Identifying African-American historical sites and places

• Scott LaMar/WITF
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Matt Rourke / AP Photo

FILE PHOTO: A detail of an 1854 presidential pardon document by President Franklin Pierce, which grants clemency to Noah C. Hanson who was convicted for harboring slaves, is displayed at The Raab Collection office in Philadelphia, Monday, July 16, 2007.

Airdate: Thursday, March 24, 2022

South Central Pennsylvania was one of the most active places in the country for enslaved people escaping to freedom through the Underground Railroad and also had many African-American churches. However, that history wasn’t always recognized.

An ambitious project is underway to identify African-American places and sites that have not been recognized in past historic preservation efforts.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we learn more about the Chesapeake Mapping Initiative: Pennsylvania that is working with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to focus on history in nine counties in the region.

Joining us is Ben Harvey, Senior Architectural Historian with ASC Group, located in Harrisburg. Mr. Harvey works with various state and federal agencies to complete environmental compliance projects, and also works with historic preservation organizations on National Register of Historic Places nominations and cultural heritage projects. Also with us is Dr. Leroy Hopkins, Professor Emeritus of Foreign Languages at Millersville University and a past president of the African-American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania.