Anti-Racism Efforts in Carlisle: Difference between revisions
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== A Brief History of Racism in Carlisle == | == A Brief History of Racism in Carlisle == | ||
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|[[Image:Auctionva.jpg|photo courtesy of www.afrolumens.org/slavery/educ1.html]] | |||
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'''Slavery''': During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, men and women were held in the bondage of slavery in Carlisle. This is an example of a fugitive slave notice issued by a Carlisle slaveholder, as printed in ''The Pennsylvania Gazette'', September 6, 1789: "Six Dollars Reward. RAN away from the subscriber, living at the Carlisle ironworks, in Cumberland county, a Negroe woman, named BETT, about 40 years of age, between five and six feet high, speaks good English and German. It is supposed she will make for the city of Philadelphia, as she was seen on the road between Lancaster and the city. Whoever secures said wench, so that I may get her again, shall receive the above reward, and reasonable charges if brought home, paid by MICHAEL EGE. August 26, 1789." [http://www.afrolumens.org/ugrr/ (http://www.afrolumens.org)] Read about the [http://www.dickinson.edu/carlisle/barnitz/lozenski.html Underground Railroad in Cumberland County] and see the slave listings from the [http://www.afrolumens.org/slavery/cmb1807.html#Carlisle 1807 Census] for Carlisle and other Pennsylvania townships. | |||
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|'''Carlisle Indian Industrial School''': The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was founded in 1879 by U.S. Army Officer Richard Henry Pratt, with the goal of educating young American Indians about the white culture in America. Many of the students were taken against their will and brought to Carlisle, miles away from anything they new. The students would be forced to change their names and to reject their culture, far away from their homes and families. Read about it in [http://www.wordsasweapons.com/indianschool.htm Central PA Magazine], at [http://home.epix.net/~landis/ The Carlisle Indian Industrial School Research Project], or at [http://www.historicalsociety.com/ciiswelcome.html The Historical Society Web Page]. | |'''Carlisle Indian Industrial School''': The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was founded in 1879 by U.S. Army Officer Richard Henry Pratt, with the goal of educating young American Indians about the white culture in America. Many of the students were taken against their will and brought to Carlisle, miles away from anything they new. The students would be forced to change their names and to reject their culture, far away from their homes and families. Read about it in [http://www.wordsasweapons.com/indianschool.htm Central PA Magazine], at [http://home.epix.net/~landis/ The Carlisle Indian Industrial School Research Project], or at [http://www.historicalsociety.com/ciiswelcome.html The Historical Society Web Page]. | ||
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|[[Image:Kkk.jpg| | |[[Image:Kkk.jpg| | ||
Photo courtesy of The Sentinel]] | Photo courtesy of The Sentinel]] | ||
|'''Ku Klux Klan''': A Venango County-based branch of the KKK planned a "white rights rally" to be held in Carlisle in September 2000. Read [http://www.dickinson.edu/news/unitypres.html President Durden's Statement] about the events. | |'''Ku Klux Klan''': A Venango County-based branch of the KKK planned a "white rights rally" to be held in Carlisle in September 2000. President William G. Durden of Dickinson College quipped in a statement to the college commnity: "Permit me to suggest a response to the traditional koan: 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?' -- Answer: 'A KKK rally in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.'" Read the rest of [http://www.dickinson.edu/news/unitypres.html President Durden's Statement] about the events. | ||
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| '''Westboro Baptist Church''' (Topeka, Kansas): This hate group is "dedicated to preaching the Gospel truth about the soul-damning, nation-destroying notion that 'It is OK to be gay.'" Under the leadership of Pastor Fred Phelps, Westboro threatened to hold a rally in Carlisle in 2005 to protest Carlisle High School's Gay-Straight Alliance. Read about the [http://www.godhatesfags.com/main/index.html '''Westboro Baptist Church'''] at their website. | | '''Westboro Baptist Church''' (Topeka, Kansas): This hate group is "dedicated to preaching the Gospel truth about the soul-damning, nation-destroying notion that 'It is OK to be gay.'" Under the leadership of Pastor Fred Phelps, Westboro threatened to hold a rally in Carlisle in 2005 to protest Carlisle High School's Gay-Straight Alliance. Read about the [http://www.godhatesfags.com/main/index.html '''Westboro Baptist Church'''] at their website. | ||
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[[Image:Fred_Phelps.jpg|Photo | [[Image:Fred_Phelps.jpg|Photo courtesy of www.nrk.no]] | ||
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At the [http://www.dsl.psu.edu/ '''Penn State Dickinson School of Law'''], students often tend to feel a lack of connection with the community. Recently, when students felt that they were victims of racism, they were unaware of the resources available in the community. On February 2, 2005, the law students called a town meeting to discuss the issues at hand. | {| | ||
|[[Image:psulaw.jpg|Photo courtesy of the Sentinel]] | |||
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'''Dickinson School of Law''': At the [http://www.dsl.psu.edu/ '''Penn State Dickinson School of Law'''], students often tend to feel a lack of connection with the community. Recently, when students felt that they were victims of racism, they were unaware of the resources available in the community. On February 2, 2005, the law students called a town meeting to discuss the issues at hand. | |||
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== Community Response == | == Community Response == | ||
'''"The Carlisle community responds when there is an outside threat, but the next big step is being proactive."''' | '''"The Carlisle community responds when there is an outside threat, but the next big step is being proactive."''' | ||
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According to Margaret Anderson and Patricia Hill Collins in | According to Margaret Anderson and Patricia Hill Collins in ''Race, Class, and Gender'', "to ignore the significance of race in a society where racial groups have distinct historical and contemporary experiences is to deny the reality of their group experience" (AHC 82). The Carlisle community is made up of many different races and ethnicities, many of whom have experienced prejudice and discrimination. Instead of ignoring their situation, many members of the Carlisle area have joined together to identify the significance of race and combat these issues. | ||
The Carlisle community has come a long way since September 2000, when members of the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated on the Cumberland County Courthouse steps. The [[Unity Celebration and Amani Festival|Unity Celebration]] held at Dickinson College drew about 3,000 people and from there the [[NAACP | local NAACP chapter]] was born. [http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2005/07/16/news/news03.txt Read about it in the Sentinel.] | The Carlisle community has come a long way since September 2000, when members of the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated on the Cumberland County Courthouse steps. The [[Unity Celebration and Amani Festival|Unity Celebration]] held at Dickinson College drew about 3,000 people and from there the [[NAACP | local NAACP chapter]] was born. [http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2005/07/16/news/news03.txt Read about it in the Sentinel.] | ||
In December 2004, the community was again faced with the threat of intolerance when a homophobic hate group led by Fred Phelps planned to visit Carlisle to protest the Gay-Straight Alliance at Carlisle Regional High School. Dickinson College hosted a rally much like the [[Unity Celebration and Amani Festival|Unity Celebration]] to show its support for the club and for LGBT individuals and their allies in the community. [http://www.dickinson.edu/news/features/2004/unity/ Read about it on the Dickinson College website.] | In December 2004, the community was again faced with the threat of intolerance when a homophobic hate group led by Fred Phelps planned to visit Carlisle to protest the Gay-Straight Alliance at Carlisle Regional High School. Dickinson College hosted a rally much like the [[Unity Celebration and Amani Festival|Unity Celebration]] to show its support for the club and for LGBT individuals and their allies in the community. [http://www.dickinson.edu/news/features/2004/unity/ Read about it on the Dickinson College website.] | ||
Following Penn State Dickinson School of Law’s Town Meeting on February 2, 2005, YWCA Carlisle created a community event to “Continue the Commitment to Eliminate Racism.” | Following Penn State Dickinson School of Law’s Town Meeting on February 2, 2005, YWCA Carlisle created a community event to “Continue the Commitment to Eliminate Racism.” | ||
Latest revision as of 20:28, 11 May 2006
Get Involved | Conclusion | Sources
A Brief History of Racism in Carlisle
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Slavery: During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, men and women were held in the bondage of slavery in Carlisle. This is an example of a fugitive slave notice issued by a Carlisle slaveholder, as printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette, September 6, 1789: "Six Dollars Reward. RAN away from the subscriber, living at the Carlisle ironworks, in Cumberland county, a Negroe woman, named BETT, about 40 years of age, between five and six feet high, speaks good English and German. It is supposed she will make for the city of Philadelphia, as she was seen on the road between Lancaster and the city. Whoever secures said wench, so that I may get her again, shall receive the above reward, and reasonable charges if brought home, paid by MICHAEL EGE. August 26, 1789." (http://www.afrolumens.org) Read about the Underground Railroad in Cumberland County and see the slave listings from the 1807 Census for Carlisle and other Pennsylvania townships. |
| Carlisle Indian Industrial School: The Carlisle Indian Industrial School was founded in 1879 by U.S. Army Officer Richard Henry Pratt, with the goal of educating young American Indians about the white culture in America. Many of the students were taken against their will and brought to Carlisle, miles away from anything they new. The students would be forced to change their names and to reject their culture, far away from their homes and families. Read about it in Central PA Magazine, at The Carlisle Indian Industrial School Research Project, or at The Historical Society Web Page. |
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Ku Klux Klan: A Venango County-based branch of the KKK planned a "white rights rally" to be held in Carlisle in September 2000. President William G. Durden of Dickinson College quipped in a statement to the college commnity: "Permit me to suggest a response to the traditional koan: 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?' -- Answer: 'A KKK rally in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.'" Read the rest of President Durden's Statement about the events. |
| Westboro Baptist Church (Topeka, Kansas): This hate group is "dedicated to preaching the Gospel truth about the soul-damning, nation-destroying notion that 'It is OK to be gay.'" Under the leadership of Pastor Fred Phelps, Westboro threatened to hold a rally in Carlisle in 2005 to protest Carlisle High School's Gay-Straight Alliance. Read about the Westboro Baptist Church at their website. |
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Dickinson School of Law: At the Penn State Dickinson School of Law, students often tend to feel a lack of connection with the community. Recently, when students felt that they were victims of racism, they were unaware of the resources available in the community. On February 2, 2005, the law students called a town meeting to discuss the issues at hand. |
Community Response
"The Carlisle community responds when there is an outside threat, but the next big step is being proactive."
--Shalom Staub, Ph.D., Academic Affairs Fellow, Dickinson College
According to Margaret Anderson and Patricia Hill Collins in Race, Class, and Gender, "to ignore the significance of race in a society where racial groups have distinct historical and contemporary experiences is to deny the reality of their group experience" (AHC 82). The Carlisle community is made up of many different races and ethnicities, many of whom have experienced prejudice and discrimination. Instead of ignoring their situation, many members of the Carlisle area have joined together to identify the significance of race and combat these issues.
The Carlisle community has come a long way since September 2000, when members of the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated on the Cumberland County Courthouse steps. The Unity Celebration held at Dickinson College drew about 3,000 people and from there the local NAACP chapter was born. Read about it in the Sentinel.
In December 2004, the community was again faced with the threat of intolerance when a homophobic hate group led by Fred Phelps planned to visit Carlisle to protest the Gay-Straight Alliance at Carlisle Regional High School. Dickinson College hosted a rally much like the Unity Celebration to show its support for the club and for LGBT individuals and their allies in the community. Read about it on the Dickinson College website.
Following Penn State Dickinson School of Law’s Town Meeting on February 2, 2005, YWCA Carlisle created a community event to “Continue the Commitment to Eliminate Racism.”
