Ex-Slave School: Rare Photo Reveals Harrisburg Black History Stumbling upon a rare photo of a classroom at an “Ex-Slave School” in Harrisburg in the early 1900s, was an exhilarating moment in my journey as a public historian. This isn’t merely a rare historical find; it’s a profound revelation of Harrisburg Black History, … Continue reading →
Helen Brown’s Unique Wood & Fabric Headstone Helen Brown’s final resting place wasn’t marked in the usual way—there was no obituary, and her life’s accomplishments were not carved in marble or granite but inscribed by a loving hand onto a sheet of fabric affixed to a unique wood & fabric headstone. Her … Continue reading →
Enslaved in Pennsylvania: County Slave Registries Database 1780-1847 There is no single repository for Pennsylvania’s surviving county slave registries. “Some have survived as individual registrations, others as original manuscript registries, and others still as transcripts of original documents.” If you are researching people who were enslaved in Pennsylvania these are invaluable resources, … Continue reading →
UMaine dedicates Beryl Warner Williams Hall to groundbreaking graduate The UMaine honored one of its most groundbreaking graduates. The University dedicated Beryl Warner Williams Hall to a Black woman who was Bangor Native, Educator, and Civil Rights Leader. Her granddaughter Eve Williams Wilson is seen here performing poetry on the UMaine campus … Continue reading →
Up From Eugenics: UMaine Beryl Warner Williams Hall Dedication on April 28th Up From Eugenics: Beryl Warner Williams Hall replaces Clarence Cook Little Hall. Two years in the making, the dedication will be a multidimensional celebration of Black Joy. Join the celebration of this historic event in UMaine history on April 28th, … Continue reading →
I am a Descendant Reclaiming Black History in the Whitest State in America “We want to rename a building at UMaine for your grandmother!” Beryl Warner Williams Hall It’s been 2 years since I accepted that challenge… And I’m not sure that anyone at the University knew what they were getting into … Continue reading →
Harrisburg Telegraph (1908) ‘A Trip Around the World-The Ladie’s Guild-Harris A.M.E. Church’, 30 March, p. 2.
Continue reading →Lettie Garner, over 100, formerly enslaved, was born on February 25, 1807, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia according to the papers. She, and her husband, Joseph Garner were both supposed to be around 50 at the 1870 census. The news reported she came to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, when she got free in 1863, and … Continue reading →
The Voice of Black Women Civil War Activists When Jane Welcome wrote to President Lincoln on November 21, 1864 both of her sons were serving in the United States Colored Troops. She had received no word or money from her youngest son, Israel, who was serving with the 55th Mass, and had … Continue reading →
Anna Eliza Williams was born on December 25, 1824, in France. She married Aquilla Amos, and they had six sons and two daughters together between 1844 and 1859. Serving different roles in various social organizations, Anna was committed to interconnected causes of temperance, women’s suffrage, and the betterment of the African American … Continue reading →
