"Harrisburg Proud" makes
history lesson entertaining
Continued from page 1
featuring the first black man on the city’s
school board, the publisher of the Steelton
Press, an abolitionist/entrepreneur and an
Civil War correspondent/attomey. But Will
iam Howard Day, Peter Blackwell, Jane
Chester and T. Morris Chester are not sim
ply characters, they are true swatches in the
quilts of Pennsylvania’s black history.
“I didn’t want to create characters,” King
said in her cozy office at PSH. “I wanted to
see what we had done locally.”
In other words, entertainment should be
mixed with a little history an understand
able approach for those of us who nodded
off through interminable history classes in
high school. So King put on her lab coat and
went to work.
“The script was meant to celebrate local
African-Americans,” she said. “We forgot
local heroes. I wanted to see what we had
done around here.”
That would prove to be fairly difficult. Af
ter realizing no such work was done in the
area before, King was able to secure a grant
to begin to study. She assembled a team of
researchers who went to work digging up a
poorly kept piece of history.
“We were limited to these characters,” King
explained. “We couldn’t find enough infor
mation on others.”
Working off original documents and pri
mary sources, King and her Pen Owl team
began to piece together the lives of the four
When Valentine's Day arrives,
some guys will never win
ILL
J
A
Dear Jack and Jill,
I purchased some flowers and a card
for my girlfriend for Valentine’s Day
last week and was feeling great because
I was being the romantic one this year.
Needless to say, she made me look bad
again this year when she got us two tick-
NEWS/FEATURES
characters. Their goal was to take James
Loewen, author of “Lies My Teacher Told
Me,” and his advice to heart. He suggested
the United States often deliberately interprets
history incorrectly. Historians, he says,
should go to primary sources for research.
Out of King’s four characters, Jane Chester
is the only one who left little primary mate
rial to work from. Her character had to be
extrapolated to some extent. The others were
based directly on their own words and deeds.
Once the leg work was done, King went to
writing her script and enlisting Frazier, whom
she had met while working in theater in New
York City. The two began patching history’s
bare spot King’s script hoping to capture
the essence of heritage, Frazier’s music try
ing to capture the nuances of the day.
Most of the audience thought they did ex
actly that after an abridged Martin Luther
King Jr. Day performance at PSH and two
full performances at The First Lutheran
Church in Carlisle (Feb. 14) and HACC’s
Rose Lehrman Arts Center (Feb. 16). One
woman said she couldn’t believe the music
was original. Many more, however, said they
appreciated the history lesson even more,
King included.
“I’ve learned so much about black history
from this project,” she said lamenting the lack
of black history in area schools now as well
as when she went. “When we’re taught about
American history in schools, we’re stuck with
this ‘America can’t be wrong’ notion.”
She would prefer a balanced record be
ets to Tahiti for spring break. Now I feel
terrible. How do I make it up to her?
What should I do?
-Belittled boyfriend
Dear Belittled,
Sounds like she’s rich what’s the prob
lem? You obviously are doing something
for her, so don’t get all into your head and
ego about the money thing. Just keep from
being a jerk and go with it, baby. -Jill
Dear Belittled,
You sir, are obviously in deep trouble. She
will remember these types of things for
ever. Furthermore, she’ll make sure you
don’t forget it either. Here’s your options:
1) get out now before you get in too deep,
2) confront her about it to see how she
feels, 3) beg, steal or borrow to cover your
tail, or 4) ride the money ship as long as
she is willing to spend. Just remember
my masculine brother, no matter how
many times someone tells you, “It’s the
thought that counts,” counting involves
money not thinking. -Jack
Photo courtesy of Dorothy King
Professor/playwright Dorothy King and
musician Grenoldo Frazier breathed life into
the stories of four African-American leaders
in their play "Harrisburg Proud"
taught. Teach much of the current curricu
lum but strike a balance with what has been
ignored, she said; add stories about the un
derground railroad, slave narratives and other
similar minority contributions to the forma
tion of this country.
In essence, let America have its wrongs and
leam from them like your history teach-
ers alivays told you.
“As long as you’re stuck in that ‘America
can’t be wrong’ attitude, you’re sidestepping
history.”
And leaving an unavoidable hole in the fab
ric of our heritage.
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Monday, February 22,1999 3
WPSH broadcasting,
still expecting growth
Right now the station is working on train
ing new students to work with the equipment,
get them familiar with the studio and feel
comfortable being live on the air.
WPSH is a big supporter of local bands as
well. They love to get stuff from small, up
start groups to help get them heard.
As well as music, the disc jockeys include
news and weather into their air shifts while
making various announcements for the events
of student clubs and organizations.
The station operates Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5
p.m. with a Lion's Den Lunch Hour Jam from
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nothing seems to be etched
in stone for how far this station is willing to
go however. They have plans for band inter
views and a possible campus music festival.
“We try to keep an open forum for students
to voice their opinions and ideas,” said Moist.
“After all, we are the students’ radio station.”
Answers to this issue's crossword
Continued from page 1