A stop on the Underground Railroad and a refuge for Black residents during the Battle of Gettysburg, the town of Yellow Hill was once a thriving community in Adams County’s Butler Township. Then it was gone — but not forgotten. “I think the Yellow Hill community is crucial in telling the story of the making
On October 16 at 7:00 p.m. in Mara Auditorium on the campus, Gettysburg College will host a screening and panel discussion honoring Hispanic Heritage Month and the vital contributions of migrant workers, with the event serving as the culmination of the college’s monthlong celebrations. The centerpiece is an award-winning documentary produced in partnership with PBS
This story was originally reported by Jessica Kutz of The 19th. Meet Jessica and read more of her reporting on gender, politics and policy. Under pressure from the Trump administration, the National Park Service (NPS) removed historical context from signage that explained the role women played in the creation of the Muir Woods National Monument
Gettysburg marked Juneteenth with an evening of powerful music and community spirit on Sunday, as nationally renowned jazz and blues artist Antoinette Montague took the stage in a performance that blended joy, history, and resilience. Held as part of a two-day Juneteenth celebration, the concert began with stirring solo performances by local vocalists Monisola Page
More than 550 people gathered Saturday afternoon at Gettysburg’s Lincoln Square for a peaceful protest against the current administration’s policies and actions. Cheered on by honking horns and encouraging shout-outs from passers-by, the protesters held signs addressing – among others – the administration’s disregard for the Constitution and laws; the removal of top military and
In the wake of a series of U.S. Presidential Executive Orders relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, we write to assure the people of the Borough of Gettysburg, and of Adams County more generally, that they can continue to find support if they believe they have experienced discrimination. The Borough of Gettysburg adopted an anti-discrimination ordinance
Today marks the first day of the new U.S. administration. Incoming President Donald Trump has vowed to put into place policies on Day One that include deporting “illegal” immigrants in grand sweeps. In a time of anti-immigrant rhetoric and uncertainty about the impact the new policies will have on our local immigrant communities, many migrants
By Jason Oliver Evans, University of Virginia Since 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed Martin Luther King Jr. Day into law, many Americans have observed the federal holiday to commemorate the life and legacy of the civil rights leader, Baptist minister and theologian. MLK Day volunteers typically perform community service that continues King’s fight to
As many in our community know, Lincoln Cemetery has been a well-kept secret for years. This historic Black cemetery, established in 1867, is located behind the emergency room entrance of WellSpan Hospital in Gettysburg. For many years, Lincoln Cemetery was under the dedicated care and leadership of Mrs. Betty Dorsey Myers. However, due to health
@Home in Adams County, a community initiative working together to ensure Adams County Pennsylvania is a place where individuals, seniors and families can afford to live well, businesses can thrive, and the beauty and history of our community can be preserved, will hold its first meeting of 2025 on January 27 at 1:00 p.m. via
***Abraham Brian moved from Maryland to Gettysburg in 1840 and bought a 12 acre farm on what is now Gettysburg battlefield. Returning after the armies departed to find his animals and crops gone and his farm damaged, Brian and his family slowly rebuilt. James Warfield was a farmer and blacksmith, living at the time of
Memorial Day ceremonies were held at the Lincoln Cemetery on Sunday. The ceremonies were led by Jean Green, Chair of the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association. In introductory remarks, she explained that the small orange flags mark 136 burial sites with no headstones. These burial sites were identified with ground penetrating radar. Green reported that the
Every year, the Interfaith Center For Peace and Justice likes to lift up some members of our community who we think best embody the mission of our organization, which is to promote respectful dialogue on peace, social justice and equity, multiculturalism, and environmental sustainability. The Lifetime of Peacemaking Award is given to a local resident
Local Latino families and health care and service organizations gathered on a beautiful, sunny Palm Sunday, to participate in the third annual “Celebrate Your Health” (¡Celebra tu Salud!) event at Gettysburg College. The annual gathering, sponsored by WellSpan Health and organized by Casa de la Cultura, Migrant Education, and Collaborating for Youth, was initially conceived
The Adams County Heritage Festival planning committee and interested community members convened on March 12 to deliberate on the festival’s future and discuss strategies to enhance its community impact. Chaired by Bill Collinge, the meeting saw active participation from various community stakeholders, reflecting a collective endeavor to sustain and enrich the festival’s legacy. Established in
“This cemetery is the only concrete evidence there was a Black community in Gettysburg,” said Lincoln Cemetery Project Association Director Jean Green as she surveyed the 1.6 acre cemetery on the corner of Long Lane and Lincoln Lane in Gettysburg. The cemetery is Gettysburg’s only surviving Black cemetery and the final resting place of more
As Beyoncé’s country singles “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ‘Em” usher in a new era for the star, other Black artists in the genre are welcoming the interest and discussing old patterns of exclusion. Tanisha Thomas of Spotlight PA Country musician Samantha Rise performs. Submitted photo. This story first appeared in PA Local, a weekly
Ryan Raul Bañagale, Colorado College February 12, 1924, was a frigid day in New York City. But that didn’t stop an intrepid group of concertgoers from gathering in midtown Manhattan’s Aeolian Hall for “An Experiment in Modern Music.” The organizer, bandleader Paul Whiteman, wanted to show how jazz and classical music could come together. So
Gettysburg College’s College Union Building Ballroom will soon be echoing with insights and visions for America’s future. On Nov. 1, the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College will host Maryland Governor Wes Moore as the keynote speaker for its renowned 22nd Annual Blavatt Lecture. Governor Moore, who made history as Maryland’s first Black Governor, will address
The 32nd annual Adams County Heritage Festival will kick off, rain or shine, at noon on Sunday, September 17, at the Gettysburg Recreation Park, 545 Long Lane. With a goal of celebrating community unity, Festival organizers, the Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice, and the YWCA of Gettysburg and Adams County have planned a full afternoon
Gettysburg Area Democracy for America (DFA) has released a position paper decrying the chronic shortage of affordable housing in Adams County and calling for developers and local governments to make a priority of this issue. You can read the paper by clicking here. The position paper mentions several reasons for this shortage, including: The position
Nicole A. Cooke, University of South Carolina Despite misconceptions and stereotypes – ranging from what librarians Gretchen Keer and Andrew Carlos have described as the “middle-aged, bun-wearing, comfortably shod, shushing librarian” to the “sexy librarian … and the hipster or tattooed librarian” – library professionals are more than book jockeys, and they do more than
The Governor of Utah, Republican Spencer Cox, received a standing ovation Saturday when he announced a new initiative to more than 700 delegates and speakers nationwide at the Braver Angels convention held at Gettysburg College last week. “I want to thank you for your blood and toil, your labor and sacrifice to try and teach
This year marks almost 40 years of cultural exchange and friendship between Gettysburg and León, Nicaragua, through Project Gettysburg-León (PGL). Since it was founded in 1986, PGL has fostered cultural exchange and supported projects in León to educate children, offer access to healthy food and water through gardens and portable water systems, and sponsor cultural
GETTYSBURG, PA — The 7th Annual Gettysburg Pride Fest will be held June 2-4, 2023, with over 50 different local small businesses, four all-loving/affirming inclusive local churches, and ten other nonprofit organizations sponsoring the weekend’s fest with various events for all ages. Premiere-level sponsors are WellSpan Health, Field & Floor FX, and Graphcom, as well as
The Gettysburg/Adams County Chapter of Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) honored the 2023 winners of its Peacemaker Awards this week during a well-attended ceremony at the Valentine Hall Auditorium on the Lutheran Seminary campus. Darren Glass, President of ICPJ opened the ceremony and mentioned that, since inception of the program in 1995, the
The Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice has selected the winners of its Peacemaker Awards for 2023. Amelia Contreras will receive the Lifetime of Peacemaking Award. The Refugee Resettlement Partnership will receive the Peacemaker of the Year Award. The three most recent former presidents of ICPJ, Christine Kellett, MJ Duffy, and Dennis Murphy, will receive
Part 1 of the Gettysburg Community Theatre’s dramatic production of Tony Kushner’s two-part play “Angels In America” opened tonight on the stage at 49 York St. The play won Pulitzer and Tony awards. Please see our photo gallery below for scenes from the show. Part 1 will also be presented Saturday May 6 at 7:00
The Gettysburg Black History Museum started as an idea shared around an old kitchen table. It was at that table where Margaret Nutter told her daughters they needed to find a way to share the history of Gettysburg’s Black families. More than 25 years later, the museum has found a new home inside Valentine Hall
We have much wisdom to gain by learning to understand other people’s cultures and permitting ourselves to accept that there is more than one version of reality. — Louis Menand, Pulitzer Prize-winning author. When people mention “the Greatest Generation,” they’re usually referring to the men who rid the world forcibly of Hitler, Mussolini, and the Japanese
We have much wisdom to gain by learning to understand other people’s cultures and permitting ourselves to accept that there is more than one version of reality. — Louis Menand, Pulitzer Prize-winning author. The YWCA Gettysburg and Adams County Library System provided human books for checkout during National Library Week, April 24 to 29, allowing participants
Dozens of community members came together at HACC Gettysburg last week to learn more about issues of inclusion and how the community can create safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth through allyship and inclusion. The first hour of the event was led by Phacelia Cramer, a LGBTQ+ Youth Support Consultant with the Center For Youth and
For over a decade, Adams County, PA has celebrated the peoples and cultures of Africa through an annual dinner. This has taken several forms over the years but always includes a sampling of African foods, dress, music, and more, recognizing the rich and diverse cultures of the continent. This year, the dinner will be reinaugurated
Over the course of her time at Gettysburg’s Vida Charter School, current principal Elaine Nashelsky has watched the school’s Black History Month celebrations transform and grow. “Having now been at Vida for almost seven years. I’ve had the opportunity to see Black History Month blossom,” she said. The charter school’s Black History Month events take
Gettysburg Borough Council member and Executive/Artistic Director of the Gettysburg Community Theatre Chad-Alan Carr has been elected as a board member of the newly-formed nonprofit Keystone Equality. Keystone Equality is a nonpartisan organization formed to mobilize awareness of statewide LGBTQ political issues. Keystone Equality will endorse candidates for public office, mobilize LGBTQ voters, and become a
After years of Covid cancellations, several hundred people gathered in Christ Chapel on the Gettysburg College campus last evening for the 41st annual Adams County Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. The long-running event is the brainchild of Mary-Alice Nutter, who was honored at the event with the “Living the Dream Legacy Award.” Nancy Lilley, Advocacy
A motor cavalcade wended its way through the downtown Gettysburg on Martin Luther King Day, 2023, passing by some of the historical African American sites in the borough. The cars displayed red, black, and green colors representing Marcus Garvey’s Pan African movement. The motor cavalcade ended at the Gettysburg Recreational Park where the crowd ate
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” These words, stated by Martin Luther King, Jr., still challenge us to be the best we can be almost 60 years after he first spoke them. As a leader in
The 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration “From the Mountaintop” will be held on Monday Jan. 16 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Gettysburg College’s Christ Chapel. Keynote Speakers include Gettysburg Mayor Rita Frealing, and Taurean (Tory) Moses, the first African American member and current Vice President of the Adams County Bar Association. Musical
A group of concerned citizens from Adams, Dauphin, Franklin, and York counties, Uniting to prevent targeted violence, will hold meetings over the next 18 months to discuss and seek ways to reduce targeted violence. The group is seeking citizen members to be involved in its work. Targeted violence refers to violence that is premeditated and
A flyer posted in the Gettysburg College student union last week announcing an event that never took place has put the college in the national news. The flyer asked people who were “tired of white cis men” to come paint and write about their feelings at an event to be held last Saturday. Editor’s note:
The 31st Annual Adams County Heritage Festival was held yesterday on a bright sunny day with perfect weather. Hundreds of people came to the Gettysburg rec park to celebrate culture with music dancing, bike rides, food and more. The stage events were hosted by Mark Purdy, Master of Ceremonies, with Bob Ranalli as Sound Technician
The 31st annual Adams County Heritage Festival, scheduled for Sunday, September 18, from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Gettysburg Rec Park, promises to be one of the best ever. The planning committee has already signed formal contracts with three performing groups and awaits confirmation from a fourth. On stage will be local musician Freya
Gettysburg celebrated Juneteenth today with a Parade and Jamboree. The festivities began at noon when an interracial group of about a hundred people congregated in front of the Ploughman Taproom on Lincoln Square. Opening remarks were provided by the event’s MC, Larock Hudson, who explained that Gettysburg’s first Juneteenth celebration was planned by a
The Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) recognized the 2022 winners of its Peacemaker Awards at a ceremony on the Lutheran Seminary campus this evening. This year’s honorees were Yeimi Gagliardi, who received the Lifetime of Peacemaking Award, and Blessing Shahid and Alex Hayes, who received Peacemaker of the Year Awards. Hayes, nominated by
An afternoon of activities and entertainment celebrating African American history and culture will be held on Sunday, June 19, 2022. The events include a parade beginning on the Gettysburg Square at 12:00 p.m. and an afternoon of activities at the Gettysburg Recreation Park from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Indigenous Glow/ I Glow Black,Inc. is hosting
The Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) has chosen the 2022 winners of its Peacemaker Awards. This year’s honorees are Yeimi Gagliardi, who will receive the Lifetime of Peacemaking Award, and Blessing Shahid and Alex Hayes, both of whom will receive Peacemaker of the Year Awards. Winners will be honored at a ceremony on
Dozens of Hispanic families came to the Ballroom at Gettysburg College on Sunday for the first ever “Celebrate your Health Day.” The event, sponsored by Collaborating for Youth, Wellspan, Casa de Cultura, and Amerihealth Caritas, included an obstacle course, bouncy house, and games for children, as well as crafts, yoga, dance, fitness training. Also available were
The Littlestown Area School District is making use of its newly-revised resource materials policy (Policy 109) to consider challenges to 35 books currently in the high school library. The challenges came over the past weeks in a set of 15 books followed by another set of 20 books. District Superintendent Chris Bigger said the challenges
Gettysburg College’s 6th annual Peace and Justice Week was held last week. The event, which had the theme of “decolonization,” was attended by students and faculty from the college’s Peace and Justice Studies minor. According to the Miriam Webster Dictionary decolonization means to “free from the dominating influence of a colonizing power.” On the second day
Decoloniality, anyone? This big-chewy-cookie of a word is the theme for the Sixth Annual Peace and Justice Week being held from March 21-26 on the Gettysburg College campus. On Monday, Dina Gilio-Whitaker, Lecturer of American Indian Studies at California State University San Marcos, provided the keynote for the week with a lecture on “Decolonizing and Indigenizing
Brian P. McCullough, Texas A&M University and Lance Warwick, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Watching skiers compete almost entirely on artificially made snow at the 2022 Winter Olympics, we found it hard not to think about climate change and what it will mean for the future of the winter sports industry – and who will
You’re invited to join together in a series of informal social events during February to learn about Black history. The meetings continue on Wednesday Jan. 16 and 23 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Sterner Building in the Gettysburg rec park. The family events include posters about Black history from around the world, guest
The Gettysburg Adams Kiwanis Club has announced a new monthly speakers series beginning on Monday, January 24 at its 7:00 p.m. meeting. The first speaker in the series will be Yeimi {Jaime) K. Gagliardi, a Latino health educator in Adams County for WellSpan Health and chairperson for the Latino Services Task Force and the Tobacco
Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis In the summer of 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. introduced the keynote speaker for the 10th-anniversary convention banquet of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Their guest, he said, was his “soul brother.” “He has carved for himself an imperishable niche in the annals of our nation’s history,” King told the
216 years after it was founded in 1806, the historical site of a major Civil War Battle has inaugurated its first African American mayor. Rita Frealing was sworn in this afternoon as the mayor of the Borough of Gettysburg at the Borough Office Building on E. High St. by outgoing mayor Ted Streeter. Frealing is
By Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters. After removing a trio of Confederate historical markers an hour west of Gettysburg, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has
By Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It is made possible by the support of Spotlight PA members and Votebeat, a project focused on election integrity and voting access. LEHIGH VALLEY — Over the past five years, Victor Martinez has
Gettysburg Connection partners with Casa de Cultura, Collaborating for Youth, Manos Unidas, South Central Community Action Programs (SCCAP) and other local agencies to share information to Spanish-speaking populations in Adams County and the surrounding area through the Pasa La Voz program. “Pasa La Voz” (Spanish for “Spread the Word”) is a free, participatory local news
On “Freedom’s Eve,” or the eve of January 1, 1863, the first Watch Night services took place. On that night, enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and private homes all across the country awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At the stroke of midnight, prayers were answered as all enslaved
Black History in Adams County cannot be complete without paying respect to the escaped slaves that followed the Underground Railroad (UGRR) through Adams County. The National Park Service describes the UGRR by saying: “Beginning in the 17th century and continuing through the mid-19th century in the United States, enslaved African Americans resisted bondage to gain
In 1847, John “Jack” Hopkins was a custodian at the Gettysburg College. He was hired making only $15 a month. This was the normal wage for a free Black man in Pennsylvania. He was held in high esteem by the faculty and students. It is said that he helped freedom seekers during their passage in
In 1780, Pennsylvania lawmakers passed “An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery.” The Act stated people born into slavery in 1780 and after, would be freed when they turned 28 years old. However, people born into slavery before 1780 were still enslaved for life. For the time, this was a progressive step, but don’t
