Study Areas:
George
F. Nagle
6431 Shatto Drive
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17111-4640
email: george.nagle@gmail.com
» In
the photo at right, the author, second from left, poses with fellow
tour guides James Schmick (left), Jeannette Cairo, and historian Sheldon
Munn (right) at the Camp Curtin Historical Society's annual "History
Comes Alive" event at the Harrisburg Cemetery, September 1999. Lawrence
Keener-Farley photo.
Education
- Bachelor of Humanities in American Studies, 1992, Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
- Associate of Arts, 1990, Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
- Class of 1975, Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Public History Work
- September 2010: Published The Year of Jubilee, in two volumes. A comprehensive history of Harrisburg's African American community from colonial times to 1863.
- 1997 to Present: Editor of the Web site “Afrolumens Project,” a resource for students of African American History in Pennsylvania
- January 2007: "Hairspray" Civil Rights Panel Discussion, Hershey Theatre
- November 2004: Invited speaker at Fort Hunter Mansion and Park's "Teach Me About Freedom" event, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.
- February 2004: Paper presented at Temple University's First Annual Underground Railroad Conference, Philadelphia, PA
- March 2003 & 2005: Instructor for "Harrisburg's Underground Railroad," HACC Annual Civil War Seminars, Harrisburg, PA
- February 2003: Invited speaker at the Clarke Institute Underground Railroad Conference, Carlisle, PA
- September 2002: Invited speaker at the U.S. Colored Troops Institute Symposium, Harrisburg, PA.
- February, 2001, 2002: Seminar presenter, First Annual Underground Railroad and Abolitionist Seminars, Gettysburg, PA
- April 2000: History Panelist at the 23rd Annual Conference on Black History in Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
- September, 1999 - 2004, 2006-2011: Tour guide, Harrisburg Cemetery "History Comes Alive" event
- 1998 to 2003: Editor of The Bugle, the journal of the Camp Curtin Historical Society
- 1991-1992: Researcher for Dr. Beverly Palmer in compiling the Thaddeus Stevens Papers
- 1992: Guest Curator for “The Harrisburg Seven Trial” exhibit at the Historical Society of Dauphin County
- 1991: Guest Curator for “Nelly's World—A Black Folk Artist and her Work,” multimedia exhibit at the Historical Society of Dauphin County
Why a website about slavery?
Purpose--to Educate
The purpose of this Web site is to educate people about the history of African American enslavement in Pennsylvania--a simple goal, really. The subject of slavery in American society has always been controversial and continues to be filled with nearly as much myth as fact. Many historians have made wonderful efforts through the years to document the slaveholding history of the states below the Mason and Dixon line, but I have found that many people still believe that slaveholding in the northern states was either non-existent or so minimal as to have had no impact on society here. With this Web site I want to show that the institution of slavery was not only strong in Pennsylvania, but thrived for many years after the state legislature passed laws to discontinue the practice.
Slavery also affected Pennsylvania society in profound ways. That is why I am documenting slaveholders and enslaved persons--because they each have their stories to tell, and little by little, I am uncovering many of them. From these stories I hope to show that slaveholding shaped the lives and attitudes of many of early Pennsylvania's most influential people--judges, politicians, industrialists, merchants, the clergy, and most significantly, many generations of African Americans. Also, the sheer numbers of slaves listed on the individual pages, identified by name, age and sex, is shocking. Which brings us to the philosophy behind the pages.
Philosophy--to Understand
The philosophy behind this Web site is also simple: to promote understanding. It seems that, when presented with the topic of slavery, nearly everyone has a barrier of pre-conceived ideas behind which they can hide. White genealogists who consult these pages and encounter a list of persons who were enslaved by their ancestors often express amazement and embarrassment. An African American genealogist and local historian who is descended from one of the slaves documented on these pages told me that there were many others he knew of--older folks who were similarly related--who "don't want to talk about it." Few people it seems, regardless of race, have wanted to talk about it, especially if it involves their own family history. But fortunately those attitudes are changing, and much of the change is due to the huge amount of information available on the internet and the connections to be made there.
It is this sheer weight of data that is inviting people to form their own opinions regarding history. We are witnessing a sea change in the way people look at their own history and by extension their place in modern society, and that is a wondrous thing. This Web page is my contribution to that revolution in learning. You can read my interpretations of the data, presented in my "Educational Pages" section, or you can ignore that and go straight for the raw data to do your own research and make your own interpretations. Each part is presented equally. What is important is that we see the names documented in these pages, enslaved and slaveholder alike, as men and women of their times, flesh and blood characters, instead of just names on an old tax list, estate inventory or genealogical chart. Their roles in our history were intertwined, so it is important that we study them both. We can no more separate the lives of the enslaved from the slaveholders than we can disassociate ourselves from our modern society. With this Web page, I hope to bring a little more understanding to the common history that binds everyone in this state and country. Our progress in a national dialogue on race relations depends on a clear understanding of our mutual histories.
Blogs and more
Lumenarium Blog
of the Afrolumens Project
Personal Information
Except for two years spent in the sunshine
of southern California, I have spent my entire life in the vicinity
of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I was born here, raised in the Allison
Hill section of the city and educated in the Harrisburg School District,
where I currently work as an administrative assistant at Harrisburg
University of Science and Technology High School. History, especially
local history, has always been a passion of mine, second only to my
love for my family. My wife Amy entered my life as a co-worker in the
fast food restaurant that employed us during our high school years.
We've been inseparable ever since the first kiss. Our two children
are Sarah, a very intelligent and talented photographer/artist with
a degree in Fine Arts from Kutztown University, and Jonathan, a cyber-warrior/techno-wizard
and a source of great inspiration and technical help in designing this
Web page. Without the support of these three people, this Web page
would never have come into existence, let alone grow to its current
size and scope. Thank you Amy, Sarah and Jonathan.
Covering
the history of African Americans in central Pennsylvania from the colonial
era through the Civil War.
Support the Afrolumens Project. Buy the books:
The Year of Jubilee, Volume One: Men of God, Volume Two: Men of Muscle