplish this term in collaboration with … Continue reading The Digital Harrisburg Initiative in Fall 2025

Harrisburg Historical: A New Mobile App for Exploring the History of the Capital Region

Posted on by David Pettegrew

Yesterday marked a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to make the rich history of Pennsylvania’s capital region more accessible to the public. After two years of dedicated work by students, faculty, and community partners, Messiah University’s Center for Public Humanities officially launched Harrisburg Historical, a free website and mobile app that brings to life … Continue reading Harrisburg Historical: A New Mobile App for Exploring the History of the Capital Region

Concluding Fall Semester 2024: An Update on Student Activities

Posted on by David Pettegrew

It's the final week of fall semester at Messiah University and as I type this, students are working hard to finish their projects and practicums in digital public humanities as well as a variety of exams, presentations, and projects for other classes. Earlier in the semester I noted here that students were then working on … Continue reading Concluding Fall Semester 2024: An Update on Student Activities