In 1943, Charles H. King left Pottsville to fight for democracy. Instead, he found segregation, humiliation, and hard truths about race in the U.S. Navy. His memoir captures the moment he realized who he was in a divided America, and why that awakening shaped his life. Read the full story.
In August 1963, dozens of residents from Scranton traveled to Washington, DC for the March for Jobs and Freedom, witnessing Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech firsthand. Their reflections capture a powerful moment during the Civil Rights Movement that felt, as one attendee said, like “This is America.” Read the Full Story.
In this episode of Public History with Justin, Jake, and Molly, Jake and Molly are joined by public historian Rich Condon to explore the Port Royal Experiment - an early, improvised effort to build freedom during the Civil War. Long before Reconstruction formally began, formerly enslaved people tested land ownership, education, and self-governance in coastal South Carolina. Listen to the episode.
In this "emergency" episode of Public History with Justin, Jake, and Molly, Jake and Molly respond to the quiet removal of slavery interpretation at Philadelphia’s President’s House ahead of America’s 250th. Listen to the full episode.
Before the Civil War, slavery didn’t just haunt the South - it sent shockwaves into small Northern towns, too. In this episode, I sit down with public historian EJ Murphy of the Destination Freedom Project to talk about Waverly, Pennsylvania and the secret routes that helped people escape bondage—linking communities across Northeastern Pennsylvania. We get into what the Fugitive Slave Act changed on the ground, how you tell this story when sources are thin, and why visitors keep saying the same thing on these tours: I grew up here…and I had no idea. Listen to this episode of Public History.
Celebrate Black History Month with stories of African American pioneers in Pennsylvania’s Coal Region—from Civil War bravery to crucial roles in 20th-century progress. Discover heroes like Nicholas Biddle and Charles H. King, Jr., and learn how they shaped our communities. Join us in honoring this remarkable legacy. Read the full story.
On November 14, 1865, Black Civil War veterans marched through Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in their own “Grand Review” after being largely absent from the official event in Washington, DC earlier that year. These soldiers, who played a crucial role in securing Union victory, were honored by local leaders and called for the right to vote. Read the full story.
In July 1865, the Pottsville Miners' Journal published a letter from a vehement support of Black voting rights.
Justin and Jake share their reactions to Episode 9 of Masters of the Air.
Justin and Jake share their reactions to Episode 8 of Masters of the Air.