If you would like to have your organization featured in this section, please send information to Robin@PittsburghUrbanMedia.com. 

Edda Fields-Black is a Carnegie Mellon University historian, author, librettist and — now — a Pulitzer Prize winner.

Fields-Black’s book “COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid and Black Freedom during the Civil War,” was selected as a 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner in history. The prize, shared this year with “Native Nations: A Millennium in North America” by Kathleen DuVal, is annually awarded to a “distinguished and appropriately documented book on the history of the United States.”

“COMBEE,” is the culmination of years’ worth of research conducted by the historian, who’s a professor in Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Department of History and director of The Humanities Center at CMU.

“I am truly grateful to the Pulitzer board for recognizing the Combahee River Raid and Harriet Tubman, the Second South Carolina Volunteers and the Combahee freedom seekers' quest for freedom as a significant chapter in our nation's history,” said Fields-Black. “I am humbled to bring the untold stories and unheard voices of formerly enslaved people to life. Thank you to the museums, research centers, archives, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, descendants of Harriet Tubman, the Combahee freedom seekers and planters, current Combahee River landowners, and the entire team at OUP for partnering with me in making ‘COMBEE’ possible.”

Tubman was instrumental in the success of the Combahee River Raid, the largest rebellion of enslaved people in U.S. history, which was based on intelligence she gathered as a Civil War spy for the U.S. Army Department of the South. Published in 2024, the book recounts the story from the perspectives of Tubman and the previously enslaved people who liberated themselves in the raid. Fields-Black herself is a descendant of one of the participants of the raid.

This spring, Fields-Black also received the 2025 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize, which is awarded annually for exceptional scholarly work in English on Abraham Lincoln, the American Civil War soldier or the American Civil War era.

“Edda Fields-Black has intellectual ambition, artistic creativity, the courage to be truly interdisciplinary, and she is an extremely nice person! I am thrilled that her groundbreaking work on Harriet Tubman's role in the Lowcountry has been recognized for the seminal work it is,” said Richard Scheines, Bess Family Dean of Dietrich College.

Sony Ton-Aime, executive director of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures serves as an advisory board member for The Humanities Center at CMU.

“The moment that I read ‘COMBEE,’ I knew it would go on to win all the prestigious awards, but I also knew that the standard of history writing had been raised,” said Ton-Aime. “Every future history book will need to borrow something from ‘COMBEE’ to be considered as worthwhile, and that is a deeper care for the voices of those whose history it tells.”

Fields-Black: As I was pondering whether or not I could write a book about the Combahee River Raid, I happened upon the U.S. Civil War Pension files while conducting genealogical research about my father’s family. In them, I found a treasure trove of information about my own family members and the community with whom they were held in bondage during the antebellum period a few miles from where the raid took place. The voices (i.e. testimony) of formerly enslaved people resided in this little-tapped source. So, searching for my ancestors’ pension files, I identified the two Second South Carolina companies formed of Combahee men who liberated themselves in the raid. And, I began to think I could identify the people who escaped in the raid, reconstruct their lives in bondage and freedom, and tell the story of the raid from the freedom seekers’ perspectives. 

Fields-Black: Most Americans know of Tubman as the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad who liberated herself from bondage, then went back 13 times to bring approximately 70 enslaved people to freedom, gave detailed instructions to another 70 bonds people who liberated themselves, then became a suffragist after the Civil War.

In 2025, it is hard for Americans to fathom Harriet Tubman’s courage and selflessness, going back into what I call the “Prison House of Bondage” so many times to rescue family, friends and members of her community on the Maryland Eastern shore when she could have led a relatively comfortable life as a free woman in Philadelphia, St. Catherines, Canada or Auburn, New York. Then, during the Civil War, she risked her freedom and her life to go down to Beaufort, South Carolina, and rescue enslaved people she did not know, and (as she told to her biographers) whose dialect and culture she could not understand. Risking her freedom and her life so that other enslaved people could be free was a supreme act of bravery.

And, prior to the release of “COMBEE,” Tubman’s Civil War service — as a spy for the U.S. Army — was the least-known chapter of her extraordinary life. I set out to change this by documenting the Combahee River Raid and Tubman’s Civil War service and telling the story of the raid from the perspectives of the people who liberated themselves in, fought in and were impacted by it. It’s wonderful that more people are learning about Tubman’s leadership and selfless courage during the Combahee River Raid in which 756 enslaved were liberated on June 2, 1863 by Tubman, her ring of spies, scouts and pilots, Col. James Montgomery, the Second South Carolina Volunteers (300 Black soldiers) and the Third Rhode Island Heavy Artillery (one battery of white soldiers).

Since I happened upon Harriet Tubman in my rice fields along Lowcountry South Carolina’s Combahee River, I have joined with Harriet Tubman’s descendants and the many biographers, historians and artists working proudly to preserve Tubman’s legacy. I hope “COMBEE” winning the Pulitzer Prize will help secure the legacy of Tubman’s valorous Civil War service in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Fields-Black: The fight for freedom and equality continues today with no end in sight, unfortunately. We can learn from Harriet Tubman not to leave anyone behind in the fight, even if it means sacrificing our comfort and risking our lives.

William “Bill” Aldophus Granberry Fisher — a revered University of Pittsburgh alumnus and pioneering educator who became the first Black principal to serve at a predominantly white Pittsburgh public high school — died on April 13. He was 100.

Described as a caring, dedicated force of nature, Fisher earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Pitt in 1948 and set about making the public school system, of which he was a product, work for everyone. He believed all students deserved the best education possible.

In 1971, Fisher made history when he became the first African American principal of Taylor Allderdice High School in the city’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

He started the job amid the tumult of desegregation. It was a tense and sometimes violent time: Fights were common, and students would often leave school to escape the aggravations. Nonetheless, he soon became a beloved and cherished principal, thanks in part to his warm but firm rapport with his pupils. Former students say Fisher saw potential in each of them and pushed everyone to be their best.

He earned the nickname “Hook” for his insistence that young men take off their caps indoors or else hang them up on hooks in his office and for his pursuit of students who cut school — he’d hook them back into their classes.

Fisher retired in 1991, but not before shaping the lives of hundreds of students, many of whom would go on to Pitt. For African American students and teachers, he paved the way for them to rise into leadership roles within Pittsburgh Public Schools.

“William Fisher, a proud alumnus of the School of Education, exemplified the transformative power of education. As the first Black principal at Allderdice High School, he left an indelible mark on countless students, inspiring them to make a positive impact on the world,” said Eboni M. Zamani-Gallaher, Renée and Richard Goldman Dean and Professor at Pitt’s School of Education.

Above all, she added, Fisher “stood as a possibility model for others, demonstrating the remarkable achievements attainable with an education degree. His legacy continues to endure through the many lives he touched.” 

During his senior year, Fisher became the first Black male student to be elected by his peers to an honorary group then called the Pitt Hall of Fame, a recognition of exemplary leadership. His name is inscribed in stone along the walk of achievement from Heinz Memorial Chapel to the Cathedral of Learning. 

After graduating from the University, Fisher worked for a few years as a clerk and a manager for the Pennsylvania Unemployment Office in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Then, in 1955, he became a teacher at the neighborhood’s Fifth Avenue High School, taking his first steps toward his trailblazing education career.

Early on, Fisher created the first parent-teacher organization at a Pittsburgh public high school and taught the district’s first class in Negro history. In the second year of his teaching career, he was honored as one of the 10 best teachers in Pittsburgh with the Edgar Stern Award.

It would not be long before Fisher went on to earn a master’s degree in education from Duquesne University. Shortly after, he soared into high-level administration, becoming a vice principal at Westinghouse High in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood and, eventually, returning as vice principal to Fifth Avenue High, where he stayed for 11 years.

His next move was to Taylor Allderdice High School in 1971. Few would forget his service as principal.

In June 2024, the class of 1972 gathered to celebrate its 50th reunion. Fisher, who had just turned 100, was an honored guest, hailed for his firmness and dedication to the students and the school.

The son of a garbage hauler, Fisher grew up in the city’s East End, where he and his little brother were raised by their grandmother, Nora Durham, after their mother died at 24 from tuberculosis. At Peabody High (now Obama Academy), he was editor of the yearbook, president of the Latin Club and valedictorian of his class. He first enrolled at Pitt in 1942 but was soon conscripted to serve in World War II. He came back to campus in 1946, this time with help from the GI Bill.

“I was thrilled to be at Pitt,” recalled Fisher in 2023 interview with Pitt Magazine. “Getting accepted meant I could live up to the expectations that my grandmother had for me to succeed.”

He participated in the University’s Interfraternity Council, Men’s Council and Debate Club and served as a Pitt Player, doing scenery and backstage work for the theater ensemble.

But Fisher perhaps found his greatest calling with Alpha Phi Alpha, the first Black male fraternity on Pitt’s campus. The brotherhood provided Fisher a deeper belonging and reinforced a personal belief in “being the master of your fate.”

In 2022, Fisher received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Pitt African American Alumni Council (AAAC). AAAC National President Thomas Brooks said Fisher’s service to the University and the fraternity “exemplified the highest ideals of service and leadership, inspiring generations past and present.”

Details on funeral arrangements have not been disclosed.

Source: 

Photography by Aimee Obidzinski

By Ervin Dyer

My experiences, particularly the pain of abandoning my art, have significantly shaped my identity and social entrepreneur path.

The sign of an artist: staying at the Van Gogh Immersive Experience until almost closing after arriving in the morning.  I'm that artist. Yet, I never practiced art professionally. I abandoned it when my parents said I couldn't move to Paris to study art. Understanding their decision now, as segregation was still a fact of life in my hometown, Richmond, Virginia, doesn't negate the fact that I suffered my art. No more drawing pictures of my signature "Big-eyed Children," using acrylics and making pottery. Yet art lives in me, and I use it now to build bridges across differences. My experiences, particularly the pain of abandoning my art, have significantly shaped my identity and social entrepreneur path.

Then came my aha moment—Weekend Experiences for Black Women and Black Power Couples in Gettysburg also carry a historical narrative central to slavery's end: The Battle of Gettysburg.

Art is how I think and feel and doesn't have to match my couch.  Art is love.  Art is politics.  Art is persuasion.  Art mirrors life.  Art is a poster with a social message that strikes an emotional chord with its target audience. Art is a catalyst for social change. I haven't gotten to Paris, yet London was in my head in 2006, and after an exhaustive Internet search, I found my teaming partner: self-made millionaire Dr Yvonne Thompson, CBE. My goal? To launch business links between Black female business owners in the US and their counterparts in the UK.  The Patricia Green Group, my public relations agency, and WinTrade Global, Yvonne's platform for women leaders globally, were ready to seize the power of global women power. President George W. Bush recognized my efforts, inviting the first delegation I led to a business reception hosted by the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, The Honorable Robert Tuttle.  My London connections opened doors when I was the publicist to Dr. Donda West for her book Raising Kanye's London Tour. PRNews recognized me as one of the top 50 game-changers in public relations. My relationship with Yvonne continues in new and exciting frontiers. I've realized these connections are not just professional but personal, and they are the key to empowering women and effecting social change.

When I married my husband and moved to his Adams County, Pennsylvania home, I realized I was out of my lane. But was I?  I am a Black woman married to a white man, and we live on a farm in a small town outside of Gettysburg. He is retired, and my public relations agency, The Patricia Green Group, is my primary revenue source. Once settled at my new home, I found women, joined networks and accepted board memberships.  Bottom line: I engaged.  Yet something was missing. Then came my aha moment—Weekend Experiences for Black Women in Gettysburg and Weekend Experiences for Black Power Couples in Gettysburg. These experiences are curated events that bring together Black professionals and couples in a relaxing and culturally enriching environment. Gettysburg also carries a historical narrative central to slavery's end: The Battle of Gettysburg.

Gettysburg attracts more than a million visitors yearly. Yet African Americans are a small percentage.  I used my influencer networks to change that narrative, bringing more than 50 Blacks with disposable dollars to Gettysburg who are influencing others to come here. The calming environment was appealing to the busy professionals. Shopping, eating, and sampling hometown wine and liquors were popular attractions. New relationships flourished with each group. A magazine publisher, a retired Pittsburgh Steeler, now a juvenile court judge, a Clinton White House speechwriter, a former FBI agent, a university professor, and a medical doctor were attendees. Destination Gettysburg, the tourism arm of Adams County, is in its second year of an ad campaign with Soul Pitt, a Black magazine in Pittsburgh. I am one of the publication's correspondents, writing articles about Black movers and shakers here. I am hosting my fourth Black author's discussion and book signing on February 28, partnering with the Adams County Library. Our guest is Wayne Dawkins, author of his most recent book, Sam Lacy and Wendell Smith: The Dynamic Duo That Desegregated American Sports. While here, Wayne will also meet with Destination Gettysburg to share tips on attracting Black journalists to cover stories about Gettysburg. 

I married my husband and moved to our farm in 2017.  Though he is white, I call him a soul in a human body.  We have an organic vegetable garden and herb plants. I capture pictures and videos of the farm's beauty and tranquility and post them on my social media. Stress is a killer. Something about the simple life and healthy eating fits at this stage of my life. There is also something about having friends who enjoy weekend experiences here and leave fortified to take on what is waiting for them with clarity and calm. There is something magical about connecting women in the US with women in other parts of the world that charts a path for a better world because women get it done!  There is something about meeting a man who loves me completely as I love him.  Things don't always happen when we want them to, but they are always on time.

Looking back, I reflect on conversations with my parents when they could not catch my vision.  Admittedly, they didn't have confidence in my artist self. Their doubt allowed me to pivot from an artist to a social entrepreneur, a visionary publicist committed to building bridges across differences and empowering women. If there are barriers to your purpose, remember that setbacks can lead to unexpected paths to success. Also, the art of connections can yield the most profound masterpieces.

PARDONING ALL 2021 INSURRECTIONISTS 

WOULD PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE PARDONING OF 

THE MOST EGREGIOIUS TRAITORS IN AMERICAN HISTORY

Many people remain in a tizzy regarding President Biden having recently granted a historic number of pardons, after having committed the faux pas of singularly pardoning his son.  Others languish in suppositions regarding to whom the newly elected President will grant pardons in January 2025.  Ignorant of American history, many don’t recall infamous pardons such as the following:

·  Bill Clinton pardoned his brother. 

·  Richard Nixon pardoned Jimmy Hoffa. 

·  Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. 

·  George W. Bush commuted the sentence of “Scooter” Libby.  

·  Jimmy Carter pardoned Viet Nam draft dodgers. 

·  Donald Trump pardoned Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner.  

All of the foregoing pardons as well as those that might be forthcoming in January 2025 pale In comparison to the pardoning of those who committed treason during the war that killed most Americans!  

Various estimates indicate that at least a half million soldiers died during the Civil War.  To put this number in perspective, more Americans died during the Civil War than all other wars combined, until the Viet Nam war deaths were included in the total.  Keeping in mind the fact that treason is one of the few crimes punishable by death, consider what former President Andrew Johnson declared on Christmas Day, 1868. 

“Now, therefore, be it known that I, Andrew Johnson President of the United States, by virtue of the power and authority in me vested by the Constitution and in the name of the sovereign people of the United States, do hereby proclaim and declare unconditionally and without reservation, to all and to every person who, directly or indirectly, participated in the late insurrection or rebellion a full pardon and amnesty for the offense of treason against the United States or of adhering to their enemies during the late civil war, with restoration of all rights, privileges, and immunities under the Constitution and the laws which have been made in pursuance thereof.”  

Today, states place various restrictions on convicted felons right to vote (See https://vote.gov/guide-to-voting/after-felony-conviction).  For example, convicted felons are generally prohibited from joining the U.S. military, yet we now face the prospect of one serving as Commander in Chief.  Other restrictions such as the right to own firearms are placed on convicted felons.  As noted earlier, treason is punishable by death.  Nevertheless, all rights, privileges, and immunities under the Constitution were restored for the more than one million Confederates who committed treason and, in the process, contributed to approximately a half million deaths!

As the current “powers that be” continue to “bind up the nation” for themselves, the anti-woke voices behind the curtain of the current Oz, soon to be President, do not want us to recall the continued extent to which “pardons”/miscarriages of justice, etc. occur when violence was heaped on Black Americans for things such as seeking to end chattel slavery; daring to vote in the Jim Crow South as well as Up North; sitting in a formerly segregated classroom, restaurant, or some other public facility; integrating publicly funded institutions of higher education; purchasing a home only to see it burned down in a formerly all-White neighborhood; merely worshiping in church; or simply driving while Black.  

Sadly, we live in an America where a Black man died when a White policeman put a choke hold on him and, recently, a White, male private citizen did so while riding public transportation, but was acquitted at trial.  In the latter case, not only was Daniel Penny not found guilty for killing Jordan Neely, mere days after being acquitted he was invited by Donald Trump and J.D. Vance to watch the 2024 Army-Navy football game.  According to Vance, “Daniel’s a good guy, and New York’s mob district attorney tried to ruin his life for having a backbone?  I’m grateful he accepted my invitation and hope he’s able to have fun and appreciate how much his fellow citizens admire his courage.”

Going forward, there is no reason to believe that Presidential pardons will be anything more than an extension of White, male, patriarchal privilege in a race-based, caste-like society.  If there remains an iota of doubt regarding the biased nature of pardons, consider the fact that President Biden’s recent pardons included, “A judge who helped orchestrate one of the worst judicial scandals in U. S. history — a scheme to send children to for-profit jails in exchange for kickbacks — was among the 1,500 people whose sentences were commuted by President Joe Biden this week.  Biden’s decision to commute the 17-year prison sentence of Michael Conahan angered many in northeastern Pennsylvania, from the governor to the families whose children were victimized by the disgraced former judge…”  (See https://apnews.com/article/kidsforcash-judge-conahan-commutation-biden-d32ee4cda3615469032d166a0f38814d).  At the same time, the NAACP and many other organizations partitioned for Biden to pardon former Baltimore State’s Attorney, Marilyn Mosby, who was convicted of perjury and mortgage fraud.  Although many Blacks believed Mosby’s to have been a targeted prosecution, she was not on Biden’s pardon list.

Jack L. Daniel

Co-founder, Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

December 16, 2024

Voices of History Stories from Black Pennsylvanians is a first-of-its-kind statewide effort to collect and celebrate the stories, family histories, struggles, and triumphs of Black Pennsylvanians in the 20th and 21st centuries. So far, PA Humanities has collected stories in Pittsburgh and Erie – and is headed to Scranton next!

“Knowing your history can give you a sense of pride in who you are and what you’re capable of. It lets you know what can be accomplished.” -Kyra Taylor, executive director of Erie's Black Wall Street

After launching in Pittsburgh this summer, it moved to Erie this fall with two story circles held in partnership with Erie’s Black Wall Street and the Historical Institute of Culture and the African American Experience. 

Learn more about this exciting project.

In partnership with Erie’s Black Wall Street, PA Humanities welcomed local historians, arts educators, and the Erie community at large to share their story of being Black in Pennsylvania through public story circles.

Watch the recorded stories from Pittsburgh now!

DO YOU HAVE STORY TO SHARE?

Your support will help us bring this project to communities across Pennsylvania! We launched our 50th anniversary Voices of History initiative on May 30 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Pittsburgh with a conversation with Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal. She was a dynamic presence and spoke on the importance of stories that shape the Black American experience.

Our 50th anniversary Voices of History initiative kicked off on May 30 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Pittsburgh with a conversation with Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal. She was a dynamic presence and spoke on the importance of stories that shape the Black American experience.

With your contribution, we will partner with local community organizations, scholars, journalists and performers and provide venues and recording equipment to ensure that people who want to share their stories are heard. To bring these multi-day events to a city near you costs $75,000 or more, plus great ideas and stories. Just as multiple individual stories can tell a bigger story of social change, so too can your financial contribution join others to make this project a reality. We’d also love to hear your ideas and story suggestions.

Learn More

Teaching Associate Professor | Director of Outreach, Department of Biological Sciences at the  University of Pittsburgh to learn more about the GENE TEAM program.

The GENE TEAM  Aims to engage students in current research in Biological Sciences and provide college preparatory mentoring. The goal of the program is to increase participation in biological research from groups that are historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math. 

WHAT IS THE DAY LIKE FOR A GENE TEAM PARTICIPANT? 

Gene Team students are immersed in the world of science in a very authentic way. This means that each day brings its own activities, successes, and challenges. Nearly every day, they are engaged in hands-on experiences to set up experiments and/or collect their data. They also meticulously record the work they do in lab notebooks. As in research labs in the department, they spend a lot of time communicating their findings to their peers to help analyze their data. Gene Team also provides college prep to our students so on any given day they could be participating in a workshop to help teach them skills like creating online STEM portfolios and resumes/CVs or to help them navigate the Common App. No day is the same and I think students appreciate that aspect of the program.

TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT THE 2024 SUMMER GENE TEAM IS WORKING ON AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE STUDENTS GET OUT OF THIS EXPERIENCE?

The Summer 2024 Gene Team students are partnering with the Rebeiz Lab at the University of Pittsburgh to explore the regulation of gene expression. Gene Expression is the process by which genes are “turned on and turned off” which makes organisms look and function the way that they do. What they learn can provide insights into the evolution of morphology or in other words how organisms look and function changes over time. They are doing this by looking into small proteins in the cell called transcription factors which act like switches to control when genes are expressed. They were able to use lab techniques like RNAi and CRISPR to shut down the genes for these transcription factors (or in other words shut down the switches) to see how the fly’s appearance, in this case the pigmentation, changes. 

Beyond the students gaining a strong understanding of genetics, we hope that the students gain confidence in their own abilities to participate in science. Often, they have experiences in school that shape how they view themselves based on metrics like test performance. We want students to understand that there are places for everyone in science. They all have unique strengths and the team they work with is stronger because of it. Additionally, we hope they feel ready for the college application process once they’ve completed the program. 

HOW IS THE GENE TEAM PROGRAM MAKING THE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF STUDENT PARTICIPANTS?

Our hope is that Gene Team impacts our students in many ways beyond just learning biology. Of course, we want our students to gain a deep understanding of the biological world and to think critically about how interconnected concepts they may have learned in school are. Moreso, we aim to improve students’ critical thinking skills, data analysis skills, ability to design experiments, and work as independent scientists as well as collaborate within their groups. These transferrable skills will allow our students to be successful in any future endeavors. We also see firsthand how building these skills and being part of a research team increases students’ sense of belonging in STEM. After completing the program, students really see themselves as scientists and believe they can be successful in STEM careers (we see this anecdotally backed up by assessment data). We see tremendous growth in so many different areas of each member of our team which they carry with them throughout the rest of high school and beyond.

HOW IS THIS PROGRAM HELPING ESPECIALLY MINORITY STUDENTS GET ENGAGED INTO BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND RESEARCH? 

Studies have shown that a critical factor in success in STEM is a student’s STEM identity. Role models, a sense of belonging, and authentic STEM experiences all build that STEM identity. Students who are ultimately successful in STEM tend to have a broad STEM community, which include both in-school and out-of-school supports who nurture learning. STEM identity and sense of belonging has been cited as a major component of STEM retention, and that women and underrepresented minority students often lack a sense of belonging. Through Gene Team, students are building relationships and fostering a STEM community, and we believe that students are more likely to pursue and persist in STEM as a result.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE STUDENTS CONSIDER AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE?

After they’ve been completely immersed in an authentic biology research experience, they now know what it is like to be in that career path. While of course we’d be thrilled if they all decided they were so inspired by the experience that they all want to pursue a career in biology, we know that won’t be the case. Some of them will learn that this career path is not for them. Either way, we hope they feel more empowered that they’ve learned something about themselves and their interests. In addition to this knowledge about their own interests, we equip them with many tools for success in the college process. We also hope that they consider utilizing these tools in ways that work for them as they continue carving out their own futures.

THE Gene Team has been accredited by Middles States Association for broadening participation in STEM. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HELP PUSH FOR EQUITABLE FUTURES IN STEM?

The MSA-CESS accreditation is a ground-breaking step towards elevating the critical learning and skills development provided by Gene Team through increased visibility and value in the higher education admissions process, promoting greater equity in college admissions. Out-of-school educational programs experiences are disproportionately important for students who systematically have reduced access to advanced STEM experiences in their high schools, and accreditation validates these underrecognized opportunities. This creates a mechanism for admissions officers to understand and recognize our students’ experiences in Gene Team. We are thrilled to be accredited, which can lead to more holistic admissions reviews for our students.

WHAT SORT OF PLANS FOR THE FUTURE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM OR SUSTAIN IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF GENE TEAM PARTICIPANTS?

Gene Team is part of the STEM PUSH Network, a nationwide initiative to develop a new admissions model for evaluating students who have participated in pre-college STEM programs. The network developed the accreditation process that allowed Gene Team to be one of the first precollege STEM programs (PCSPs) in the country to be accredited for broadening participation of traditionally excluded populations in STEM. STEM PUSH partner programs are committed to continuous improvement on evidence-based quality standards for broadening participation in STEM across six areas (Program Goals, Student Recruitment, Program Design & Implementation, Student Services, Assessment & Evidence of Performance, and College Going Pathways).Partner programs to strengthen their programming for racially/ethnically minoritized students along the quality standards, and to generate effective practices which contribute to the broader field of equitable design and implementation in pre-college programming. We examine STEM education practice and systems through an equity lens, reflect on our strengths and areas for growth, apply improvement science tools and routines to facilitate program and systems change, and build program capacity for continuous improvement and evaluation. Therefore, we are constantly looking at ways to strengthen our programming and make sure we are serving our students well. 

AT THE END OF THE EXPERIENCE, WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD WATCHING THE STUDENTS ENGAGE IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES?

Historically, there has been a lot of gatekeeping in fields like biology which means the barriers needed to overcome the inequities of the past are immense. As we walk around the room and watch the students, who are from a variety of backgrounds and schools, do biology research, little cracks start to form in the mountain of the problem. Watching the students pick up on complex concepts like CRISPR and RNAi in just a few days is awe-inspiring. These kids, our future, are ready. All they need is to be given that chance and when given the chance, they rise to the occasion. We are proud to run Gene Team that puts the spotlight on the students and gives them the opportunity to shine. We are proud to be part of the STEM PUSH network which unites dozens of programs like Gene Team all over the country with the common goal of letting the student’s shine. Most of all, we’re proud of the students continuing to show us there is hope if we all keep working to give the students these opportunities to shine.

Learn More about the GENE TEAM program click here 

Duquesne President Ken Gormley recently traveled to Arizona to present an Honorary Doctor of Music to Pittsburgh native George Benson, a 10-time Grammy Award-winner, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter.

A video of Gormley interviewing Benson at his home and presenting him with the Honorary Degree was shared with Mary Pappert School of Music’s 2024 graduates during their May 10 Commencement ceremony.

A longtime admirer of Benson and his music, Gormley spoke with Benson about his childhood, growing up near Duquesne University in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood. 

“The thing I can remember when I was young was looking up at the sky—they would always turn red every night because of the two great steel mills…not too far from us, and you heard (them) thumping all night long,” Benson recalled.

The two discussed a broken ukulele that Benson’s musician stepfather found, fixed and gifted to him when he was just seven years old. His stepfather would later make an electric guitar for Benson from a dresser top. 

When Gormley asked him about his jazz influences growing up, Benson mentioned the local but also nationally known artists who impacted him.

“Pittsburgh was the home of the great Billy Eckstine, Art Blakey, Mary Lou Williams, Ahmad Jamal and Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, al these fabulous musicians,” said Benson, who is recognized as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts. “And what made Pittsburgh so great…was the Pennsylvania Turnpike.” 

Described by Benson as a straight shot to New York city—“a place everybody was trying to get to”—the Pennsylvania Turnpike allowed performers from the Midwest, including Chicago, to “stop in Pittsburgh and jam with the greatest musicians in the world.” Benson also claimed his love for his hometown and the many great experiences he has had there.

“Pittsburgh continues to produce great musicians, and we’re proud at Duquesne University of our graduates of the Mary Pappert School of Music who we’re honoring at this ceremony,” Gormley said. “That’s the beautiful thing George—they’re going to go on to make contributions in their own careers as musicians, teachers, as professionals in music tech and production as tomorrow’s innovators.”

When asked to share his thoughts with Duquesne music graduates, Benson said “You play music for the greatest reason of all—because you love music…don’t be afraid…just be yourself.”

Upon receiving his Honorary Doctor of Music and hood, Benson exclaimed, “This is a tremendous and great honor. I feel that it will encourage me to go further.”

The video and degree presentation was met with applause and accolades from the graduates, families and guests at the Commencement Ceremony.

The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Works (DPW) Forestry Division began work on the 2024 Homewood street tree project.  

The tree project includes the addition of 100+trees to the neighborhood as well as the pruning of overgrown trees and the removal of hazardous ones. DPW Forestry will be working with a contractor to perform all of the pruning which will begin Tuesday, June 18th including removals that will continue throughout the end of the summer.  

"Planting trees in lower-income neighborhoods improves air quality, provides shade, and beautifies our streets, fostering a healthier and more equitable Pittsburgh for all," said Mayor Ed Gainey.  

This project comes after extensive engagement and feedback from Homewood residents. The goal is to plant street trees to provide house-friendly shade and residential green spaces. Additionally, trees are shown to help protect the health of residents and lower the average temperature.  

Visit the DPW Forestry Division website to learn more about the project, follow current progress, and request street trees in your neighborhood.   

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania (BGCWPA) is thrilled to announce the opening of a new Clubhouse at Aliquippa Junior Senior High School for the 2024-2025 school year. This exciting development is the result of a collaborative effort with the Greater Aliquippa Advisory Committee and aims to provide a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for the youth of the Aliquippa community.

The Greater Aliquippa Advisory Committee was established by a diverse collection of dedicated community leaders to guide this process. Members include Dr. Mitchel Nickols, Dr. Cheryl King, Dr. Melvin Steals, Dr. Phillip Woods, Joe West, Tina Price-Genes, Olivia Benson, Ed Palombo, Ed DeMailo, Tyrone Patillo, Mike Warfield, Michael Hauser, Genetha Short, Nora Lemon, Rob Jones, Sam Gill, Rick Shymoniak, Tamu Gilbert, Robert Digiovine Jr., and Salina Moreland.

The Aliquippa Clubhouse will serve students ages 10 through 18 offering both after school and summer programs as well as during school teen programs designed to support academic success, career and life readiness, character and leadership development, and healthy lifestyles. This initiative aligns with BGCWPA’s mission to activate and advance the potential of every child, especially those who need services the most.

“The kids of Aliquippa deserve every opportunity to thrive and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania is honored to be invited to serve this wonderful community,” said Christopher Watts, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania. “This new Clubhouse will be a safe, fun, and inclusive place for kids and teens and we are privileged to collaborate with the dedicated leaders of the Greater Aliquippa Advisory Committee and Aliquippa School District to turn this longtime vision into a reality.”

“Speaking on behalf of the Aliquippa Advisory Committee, I know we are making a big step for our community by bringing a Boys & Girls Club to Aliquippa,” said Dr. Mitchel Nickols, Chair of the Advisory Committee. “Having spaces for our kids to learn and thrive will have a tremendous impact across all of our community.”

“The ultimate goal is to inspire and motivate school-age children to embrace their potential, creativity, and individuality, and to encourage them to dream big and work towards their goals,” said Dr. Phillip Woods, Superintendent, Aliquippa School District.

The after-school program for ages 10-13 will follow the Pennsylvania Keystone STARS quality rating improvement system, ensuring a high-quality experience for all participants. Activities will include, arts, reading  activities, math and reasoning activities, science and nature activities, and cultural awareness. Programs are designed to be engaging and inspiring, fostering a love of learning and creativity in a safe, inclusive environment. Youth enrolled in these programs are eligible for Child Care Works (CCW), making the programs accessible to families in need of financial assistance.

For Grades 9-12, the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) will be a cornerstone of the high school offerings during the school day. This evidence-based program focuses on building social-emotional skills, developing a positive sense of self, and encouraging community engagement through service projects. Key components of TOP include skills building, self-learning and engaging with the community.

BCGWPA and the Greater Aliquippa Advisory Committee also announced the initiation of a fundraising effort specifically for the Aliquippa Clubhouse. Donations can be made via checks payable to “Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania” with “Aliquippa Clubhouse” specified on the memo line, sent to our headquarters at 317 East Carson Street, West Tower, Suite 238, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Contributions can also be made online at https://bgcwpa.org/give, specifying “Aliquippa Clubhouse” in the memo section.

Peoples, an Essential Utilities Company, made a gift through the Essential Foundation to support the Aliquippa Clubhouse to kick off the Clubhouse fundraising effort. “Peoples believes in making lives better through support of important community organizations, and we’re glad to work with Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania,” said Vice President of Reliability Ed Palombo. “Their Aliquippa Clubhouse will be a great asset to children and families in the area, and we look forward to seeing the growth that comes from this initiative.”

For more information about BGCWPA visit bgcwpa.org.

On March 26, 2024, a megaton cargo ship struck the 1972-77 built Francis Scott Key Bridge, leaving in its wake horrible deaths and unfathomable world-wide negative economic impact.  For more than two decades, from the deck of our waterfront home, the sky’s landscape featured the Francis Scott Key Bridge.  Daily, we could see vehicles pass over and under the Bridge.  As this article is being written, it has not been possible for me to adequately describe the eerie feeling experienced when I look into the empty sky where the Bridge was once featured or I stare across the water where the cargo ship sits loaded with hazard waste and supporting huge steel fragments of the former Bridge  --a gloomy sight that now serves as a call for action by the national collective.  

Speaking shortly after the collapse of the  Francis Scott Key Bridge, President Biden declared "It is my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge, and I expect the Congress to support my effort.”  If indeed the “federal government” pays for the Bridge’s reconstruction, perhaps the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, like the mythical Phoenix, should serve as a catalyst to help bridge the pathway for America’s unfinished democratic dream.  

If Congress supports President Biden’s determination to use “we the people’s dollars” to build a new bridge, then we should not build a new bridge bearing the name of Francis Scott Key given that “In 1814, Key was a slaveholding lawyer from an old Maryland plantation family, who thanks to a system of human bondage had grown rich and powerful.  When he wrote the poem that would, in 1931, become the national anthem and proclaim our nation “the land of the free,” like Jefferson, Key not only profited from slaves, he harbored racist conceptions of American citizenship and human potential. Africans in America, he said, were: ‘a distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community.’” (see https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/wheres-debate-francis-scott-keys-slave-holding-legacy-180959550/).  

Given his direct involvement in slavery, how could Francis Scott Key possibly have included Blacks when he wrote, “O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave” as these words were  written in 1814 and it was not until 1863 that the Emancipation Proclamation was issued?  Instead of rebuilding in the name of a long-time practicing racist, would it not be better to name the new bridge the Harriet Tubman Freedom Bridge?

“Born around 1822 in Dorchester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Tubman is one of the most lauded, recognized, and revered figures in American history.  …The middle child of nine enslaved siblings, Harriet Tubman was raised by parents who struggled against great odds to keep their family together.  …Tubman successfully escaped to Philadelphia in 1849. Once free, she became an operator of the Underground Railroad — a secret network of people, places and routes that provided shelter and assistance to escaping slaves. She courageously returned to Maryland at least 13 times over the course of a decade to rescue her parents, brothers, family members, and friends, guiding them safely to freedom.”  (see Harriet Tubman - Harriet Tubman Byway).

Imagine, when passengers cross over and under the Harriett Tubman Freedom Bridge, they are reminded of America’s promise to truly be the “land of the free and the home of the brave.”  As the multi-billion-dollar construction project unfolds, imagine in the name of freedom, Blacks, women and others currently adversely socio-economically impacted receiving equitable proportions of the construction contracts.  Consider the implications of a booming Baltimore-based economy that contributes to the elimination of widespread poverty in Baltimore and elsewhere.  Think about how much healing might take place if the new Bridge became a frame of reference for what truly can transpire in terms of America making good on its most sacred promises!  

Let’s not rebuild a bridge in the name of a person with a very unsavory past  -a person who committed crimes against humanity by profiting from chattel slave ownership and used his legal education to defend the institution of slavery in general as well as to help slave owners regain their “property,” i.e., runaway slaves.  Let’s build a new bridge in the name of a true American heroine, i.e., the Harriet Tubman Freedom Bridge.  

Jack L. Daniel

Co-founder Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

April 2, 2024

It’s called virtual reality, but it's being used to give older adult residents of the Hill District access to very real memories.

In the fall, Tim Huang, an assistant professor in the University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information, launched the Time Traveling Project, a community-based initiative that uses immersive visual technology to add historical context to the photography of Charles “Teenie” Harris, a prolific chronicler of 20th-century Black life.

To do this, Huang converts Harris’ photos of the Hill District into short videos viewable in virtual reality headsets and, to give context to those images from decades past, records and layers in oral histories from people alive during the era when the images were taken.

“I want my work to help underserved populations gain representation. The story of the Hill District and the people who live there is absent from mainstream media. We are recreating the experience of what it was once like to live there and documenting people’s stories,” he said.

The Time Traveling Project is a partnership among the University, the Charles “Teenie” Harris Archive at the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center, a Hill District faith-based, nonprofit community outreach organization.

Huang and his research cohort — Clinical Associate Professor Dmitriy Babichenko and PhD candidate Pat Healy (A&S ’19, SCI ’19), also in the School of Computing and Information — meet weekly with participants in the Enrichment Center's senior programming, who view Harris’ photos and virtual reality videos and share recollections.

For Liz Hyatt, who grew up in the Hill District, seeing photos of her former middle school, Herron Hill, reminded her of a time when the neighborhood felt more vibrant.

“Everything was happy; we didn’t have much, but we had a ball. We had an imaginary mind back then. We made our own skateboards by attaching the bottoms of roller skates to boards, and we went sledding using garbage can lids,” she told Pittwire.

The goals of the Time Traveling Project are two-fold, said Huang: to create a time capsule for younger generations to understand the historical significance of the Hill District and Harris’ work and to engender a sense of belonging for participants.

“We aim to understand the role of collective nostalgia in enhancing social connectedness and fostering a sense of community at a broader level,” he said.

Healy, who is making the Time Traveling Project the centerpiece of their dissertation, hopes it will bridge the generational divide.

“We’re learning that there are gaps in understanding between what’s captured in Harris’ photos and many people’s preexisting opinions of the Hill District,” they said.

There are many reasons the neighborhood, a once thriving epicenter of Black life in Pittsburgh, experienced an economic downturn — notably the building of the Civic Arena venue in 1958, which displaced an estimated 8,000 residents and 400 businesses, according to an article by DaNia Childress, associate curator for African American history at the Heinz History Center. Though the Hill District is undergoing revitalization efforts and recently gained a grocery store, the downturn can still be seen in shuttered storefronts and empty lots.

Terri Baltimore, program coordinator for the Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center’s Active for Life Senior Center, also sees the potential of the Time Traveling Project to enhance the Hill District’s reputation, noting that “immigrants, in addition to African Americans, lived in the neighborhood, and their imprint is in the landscape, in the buildings and the street names.”

“My hope for people learning about the stories collected in the Time Traveling Project is that folks who never come into the Hill District see their family roots here and see humanity here. They will cease to look at this place as [having] a red circle around it that they didn’t want to penetrate,” Baltimore said. “The neighborhood holds the DNA of Pittsburgh.”

— Nichole Faina, photography by Aimee Obidzinski. In the right photo, Professor Tim Huang demonstrates how to use a virtual reality headset with Liz Hyatt at the Teenie Harris Center in the Hill District.

Source: PittWire

Steelers announce new community field and youth-recreation complex at Hazelwood Green; state-of-the art facility, to be developed by Tishman Speyer, will serve young people in Hazelwood and across the region.

Richard King Mellon Foundation awards $10 million for construction.

The Pittsburgh Steelers today announced an historic expansion of their longstanding commitment to local youth: A new, state-of-the-art community field and youth-recreation complex at Hazelwood Green.

The complex will be operated by the Steelers Charities and branded with the Steelers logo. Activities will include youth football; clinics with current and former Steelers players and coaches; boys and girls flag football; soccer games and clinics; and renovation of a 10,000 square-foot building on the site to enable indoor sports and recreation activities, so the site can be utilized year-round. As it grows, the complex also could include top-tier food and beverage concessions; and enhancements to the main field so that it also could be utilized for high-school sports.

Tishman Speyer, which was selected in 2022 by Almono Partners to serve as the master developer of the 178-acre Hazelwood Green site, will develop the youth sports and recreation complex on behalf of the Steelers. Construction will begin next year with a grand opening planned for 2025.

"We are excited to be part of this special project which will provide the young athletes of our region access to a state-of-the-art facility at Hazelwood Green," said Dan Rooney, Steelers Director of Business Development & Strategy. "Not only will the field be utilized for various clinics and games in the community, but the Steelers plan to use the field for community programming and player-led initiatives. It is a very exciting announcement, and we are appreciative of the efforts of so many people in the community to help make this a reality, in particular the Richard King Mellon Foundation and Tishman Speyer."

Tim Smith, Founder and CEO of Center of Life, a Hazelwood community-empowerment organization, said, "Center of Life (COL) is thrilled to welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Greater Hazelwood community. COL has partnered with the Steelers for several years, providing tickets for our families, students and staff to attend football games and engaging our students in the NFL's "My Cleats, My Cause" program. The players have volunteered and participated in our community events, filling bags with food for Thanksgiving meals, delivering turkeys to families, and helping students with homework. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been great community partners, but now they'll be partners in the community. "Here We Go!" Together!

The project is a collaboration of three generational, community-focused organizations: The Steelers; Tishman Speyer; and the Richard King Mellon Foundation.

The Steelers, one of the NFL's oldest franchises, were founded 90 years ago by Art Rooney Sr.; today the organization is led by his grandson, Art Rooney II. Tishman Speyer, an internationally admired developer focused on building vibrant communities, traces its roots back 125 years and is led by CEO Rob Speyer. And the Richard King Mellon Foundation is Pittsburgh's largest philanthropy and one of the 50 largest in the world; the foundation was founded 76 years ago and today is led by Richard King Mellon's grandchildren.

The new Steelers field is centered on a shared belief between the three organizations in the central importance of sports and recreation in youth development, and a shared commitment to assure that such opportunities are available to all. The project is meant to decisively address a well-documented shortage of youth-centric sports and recreation destinations in the City of Pittsburgh.

The complex will be built in the section of Hazelwood Green most easily accessible to the Hazelwood community. It will serve youth from Hazelwood and across the Pittsburgh region.

"The Steelers organization has a long history of giving back to their community of fans," said Sonya Tilghman, executive director of Hazelwood Initiative, Inc. "It's exciting that they want Hazelwood to be their home. But, not only will this facility provide a place for Steelers-sponsored programs and events -- the facility will be a resource for community organization's programming as well. This facility will be a great addition to our community, and we're looking forward to having the Steelers as our neighbors!"

The Richard King Mellon Foundation has awarded a $10 million grant to Steelers Charities, the team's charitable arm, to fund construction of the new community field.

"Our Board approved this funding because this historic project advances so many of the Foundation's philanthropic priorities," said Sam Reiman, Director of the Foundation. "This new community field will become a destination to advance the health and well-being and future economic mobility of youth in Hazelwood and across our region. It will spur economic development in Hazelwood and all of Pittsburgh. And it is yet another compelling demonstration of the unique potential of Hazelwood Green to attract nationally respected organizations to work together to create a new model of community and economic development to benefit the people of Hazelwood and our region."

As master developer of Hazelwood Green, Tishman Speyer will draw upon its experience and expertise managing similar community-focused partnerships with the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Harvard University. In addition to its partnership with Steelers Charities and the Foundation, Tishman Speyer is working with Carnegie Mellon University on the new Robotics Innovation Center and the University of Pittsburgh on a new biomanufacturing center at Hazelwood Green, the BioForge.

"A key objective of this historic redevelopment is to harness the energy and dedication of Pittsburgh's most beloved institutions to enrich the neighborhoods surrounding Hazelwood Green," said Tishman Speyer CEO Rob Speyer. "The Steelers' field and youth recreation complex embodies that commitment and will give back to the community, the city and its families for decades to come."

The field will be located at the site's southeast entrance on Hazelwood Avenue between Gloster Street and Tecumseh Street.

Hazelwood Green is directly across the Monongahela River from the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, the Steelers' Southside training complex and offices.

"I want to thank the Pittsburgh Steelers, Richard King Mellon Foundation, Tishman Speyer, and Almono for coming together in partnership to create a safe place for our kids to learn and play," said Mayor Ed Gainey. "These types of partnerships are what make Pittsburgh great, and I'm excited to see just how big of an impact this investment will have on the community of Hazelwood. This field will help children across the city and provide opportunities for them to learn and have a healthy future."

"There is huge demand for additional playing fields in the City of Pittsburgh," said Barbara Warwick, District 5 City Council Member. "And youth football is particularly important here in Hazelwood. I'm really excited to see the Steelers, Tishman Speyer, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation coming together to bring this much-needed asset to the community."

"Congratulations to the Hazelwood Green team for the partnership with the Steelers to build a community field," said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. "Thank you to the Steelers, Tishman Speyer and RK Mellon for your commitment to Hazelwood. We are fortunate to have such partners in this region."

# # #

About Hazelwood Green Hazelwood Green is the site of the former LTV Steel mill. A 178-acre riverside tract with a Downtown view, it is owned by three Pittsburgh foundations – the Benedum Foundation, the Heinz Endowments, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The three foundations – working together as Almono LP – have collaborated to prepare the site for development, and in partnership with Tishman Speyer are establishing a new model of community-focused economic development, with affordable housing, community recreation and a site-wide commitment to sustainability. Hazelwood Green is the emerging home to Pittsburgh's most advanced and promising industries. Carnegie Mellon University – already operating in the Mill 19 building – will construct its new Robotics Innovation Center at Hazelwood Green. And the University of Pittsburgh will build the BioForge at Hazelwood Green, a sophisticated biomanufacturing center. The Richard King Mellon Foundation has awarded $175 million in funding for the CMU and Pitt projects.

Source: Steelers

 Following Denzel Washington’s weekend visit to the Hill District to assist with the grand opening of the August Wilson House, the University of Pittsburgh Library System announced today a $1 million grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation to support the opening of and the public’s engagement with its August Wilson Archive.

This grant, the largest in the history of the University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS), follows two years of support and other charitable donations toward in-depth public engagement with the archive, which is scheduled to open to the public in January.

In 2020, the ULS acquired the archive of the acclaimed Pittsburgh native, considered one of the greatest American playwrights. All 10 plays in his American Century Cycle were produced on Broadway — two earning Wilson the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 

“Pittsburgh was such a formative influence on August Wilson’s work and shaping his worldview,” said David K. Roger, president of Henry L. Hillman Foundation. “The ability to preserve the archive here in Pittsburgh where it will be accessible to audiences who grew up in the neighborhoods featured in Wilson’s storytelling is gratifying. This opportunity would not have been possible without Constanza Romero’s generous collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh, helping to create an unprecedented view into the creative process of a singular American playwright.”

The ULS is partnering with other local cultural organizations to provide a week-long celebration of the legacy of August Wilson in March 2023. 

Funding from the Hillman Foundation will support the final stages of processing the archive — comprising more than 450 boxes of materials such as draft scripts, artwork, plaques, correspondence and a guitar — and focus on partnering with groups and organizations both locally and nationally to see the Wilson archive come to life.

“The Henry L. Hillman Foundation grant will enable us to integrate the August Wilson Archive in the very fabric of the local cultural and civic life,” said Kornelia Tancheva, the Hillman University Librarian and ULS Director who also is the grant’s principal investigator. "Wilson's work was deeply informed by his experiences growing up in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh, which makes the opportunity to share this collection with those communities, local schools, and cultural and arts organizations incredibly satisfying. With the generous support of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, we embark on what is, in some ways, a second homecoming for the archive.”

Source: Pitt

City Theatre’s Lester Hamburg Studio Theatre has been renamed the Lillie Theatre.

City Theatre has paid tribute to the legacy of Kuntu Repertory Theatre founder and artistic director Dr. Vernell Audrey Watson Lillie by renaming its studio theater in her honor.

The former Lester Hamburg Studio, the 102-seat black box that is part of City’s South Side campus, is now the Lillie Theatre, a tribute to the award-winning Pittsburgh educator, artist, advocate and Black theater leader, who died on May 11, 2020. 

The announcement noted that Dr. Lillie “was a co-founder of the Black Theatre Network and served as a mentor, director and inspiration to countless artists through Kuntu and as a long-time professor at the University of Pittsburgh.”

City Theatre founder Marjorie Walker consulted with Dr. Lillie on the company’s formation in the mid 1970s, and Dr. Lillie went on to assist on more than a dozen City productions. 

A steering committee was formed after her death to explore ways to formally honor and celebrate her, City’s press release said, and the theater was renamed with the unanimous support from its board of directors,

“With the naming of the Dr. Vernell Audrey Watson Lillie Theatre at City Theatre, we honor her legacy of excellence and accomplishment, and recognize the critical and transformative impact she had on African American artists and lovers of theater nationwide,” said City Theatre co-artistic director Marc Masterson, who knew and worked with Dr. Lillie for more than 20 years. “Dr. Lillie was an inspiration to me and so many others and she made the world and community a better place through her art and her influence. We are so honored to memorialize her legacy for generations to come.” 

Charisse R. Lillie, speaking on behalf of her sister, Dr. Marsha (Hisani) Lillie-Blanton, and their families, said in a statement, “Our mother was the ultimate mentor, mother-figure, consultant, confidante, and even a source of financial support for her students, and sometimes their families. She loved her students, the Black Theatre Network, and Kuntu Repertory Theatre – which we used to joke was her third child and for which she dedicated her heart and soul. She viewed Black theater as a tool for educating, elevating and uplifting the African-American community which would, in turn, educate, elevate and uplift the nation and the world. We are very grateful to City Theatre for this wonderful gift they are giving our family.” 

“Dr. Lillie was a pioneer. She created a path, she created opportunities – specifically for Black artists and Black people who didn’t realize that they were artists until they tapped into that strength inside of them,” said City  co-artistic director Monteze Freeland, who first worked with Dr. Lillie in a production of August Wilson’s Radio Golf in 2010. “Dr. Lillie was an encourager; she taught me – and told me – that I needed to love myself and she led by example: No one else was going to knock her down.” 

A ceremony that was to unveil the new Lillie Theatre name and signage on May 22 was postponed due to rising Covid-19 concerns, and will be rescheduled for this fall. Prepared remarks for the postponed event from Charisse Lillie and Dr. Lillie’s long-time colleague and collaborator, Eileen J. Morris, are available at CityTheatreCompany.org/LillieTheatre. The company welcomes additional remembrances of Dr. Lillie which will be shared online and on screens in the City Theatre lobby.

Source: onStage Pittsburgh

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital is honoring the late Dr. Morris Turner, OB-GYN, by hanging his portrait on the second floor outside the Birth Center beside his plaque. Dr. Turner made exemplary contributions to women’s health care in the city of Pittsburgh and was dedicated to bringing equitable care to women in underserved communities, focused on delivering healthy babies and making family planning safer.  

During his career, Turner served as president of the UPMC Magee-Womens medical staff and opened one of the first Black specialty OB/GYN practices in East Liberty— a densely populated Black neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Turner was also the medical director for the Magee-Womens outreach sites at Wilkinsburg and Monroeville. It’s coincidental but also befitting that Dr. Turner is being honored during Black History Month.  

Maternal mortality disproportionately impacts Black women in Pittsburgh and the state of Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Black women are twice as likely to die from complications during birth than White women.  

Today, the legacy of Dr. Turner’s work lives on in other women’s health equity advocates at UPMC Magee.

Turner family and painter Douglas Webster unveil Dr. Morris’ portrait during a dedication event at Magee

Jeaonna Hodges, CD-DONA, C.L.C, is one of the lead doulas of the Birth Circle at UPMC Magee. She has attended hundreds of births and believes that it’s important to listen to her patients.  

At UPMC Magee, community-based doulas provide free services and support to women at the same level of care as private doulas. The doula services range from assistance during birth to post-partum support.  

Jeaonna believes that diversity within health care systems can help lower women’s complications and anxiety during birth. “What would happen if the person that came to take care of me looked like me? That person would understand what I am going through,” she shared. 

Dr. Amaris Yandel is a clinical assistant professor and specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. Dr. Yandel is a member of UPMC’s Health Equity Now committee and sits on the UPMC Maternal Mortality Review Committee. She believes that some of the outcomes and mortality impacting local women are due to racism.  

“People feel unheard,” said Dr.  Yandel.  “Health equity means that it shouldn’t matter how someone comes to us, but we should work to make sure that the outcomes are good and equal.” 

“Finding a doctor who you can trust and have a good relationship with is important,” Yandel shared. 

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital has launched UPMC Health Equity Now— a group led by UPMC employees— to serve as a voice for Black and Brown women.  

Source: UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital  

The Richard King Mellon Foundation today announced that it has made a $500,000 gift to help save the former National Negro Opera Company House in Homewood – a once-proud national landmark that has been vacant 50 years and is dangerously close to collapse.

“This property once was the center of Black cultural life in Pittsburgh, and a national artistic destination,” said Foundation Director Sam Reiman. “The National Negro Opera Company – the first permanent African-American opera company in the nation – called it home. And it was a safe house for great musicians, such as Cab Calloway, Lena Horne and Duke Ellington, and for visiting athletes, such as heavyweight champion Joe Louis  and our own Roberto Clemente.

“But the property has been vacant for half a century, and now is dangerously close to becoming unsalvageable. The National Trust for Historic Preservation rightly has named it one of the most endangered historic places in the nation. Jonnet Solomon took the first and most important step, buying the property to save it from demolition. But now she needs help – and not just to save it, but to make it special once again, converting it into a self-guided museum, with powerful programming for disadvantaged young artists of today.

“The Foundation is hoping its initial gift will inspire other Pittsburgh community leaders – and leaders across the nation – to support Jonnet in this noble quest. Together, we can save a landmark before it’s too late. We can help young artists today to find a welcoming place again. And we can bolster Homewood’s ongoing efforts to return to its rightful place as a cultural and community hub.”

“This has been a 20-year, life-altering labor of love,” said Solomon, an accountant by profession who purchased the Queen Anne-style house, with the late Miriam White, in 2000. “And I’m more hopeful now than ever that we can preserve this historic house, and make it an artistic hub for the community once again. This gift is the catalyst that will inspire others to do the same.”

The house first rose to national significance in the 1940s, when opera singer Mary Cardwell Dawson rented space there for the National Negro Opera Company.  The company disbanded in the 1960s.

Solomon’s vision of saving the property and restoring it to new vital uses requires more than $2 million. Solomon has launched a website to tell the story of the home’s history and future vision, and to raise funds. The story has captivated national attention. But donations have been sparse.

So the Foundation stepped in to get things started.

Grammy and Emmy award winning mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, along with her team and a network of singers, also have been highly instrumental in the attention being given to the National Negro Opera House. “I feel a great obligation to this important monument of American history that has been so long neglected,” she wrote in a fundraising appeal to fellow artists. Graves founded The Denyce Graves Foundation to support projects like this. Raising funds and national awareness for the National Opera House is the foundation’s first philanthropic project. 

The Richard King Mellon Foundation’s $500,000 grant will go through Pittsburgh Opera, which is assisting Solomon with the effort and serving as fiscal sponsor for the Foundation’s grant.

“Pittsburgh Opera is working as a key collaborator in developing the artistic programming that will be based in the renovated facility to celebrate the rich operatic history of our region and to fulfill the dream of Mary Cardwell Dawson by providing opportunities for children in Pittsburgh most affected by racial inequalities in education and the arts,” said Christopher Hahn, Pittsburgh Opera’s General Director.