Saturday, February 24, 2024

A tour group gathers in the LeMoyne House to learn more about its role in supporting the Underground Railroad. Photo courtesy of the Washington County Historical Society.

Today we’re happy to share an article by the Washington County Historical Society (WCHS) on the origins of the Underground Railroad in Southwestern Pennsylvania and the role religion played in that story. If you don’t know, the WCHS is the steward of the LeMoyne House, a National Historic Landmark in Washington, PA, that was an instrumental location beginning in the 1830s for people seeking to secure their freedom from enslavement.

Did you know that as early as the 1770s there was an effort to abolish slavery in Pennsylvania? By 1780, the Pennsylvania General Assembly adopted the Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery. Despite this potentially promising beginning, the journey to freedom was arduous, but it found support in churches and homes throughout our region.

After reading the story, if you are looking to learn more about the role of the Underground Railroad locally, you can tour the LeMoyne House or visit the From Slavery to Freedom exhibit at the Heinz History Center. (See the Things to Do section below.)

In other news, last week, Augie Carlino, Rivers of Steel’s founding president and chief executive officer, announced he will retire next year after a thirty-five year tenure leading the organization. Longtime collaborators—including coworkers, politicians, and foundation leaders—reflected on his accomplishments. Please take a moment to read about his—and Rivers of Steel’s—journey.

The LeMoyne House is one of six National Park Service-recognized Underground Railroad sites in Pennsylvania—and it is the only one of these six located west of the Allegheny Mountains. Photo courtesy of the WCHS.

FEATURED STORY

The Underground Railroad in Southwestern Pennsylvania

Every year, Black History Month invites us to view the tapestry of American history a little differently— through the lens of the African-American experience. While we rightly celebrate Black excellence in familiar fields—from business and academia to the arts, sports, and modern era civil rights activism—it also offers an occasion to explore lesser known stories. One such narrative is the pivotal role African Americans played in the formation of our nation’s first civil rights movement: abolitionism and its practical arm—the Underground Railroad.

August R. Carlino

NEWS

August R. Carlino Announces Retirement

August R. Carlino, president and chief executive officer of Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation, announced he will retire in March 2025, after thirty-five years of service. Hired in 1990, Carlino was tasked with forming the coalition that would later become Rivers of Steel, a Homestead-based nonprofit whose transformative work can be seen throughout communities in southwestern Pennsylvania.



Guided by Carlino’s vision and a determination to achieve what many said could not be done, Rivers of Steel has been a pioneer in industrial preservation and heritage tourism, altering perspectives on how post-industrial communities can revitalize and thrive with creative approaches to economic revitalization.

FEATURED WORKSHOP

The Doodle Bowl Experience

March 24, 2024, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., The Carrie Blast Furnaces

You don't need to be an artist to create a work of art. The Doodle Bowl Experience is a workshop that fosters creativity, providing an outlet for even the most left-brained among us. It's also a social event. You're welcome to bring a friend and your own bottle for an evening of fun. Take home your functional work of aluminum art at the end of the night.

THINGS TO DO IN THE NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA

Support Rivers of Steel's work in communities throughout the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area. Your tax-deductible contribution will help champion community collaborations and ensure that Rivers of Steel can continue to offer vital, engaging, community-based arts, education, and heritage programs for the residents of southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond.

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