Blog

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

Reflections on Equity, Parity, and Justice: The Impact of Mr. Lenwood Sloan

Posted on by Kelan Amme

Lenwood Sloan as Martin Delany (2022) Editor's note: this reflection is the second 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. The series, titled "The Lenwood Sloan … Continue reading Reflections on Equity, Parity, and Justice: The Impact of Mr. Lenwood Sloan

A Spring Tour of the Women’s History Garden

Posted on by Sarah Onufer

My name is Sarah Onufer. I am a junior majoring in Public History at Messiah University. I am a work-study for the History Department and am currently doing an internship in the Messiah University and Brethren in Christ archives on campus.This semester I am enrolled in the Humanities Project course where I am working on … Continue reading A Spring Tour of the Women’s History Garden

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

New Yard Signs for the Commonwealth Monument (A Final Reflection)

Posted on by pc1226

Throughout this semester, I have had the privilege to work on designing various yard signs for the “Gathering at the Crossroads” Monument in Harrisburg. In collaboration with Mr. Lenwood Sloan, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Monument Project, I worked on creating two yard signs, the first pertaining to the Old Eighth Ward/Look Up, Look … Continue reading New Yard Signs for the Commonwealth Monument (A Final Reflection)

Joining the Digital Harrisburg Initiative

Posted on by pc1226

Source of image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/governortomwolf/50273969193/ As a senior psychology major who is new to digital public humanities and the Digital Harrisburg initiative, I look forward to working with the Digital Harrisburg team and community partners in Harrisburg. Throughout the course of this semester, I will be working on two major digital public humanities projects. The first … Continue reading Joining the Digital Harrisburg Initiative

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

Tracing Outbreaks: A Digital Journey Through Harrisburg’s Disease History

Posted on by ef1301

With December comes the end of the semester and the culmination of projects and finals. This semester in Digital History, I learned and did a lot. I learned to make a website, curate images, and how to collect data for history. All the labs we did throughout this semester were to teach us and lead … Continue reading Tracing Outbreaks: A Digital Journey Through Harrisburg’s Disease History