William C Goodridge was born enslaved in 1806. His mother and grandmother were owned by Charles Carrol – a signer of the declaration of independence. At just six years old, Goodridge was sold to Reverend William Dunn to learn the tanning trade in York. He was set to be freed at twenty one years old,Continue
Looking for a Black history field trip in Pennsylvania that your students will actually remember? The Crispus Attucks York History & Culture Center is now open in York, PA, and it was built for exactly this kind of learning. Here, the story of African Americans in York is told right where it happened. Students walkContinue
In July of 1969, York erupted into race riots that lasted two weeks. Multiple people were injured, their houses were searched, and the national guard had tanks rolling down the streets. Only two people were killed, but a number of people were still injured and scarred to this day. On Thursday, July 17, A BlackContinue
York County holds some of the richest African American stories in Pennsylvania. It is a story of freedom seekers and freedom makers, entrepreneurs and educators, soldiers and singers, all woven into the streets, homes, and gathering places of this county. Today, that story is still being written, and you can experience it in person. HereContinue
Fall in York, PA means cooler air, changing leaves, and a full calendar of things to see and do. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or planning your first visit to the city, this season is one of the best times to get out and explore everything York has to offer, especially downtown. Here are nineContinue
Have you been thinking about securing your membership to the History & Culture Center? Today is the day to do it! With a membership, you will be able to visit the center as many times as you like. Explore the building’s grounds over and over again – you will learn something new every time youContinue
Educational opportunities in York during the era of Segregation for Black children were sparse. In the early 1900s, York had only two elementary schools that Black children could attend – James Smallwood and Aquilla Howard. Black students were rarely seen in the White schools and not a single White student passed through James Smallwood orContinue
Downtown Inc announced the winners of the 26th annual Downtown First Awards Thursday night at The Appell Center for the Performing Arts. The awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals who advance Downtown York who have put Downtown York first, according to a release. Continue
Source: Central Penn Business Journal
Our current exhibiting artist, Frankie Greer, grew up in York, Pennsylvania. He has been close friends with Crispus Attucks’ CEO, Bobby Simpson, for many years and has donated a number of his works to the History & Culture Center’s permanent collection. His work primarily consists of paintings and drawings that focus on the spiritual comingContinue
On July 21, 1969, Lillie Belle Allen was visiting family in York, Pennsylvania from Aiken, South Carolina. Along with Ms. Allen, her mother, father, sister, and brother-in-law were driving to J.M. Fields Discount Department store. When turning onto North Newberry Street, they drove by a large group of White youths with guns. Hattie, Allen’s sister,Continue