The Spark podcast

33:58

In this episode, we delve into the concept of being "qualified" in the workplace, examining who gets labeled as such, who doesn't, and the underlying reasons. We explore "competency checking"—the practice of scrutinizing individuals' abilities—and how it disproportionately affects underrepresented groups, often going unnoticed or unchallenged. Our discussion aims to redefine qualifications in a fair, equitable, and actionable manner. Our guest, Shari Dunn , is an accomplished journalist, former attorney, news anchor, CEO, university professor, and sought-after speaker. She has been recognized as Executive of the Year and a Woman of Influence, with her work appearing in Fortune Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, and more. Her new book, Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work , unpacks what it truly means to be deserving and capable—and why systemic barriers, not personal deficits, are often the real problem. Her insights challenge the narratives that hold so many of us back and offer practical solutions for building a more equitable future. Together, we can build workplaces and communities that don’t just reflect the world we live in, but the one we want to create. A world where being qualified is about recognizing the talent and potential that’s been overlooked for far too long. It’s not just about getting a seat at the table—it’s about building an entirely new table, one designed with space for all of us. Connect with Our Guest Shari Dunn Website& Book - Qualified: https://thesharidunn.com LI: https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/sharidunn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thesharidunn Related Podcast Episodes: How To Build Emotionally Mature Leaders with Dr. Christie Smith | 272 Holding It Together: Women As America's Safety Net with Jessica Calarco | 215 How To Defy Expectations with Dr. Sunita Sah | 271 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform! 🔗 Subscribe & Review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music…

The Spark

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When people come together and talk about really interesting topics, great questions spark better understanding and opportunities for new ideas to form. On The Spark from WITF, hosts Scott LaMar and Aniya Faulcon start the conversations about what’s happening in the world and at home. Share your ideas at https://witf.org/programs/the-spark.

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The Spark

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#News #WITF

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The Spark

1
Free screening of the documentary, The Philadelphia Eleven on WITF TV 22:19

1 day ago22:19

22:19

The documentary The Philadelphia Eleven tells the powerful story of eleven women who in 1974 shattered barriers by becoming the first female priests ordained in the Episcopal Church – challenging tradition, defying expectations, and paving the way for future generations. Margo Guernsey, Director and Producer of the Philadelphia Eleven, felt it was important to tell their story. “I felt like a little bit like I'd been punched in my gut and been told a story that having been an avid student of American history, both in high school and college and getting a master's degree in history and have never heard, it felt like a story that had gone untold in ways that was a disservice to all of us and that I wanted to pursue telling that story, “said Gurnsey. She began working on the film in 2015 by making connections with the women that are still currently with us so they could tell the story from their experience. “They're getting older. And so, it also meant that it was really important to connect with as many of them as quickly as possible because this was 2015. So not quite yet the 50th anniversary of the ordinations but still pretty far along. But having them tell their own story was always at the very top of our list of how to approach the storytelling of this moment in history, “said Gurnsey. Rev. Nancy Wittig, one of the Philadelphia eleven, recounts the day she was ordained. “I think there was a great deal of anxiety in the air. We knew that we were going against tradition, and we didn't know what was going to happen. I think all of us knew at some level that there would be a lot of anger about it and that we would just have to withstand it, “said Witting. Rev. Cater Heyward on the other hand was extremely excited. “Well, I was mainly excited because I mean all of us had been helping planet and we had some sense of what we hoped would happen and the bishops who were ordaining us had been perfectly wonderful and being accessible to us and helping us talk through what it was we were doing and what they were hoping for. and the 11 of us, we had not all known each other. I mean, I think each of us had probably known somebody among the 11, but none of us had known everyone, so. We had just begun to get to know each other, and that was a wonderful thing too. And we knew that there was some risk involved. We had been told that there had been threats against the church and against us. But we were also assured that every possible precaution had been taken to make sure that we and the entire congregation would stay safe. And so we were grateful for that, “said Heyward. The documentary airs Monday March 10 at 9 p.m. on WITF TV. Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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Stronger Together Impact Project working to address homelessness crisis 27:43

2 days ago27:43

27:43

Homelessness is a complex issue with many causes from economic hardship, housing shortages, and unexpected crisis. The Stronger Together Impact Project brings together officials from various governmental agencies to the issue of homelessness, seeking new solutions to an issue with a variety of causes. The Stronger Together Impact Project was created by Sonia Pitzi, Director of Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Lincoln Area Intermediate Unite #12, and Chris Kapp, Coordinated Entry Systems Regional Manager for the Cumberland County Housing and Rehabilitation Authority. Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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The Impact of Avian Flu on PA Poultry Farmers, Secretary Redding Joins in on Conversation 24:17

2 days ago24:17

24:17

Avian Flu has been impacting Pennsylvania’s farms for nearly two years now. The virus has had a major impact on poultry farmers across the state. According to the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, it is very devastating to farmers after their farm has been hit by the virus. “Nobody wants to do what these farms are required to do. You have to put flocks down. But you have to contain and suppress the virus as quickly as you can. It's the first principle of eliminating this virus, is to contain and suppress it, “said Redding. For poultry farmers, this is their livelihood. They wake up every single day to tend to the flocks, and it’s financially and emotionally challenging while dealing with avian flu. "These farms are now without a paycheck. It's difficult for them to go for some time. That's part of the challenge when you quarantine and restrict and then have to test. It could be two months; it could be three months without a paycheck. And the state stepped in, and I'll talk about that. And then of course, just sort of the social and emotional impacts of what these farmers are doing in the families, “said Redding. Over the last few years, there’s been 35 confirmed cases of bird flu in the state. The Department of Agriculture has been working to protect farmers during this challenging time. “We've done a lot of testing. So, we're working our way through it, but it's a long process, as you can appreciate. Once you have a positive and you go through the prescribed actions, we have to take on farms and for that farm to get back in business. And of course, our consumers are seeing the impacts of that in the marketplace with the price of eggs is one example, “said Redding. As of now, the 2025-26 Legislative Budget Hearings have been taking place. Secretary Redding shared if there were any updates on budgeting for the surveillance. “So, the legislature and the governor established a recovery fund that we've been able to sort of put aside some dollars and that has $61 .5 million in it. And that is to cover testing and recovery. So that testing recovery I think is what you call surveillance. So, we're doing that testing all the time. A lot of questions this year from the legislature because we did something really important and that was, we reallocated some money that had been for high path avid influenza to our food nutrition programs, knowing what we're seeing in the demand at the food banks as an example, and helping out with some innovation. So, all the money stayed within agriculture, but we did that knowing. that we had a recovery fund that had a significant and healthy cash balance. And that's credit to the governor and really the judicious use of those monies to help our producers, “said Redding. Grant Guilbon, Regulator Affairs Specialist for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau also was a part of the conversation. Listen to hear more of the podcast. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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National Marching Band Day: Inside the Keystone Indoor Drill Association 21:24

3 days ago21:24

21:24

The Keystone Indoor Drill Association (KIDA) is one of the oldest organizations of its kind in the country, serving the region since its inception in 1981. The organization sponsors competitive events for Indoor Color Guard, Percussion, Dance, and Winds. “Back in the day, we used to also have a competition with majorettes and drill teams. We don't have any of those anymore, but we're, you know. very, very strong with our members for Color Guard and Indoor Drumline, “said Matt Carraher, President of KIDA. There are similarities and differences between marching bands and indoor drills that includes percussion and ensembles. “So, the easiest way to say it is if you take a marching band and you take away everything except the drums and then mix it together with Cirque du Soleil and then put it in a gym, that's what indoor drumline is. So, it's not just playing the drums or drumline the movie from 20 years ago. It's not just that. We call it pageantry because it's there's choreography, there's dancers, there's props, there's crazy costuming, there's big sound systems, there's lighting, there's all kinds of things that go into it.” KIDA has over 100 participating schools and independent organizations from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. “You know, our big goal and... as an organization is just to make sure that we're fostering the environment of growth for these students and creating a great experience for them. And that's really our goal is we want our events to be a great experience for these students to have a performance outlet and have something that they really look forward to, the audience really looks forward to, and they can do some really cool things.” Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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National Marching Band Day: Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh 25:58

3 days ago25:58

25:58

March 4th is National Marching Band Day, a day to march forth and celebrate the vibrant tradition of marching bands across the nation. To celebrate, we spoke with Directors of two of Pennsylvania’s premiere marching ensembles-Dr. Matthew Brunner from the Temple University Diamond Band and Dr. Brad Towsend, Director of the University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band. For Brad, he knew early on he wanted to pursue a career in music as a high school band director. But that changed when he took a school trip to the University of Pitt for Pitt Band Day. “They came out, pulled out all the stops, man. They played the over to 1812 and they had cannons. And when the game started, they sat the bands, the high school bands in the end zone. And there's a tunnel that the pit band came running out of, which I'd learned later is called their run cadence. And I was like, that's it, right there. That's what I got to do.” Brads collegiate career kicked off with the Temple Diamonds, before becoming the Band Director at Pitt. “I did direct the Diamond Band for six years and taught in the music education department there. And I made a big move across the country to Oregon State. was there for 11 years. And I've been here at Pitt for the last 12.” Matt was introduced to the band while his uncle was in the Ohio State Marching Band. His grandmother even made him a little marching band uniform for him when he attended the games. “My grandmother made me a little marching band; Ohio State Marching Band uniform and we would go down there and every time I would stand there, and I would conduct and it's kind of fortuitous what I was going to do with the rest of my life.” When Matt went off to college, he set out to study computer science, but switched his major to music and the rest was history. “I was finishing my doctorate in Indiana at Indiana university in Bloomington and I, um, uh, the job came open and it was open. I saw it posted the year before and, um, you know, then it came open again and I applied for it and they hired me and I've been there for 17 years now .” Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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History of the Civic Club of Harrisburg 25:36

4 days ago25:36

25:36

The Civic Club of Harrisburg is a service organization that supports and initiates community projects, provides scholarships and offers services to instill civility and create civil engagement within Harrisburg. To celebrate Women’s History Month, the civic club has a special event on March 24th to honor the past and present women shaping the City of Harrisburg. “ So, we are going to be having at the Civic Club of Harrisburg, the Historic Harrisburg Association come and really enlighten everyone about the Civic Club of Harrisburg and how everything began, the story, the lineage, what the audience can expect is a day of history. Things that we don't even take notice of are prevalent within the city of Harrisburg is due to the ladies of the Civic Club of Harrisburg, “said Deena Jangdhari, Director of Event Operations. Mira Lloyd Dock was an American botanist, environmentalist, and educator. She played a major role in the City Beautiful Movement and was a founding member of the Civic Club of Harrisburg. “From what she had learned from abroad, there were tree lines, there were places for children to play, there were sanitation systems, all the things that Harrisburg was missing. If you're not familiar back in the, on. 1800s and even earlier before that, they used to dump all of their waste and garbage along the riverfront, which caused a lot of disease and a lot of trash and it just wasn't a pleasant sight, “said Contrena Baltimore, President of the Civic Club of Harrisburg. Through the City Beautiful Movement, Dock implemented the sanitation system to the City of Harrisburg. “She was even responsible before the sanitation started of implementing. Trash cans. finding folks for spitting. Little things that we take for granted are things that were so important back then. And our civic club has the seeds of those beginnings that they have helped create for us today, “said Baltimore. CLICK HERE to see the Civic Club of Harrisburg events. Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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Pa. women who made history in the 19th century 20:17

4 days ago20:17

20:17

Pennsylvania has graced the world with an inordinate number of influential women throughout its history but looking with a sharper lens at four women in particular highlights not just their achievements, but also key trends in the U.S. and Pennsylvania in the 1800’s. Dr. Christine Senecal, Medieval Historian, shared some of the most important women from Pennsylvania whose lives made a positive impact on the world today. Mary Cassatt was the only American to exhibit alongside the French Impressionists in France. Cassatt’s artwork was very radical for her time, that is still celebrated to this day. “So, she did many pictures and paintings of women with children, and while that had been a pretty common scene in art, like Renoir did a lot of that, he was an imperious artist, she tended to focus on women, the labor that women did in care taking. So, if you look at a Renoir and you look at, um, like the women with the children, they're both smiling, sort of smiling for the camera, so to speak. Mary Cassatt's women are like tending to the children. And there's a lot of love and affection in her paintings, but also it shows women working. Moreover, there's pictures of women, many women, looking intently at things.” Nellie Bly was an investigative journalist who was known for her undercover reporting on a mental asylum, her trip around the world, and her advocacy for women’s rights. “She would throw herself into some news, a kind of important journalistic story. The most infamous or famous of this is a piece she wrote called Ten Days in the Madhouse. Off of the coast of New York, Manhattan, there's an island, it's an island that's now called Roosevelt Island and there was a woman's lunatic asylum, and it was supposed to be really corrupt. Nellie Bly got herself into the asylum. She did it by like going overnight, like she didn't let herself sleep. And so, she looked all crazy. And she checked herself into a kind of like dormitory to get into it and acted really crazy. Once she was in, she was eventually accepted into the woman's lunatic asylum. She was, you know, able to really record the horrible abuses and broke the story.” Listen to the podcast to hear about Union Organizer Fannie Sellins, and abolitionist Sarah Mapps Douglass. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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The Spark Weekly 3.2.2025: Road Salts Effect on the Environment and How to Deal with Grief 43:00

6 days ago43:00

43:00

On this week's edition of The Spark Weekly. Winter road treatments help to keep us safe on the roads, however there are some hidden dangers of road salt and our freshwater ecosystem. Dr. John Jackson, Senior Research Scientist of Stroud Research Center , shared how the road salt makes its way into our fresh water. Also, on the program: Lisa Zoll is a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Grief Relief in Harrisburg. Grief Relief specializes in grief and trauma therapy for adults and first responders within Pennsylvania. Grief is described as the loss of something significant loss and trauma is an event that causes some significant level of distress and anguish for someone. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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Journalist Roundtable: Protests held in Pa. in response to the Trump Administration and pauses on federal funding 22:31

7 days ago22:31

22:31

Our journalist roundtable for February 28 included WPSU’s Sydney Roach and WITF’s Jordan Wilkie. Jordan recently covered a protest where more than 300 people marched to the capitol to protest the Donald Trump administration. Sydney discussed her report on the protest in Centre County where people protested the Trump administration’s recent actions, which included pauses on federal funding and Eldon Musk’s involvement in the government. Listen to the podcast to hear the discussion. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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Pa. Scientist shares dangers of road salt contamination on our infrastructure, waterways, and ecosystems 22:16

7 days ago22:16

22:16

Winter road treatments help to keep us safe on the roads, however there are some hidden dangers of road salt and our freshwater ecosystem. Dr. John Jackson, Senior Research Scientist of Stroud Research Center , shared how the road salt makes its way into our fresh water. “a portion, maybe half, maybe a little more, maybe less, immediately goes into our waterway by way of the snow melt and runoff. So, we'll see a spike in salt in the stream within hours of snow, or especially an ice event. icing goes because it's sleet right then and there there's a lot of runoffs to the stream, so we'll see a big spike.” The highest spikes occur once the salt hits the seawater. “In one case we've actually measured it being twice as salty as the ocean. And then the second way the salt enters the stream. during the infiltration portion. So, every time it rains or the snow melts, there's a huge chunk of that water actually goes into the ground. And when it's salty water.” The road salt is extremely harmful to the plants and animals that live in the waterways. “ These are animals that are used to being in fresh water, just like you and I are used to drinking fresh water. We don't like drinking ocean water. uh we didn't evolve we're not we're not actually physiologically capable of doing well if our drinking water was salty it would be a big strain on us and so the plants and animals that are in that salty water experience that same physical strain um it's a water balance challenge first of all just like you and me being in the desert if you're in the desert you have a That's the first concern from my background . ” The salt is also aging our infrastructure and contaminating our drinking water. “So we're seeing an increase in basically an acceleration of the aging of our infrastructure. So we already have infrastructure challenges and our road salt use is making that worse. The second thing is there's drinking water concern. Like I said, we drink fresh water, not salt water, and our water is It's safe to say today our water is probably twice as salty as it was 20 years ago, and 20 years ago was twice as salty as it was 40 years ago. This is a new phenomenon. the science as well as the management of the issue is still evolving.” Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation and what we can do as local residents to minimize those negative effects of road salt on our freshwater ecosystems. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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Pa. Author shares about Amish experience in publication, Amish: In their own words 22:41

8 days ago22:41

22:41

Much has been written about the Amish in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, but little of that comes from the Amish themselves. Author Brad Igou seeks to change that with his compilation, Amish: In their own words . The book is compiled from the first 25 years of Family Life Magazine. Igou says his inspiration to write this book was born out of an experience living with an Amish family. “I'd read a lot about the Amish, but I found a publication they had called Family Life, which was written by Amish people all across America, gave me a lot of insight into what was really on the minds of Amish people, what they were thinking. their problems, their differing opinions, and that's not something I found in most academic books.” Through the compilation, Igou wanted to clear up some misconceptions about the Amish. “We often tend to look at the Amish maybe partly because they dress the same as a kind of cookie cutter people. It's an expression we sometimes use. And this kind of way of humanizing the Amish shows that they have some of the same frustrations and concerns that the rest of us. Whether it's our young people, whether it's the influence of technology. We even address issues like abuse and suicide. ” Igou says through his research, he learned about some of the struggles the Amish face. “I think some of the important things were to read about struggles that they have, whether it's abuse or marriage problems. You know, the Amish don't live in utopia. They have struggles and problems, just like the rest of us do. I found articles interesting where the Amish had adopted children, which was something that I wasn't real familiar with. writings about non -resistance, about the struggles of taking care of your parents, which the Amish feel is a responsibility they have. And also there were a couple things about what we call seekers, people who are interested maybe in becoming Amish and what the challenges of that may be and again it's to see this difference of opinion across the many states in the United States and Canada where the Amish live, that they don't always agree with each other either.” Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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Grief and trauma explained by a PA social worker 22:35

8 days ago22:35

22:35

Lisa Zoll is a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Grief Relief in Harrisburg. Grief Relief specializes in grief and trauma therapy for adults and first responders within Pennsylvania. Grief is described as the loss of something significant loss and trauma is an event that causes some significant level of distress and anguish for someone. Asia Tabb, host of The Spark asked Lisa how grief and trauma intertwine following a tragic event. “There is a term, traumatic grief, which is basically what this event has caused for many people because there was the trauma of the event that happened and dealing with that aspect of it. And then there's the grief of the losses that are now taking place.” Grief can form out of the loss of anything that ranges from a person, pet, place, or even a career. Zoll called it disenfranchised grief which is any death or less that may not be acknowledged by people or by society as a whole. “Those are losses that are sort of unsupported, unacknowledged, invalidated. So, when we think about it, yeah, we usually think about grief as the death of somebody. but there's a spectrum of losses across our lifespan that we can experience, including leaving home or leaving a job that we really loved. There's so many things, leaving a career, there's so many things that include loss and that we grieve, but maybe not very openly, and we may not even realize that we're grieving it or that it's a grief process that we're engaging in.” There are a few misconceptions when it comes to grief. One misconception is the myth of closure. “So, we think about we've lost somebody, we've lost something, and we're looking for closure. We wanna shut that door and we don't wanna look back at it. We're moving on from it. And that really is a myth. Like there's not really an end to grief.” Listen to the podcast to hear the entire conversation. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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How mass transit is evolving in Central and Eastern PA 26:18

9 days ago26:18

26:18

Public transportation plays a critical role in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania’s lives whether they’re trying to get to work, run errands, or get to their medical appointments. The mass transit is changing, pitting traditional methods against things like rideshare services. According to Richard Farr, Executive Director of Rabbit Transit , technology has been a game changer in services they provide the public. “Now we're paying by cell phones. We used to have to print hundreds of thousands of schedules. It is now an app that tracks the bus in real time and provides people with real time information. So, I think really technology has really pushed us to the forefront, you know, working with Google where you can do trip planning, “said Farr. During the pandemic, mass transit decreased in ridership due to the shut down and social distancing. Greg Downing, Executive Director of the South-Central Transit Authority says they about 85-90 percent of where they were pre pandemic. “A monthly pass for us is forty-two dollars for the regular person and twenty dollars for a student. Now, when you compare what the average car payment is too individual, which is I think in 2025, it's over seven hundred dollars just for a car payment. That's not even including maintenance and insurance. We're talking about just actual dollars going back into someone's pocket. So, we have been constantly just preaching that public transit is the way to go. So, as we continue to build that message and continue to get that message out there, communicate it all to the masses, I'll say we're seeing that more and more. Whereas we had a low before we're starting to kick back up as far as getting our number, our ridership numbers back to where they were, “said Downing. Listen to the podcast to hear the entire interview. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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Franklin County's involvement in the Underground Railroad 21:55

9 days ago21:55

21:55

Franklin County played an important role in the Underground Railroad . It’s location on the Mason-Dixon Line signaled escaping slaves entry through the north, and the mountainous terrain afforded numerous hiding places in caves and wooded areas. “Over the years I've heard research historians refer to South Central Pennsylvania as ground zero of the Underground Railroad. Over the years I've heard research historians refer to South Central Pennsylvania as ground zero of the Underground Railroad, “said Janet Pollard, Executive Director of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau. John Brown was an abolitionist who participated in the Underground Railroad and helped to protect escaped slaves from slave catchers. “In aiding those enslaved individuals well we had of course this area Chambersburg was the northern headquarters of John Brown when he planned his raid for Harper's Ferry so he launched from the Kennedy farm but in Chambersburg is where he housed he housed some of his men that were part of his provincial government because he'd had a plan to establish different government secretaries of state secretaries of war he had different people that he had placed here and they were living in Chambersburg in the spring and even into the fall of 1859 .” Listen to the podcast to hear the full interview. Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

The Spark

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The History of Perry Historians 21:44

10 days ago21:44