Harriett Gaston will present “Bedford, Blair, and Centre County African American Historians: The 19th Century to the 21st Century” at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, in the Pond View Lounge of the Slep Student Center.
ALTOONA, Pa. — Penn State Altoona will present “Bedford, Blair, and Centre County African American Historians: The 19th Century to the 21st Century” at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, in the Pond View Lounge of the Slep Student Center. The event is presented by Penn State Altoona staff member Harriett Gaston.
An academic adviser at Penn State Altoona, Gaston researches and documents the 235 years of African Americans who lived in Blair County. Her research is supported by past community and academic historians, genealogists, and those who manage historical sites from the Blair, Bedford, Centre Counties and beyond.
Gaston’s presentation will introduce attendees to local and national historians who called any of the three counties home. Their research was gathered through oral and written stories and covers historical events including the following:
- When and where Black people settled in the counties
- The presence of the Underground Railroad, in which freedom seekers sought assistance in escaping from slavery,
- The formation of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) which fought in the Civil War
- The celebration of the 15th Amendment in 1870, which gave Black men the right to vote
- The founding of the Blair County branch and Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and their involvement in the Civil Rights era
The event is free and open to the public.
