African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania

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African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania

Sharing African American history. Monthly speakers and weekly tours in May-Nov. in downtown Lancaste

02/05/2026

This past week, members of the African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania partnered with students from Lancaster Country Day School for an immersive Underground Railroad tour through Wrightsville, Columbia, and Lancaster.

As part of a documentary project, students visited historic sites, recorded video on location, and interviewed local site hosts to help capture and preserve the stories connected to each place. It was a powerful exchange of learning, history, and stewardship across generations.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this experience meaningful and memorable.

02/05/2026

We’re proud to share that AAHSSCPA member Neicy DeShields-Moulton will be speaking at Bethel AME Church York for a powerful and meaningful event, “We Called Their Names: Reclaiming the Ancestors of the Hampton Plantation.”

Neicy’s work centers memory, truth, and ancestral reclamation, and we are honored to see her voice and scholarship uplifted in this space. We encourage our members, supporters, and the broader community to attend and bear witness to this important conversation.

📍 Bethel AME Church, 350 W. Princess Street, York, PA
📅 Saturday, February 21, 2026
⏰ 3:30 p.m.

Join us in supporting Neicy and honoring the ancestors whose names and stories deserve to be remembered.

01/25/2026

WE ARE AMERICANS by Pat Rieker

In recent days, interpretive panels were removed by the National Park Service from the display at the President’s House in Philadelphia. The panels told the story of the nine enslaved people who lived and worked in the house during the tenure of George Washington.
The text below is posted on the website of Independence National Historical Park. We are sharing it here to keep this chapter in history alive in the event that the information is removed from public view.
Remember these nine names. Keep their stories alive. Don’t let this history be erased.

“The enslaved people who lived and worked at the President's House in Philadelphia were integral parts of the complex life in the household. They did not simply react to events; they were dynamic participants in the daily life of the family and the city. President Washington knew and trusted his enslaved house staff enough to buy them tickets for the circus and theater and let them venture out into the city’s markets on their own. These outings allowed the staff to observe the lives of free blacks living in the city and offered opportunities for communication with Philadelphia’s active abolitionist community.
“Too often people who are little known as individuals in historical documents are neglected when interpreting the past for modern audiences. Interpretation of life in the President's House gives us an opportunity to give names and faces to a few of the thousands of free and enslaved people of African descent who were part of Philadelphia society. These are the nine enslaved individuals on record who labored for Washington in Philadelphia:

AUSTIN, the half brother of Ona Judge, worked as a postillion (a horseman) and stable hand. He died on December 20, 1794, after a fall from a horse, leaving a wife and five children.

CHRISTOPHER SHEELS became Washington's personal attendant as a teenager after his uncle, who was with the general throughout the Revolution, became incapacitated. A literate man, Sheels attempted to escape in 1799, but was unsuccessful. His fate after Martha Washington's 1802 death is unknown.

GILES was a driver, postillion, and stable hand. He returned to Mt. Vernon in 1791, after being injured in an accident during Washington's tour of the southern states. He died before 1799.

HERCULES was the chief cook during Washington's stay in Philadelphia. He was celebrated for his mastery of his craft and exacting standards for kitchen workers. Accounts differ about his flight to freedom, but Hercules fled from bo***ge in 1797. Hercules would have been legally freed by the terms of Washington's will, but his wife and children remained in bo***ge (they were "dower slaves").

JOE (RICHARDSON) is mentioned in 1795 records as "Postillion Joe," although his time in Philadelphia is uncertain. He was married to a woman freed (along with their children) after Washington's 1799 death, whereupon the family took the name Richardson.

MOLL was nursemaid to Martha Washington's two grandchildren. Before Martha's marriage and at Mt.Vernon, she had served as nursemaid to Martha's children.

ONA/ONEY JUDGE was, like her mother, a talented seamstress. She became Martha Washington's personal maid as a teenager. In 1796, Judge escaped to New Hampshire, where she lived until her 1848 death. In New Hampshire, she married a free black sailor named Jack Staines and had three children, who all died before her.

PARIS was a young stable hand. He was returned to Mt. Vernon in 1791 for "unsatisfactory behavior" and died in 1794.

RICHMOND came to Philadelphia at the age of 11 with his father, Hercules. Although his father was not a dower slave, his mother was, making Richmond and his sisters dower slaves by association. He worked as a scullion in the kitchen for a year, but returned to Mount Vernon.”

https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/enslaved-people.htm

01/19/2026

Today, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - not only as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, but as a man who understood the power of history itself.

Dr. King once said, “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” Those words remind us that every struggle, every triumph, every voice that came before us shapes who we are today, and who we are becoming.

At AAHSSCPA, this belief sits at the heart of our work. We preserve stories because they matter. We protect places because they hold memory. We uplift voices because they carry truth. And we teach history because understanding our past gives us the power to shape a more just future.

On this MLK Day, we invite our community to:
Learn a story you’ve never heard before
Visit a historic site or cemetery
Support a local Black-owned business
Have a real conversation about equity and justice
Or take one small step toward service in your community

Dr. King’s legacy lives on not only in his speeches, but in how we choose to honor history, protect truth, and care for one another.
🖤❤️💚

01/19/2026

? There is an intriguing through-line from Columbia to the work of Dr. Martin Luther King.

In 1837, borough business leader William Whipper authored a powerful article in The Colored American, reprinted many times, advocating non-violence as a means of bringing equality and change.

Whipper’s message to abolitionists and reformers—that reason and moral truth shall prove to be their greatest weapons—will be echoed in the decades to come in the human rights victories of Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and, of course, and Dr. King.

01/14/2026

📍 This Sunday | January 18, 2026
🕒 3:00 PM
📌 Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology – Grisom Education Center
📍 1100 East Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17602

Join us for our Monthly Meeting!

Mount Pisgah Cemetery – An African American Cemetery in Wrightsville

Presented by Tina Charles, Becky Anstine, and Maxine Cook, this program explores the rich and often overlooked history of Mount Pisgah Cemetery.

We’ll explore:
• When and why Mount Pisgah was formed
• Why there are so many Lancaster County connections
• Who the oldest person buried in the cemetery is
• And the remarkable story of a woman who helped freedom seekers, fought Native Americans, knew General Custer, and was in Wrightsville when the Confederates attacked the town

✨ Come learn the answers this Sunday and help us honor these powerful stories and legacies. All are welcome.

01/13/2026

We invite you to be part of this historic reading. Save the date, and contact Bernice if you would like to participate.

01/10/2026

On this day in 1816, Stephen Smith purchases his freedom for $50 from Gen. Thomas Boude, who entrusts him with the operation of his Columbia lumber mill. John Barber, a prominent Columbia Quaker, lends Smith the money.

Enjoy your daily dose of Columbia 300 history...Like-Follow-Share!

12/30/2025

🕊️ In Loving Memory of Lenwood “Leni” Sloan 🕊️

It is with heavy hearts that we acknowledge the passing of our colleague, Lenwood “Leni” Sloan - a visionary, storyteller, historian, and tireless advocate for Black history and cultural truth.

Lenwood was a force of purpose and passion. A gifted living historian, educator, and cultural bridge-builder, he dedicated his life to preserving African American history and ensuring it was seen, heard, and honored. Through his work in public history, education, and the arts, he opened doors for countless individuals and reshaped how our stories are told; not as footnotes, but as foundations.

His impact stretched far beyond any single organization. From his leadership in living history and public interpretation, to his mentorship of students, artists, and historians, Leni embodied what it meant to serve with purpose. He believed deeply in the power of story - that when we know our history, we better understand our present and our responsibility to the future.

We are grateful for the time, wisdom, and generosity he shared with the AAHSSCPA and the broader community. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the truths he preserved, and the generations he inspired to carry the work forward.

Rest in power, Lenwood Sloan. Your voice, your vision, and your light endure. 🕯️

12/25/2025

For generations, Lancaster County’s history has been told through familiar names. But some of the most remarkable stories—especially those centered on African American achievement—have too often been overlooked.

On Wednesday, January 14, the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County welcomes Dr. Leroy Hopkins for Quaker Benevolence and African Genius: Banneker and Cupid Paca. This engaging lecture explores how intellect, opportunity, and community intersected in early America—and how Lancaster County played a meaningful role in that story.

📍 Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House
🕕 Doors open at 6:00 PM | Talk at 6:30 PM
💛 Admission by donation | Seating limited to 40

Registration is strongly encouraged. Reserve your seat today by clicking the link. https://hptrust.org/events/january-speaker-series-quaker-benevolence-and-african-genius/

12/14/2025

Wreaths Across America at Shreiner Concord Cemetery in Lancaster, Pa

Address

1400 Harrisburg Pike, Box 4022
Lancaster, PA
17604

Website

https://www.aahsscpa.org/

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Our Story

The Society was organized in 2005 as an affiliate of the Crispus Attucks Center of Lancaster, with the mission to collect, analyze, and interpret basic information about the life of African Americans in the South Central region of the Commonwealth.