Richard L. Thornburgh, Pennsylvania governor during the Three Mile Island crisis; Keith Haring, the internationally recognized and socially engaged Pop artist; and Ford Station Underground Railroad, operated by Erie’s first freedwoman Emma Howell and her escaped husband James Ford are among the subjects of the 36 new Pennsylvania Historical Markers approved by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC).
The new markers, selected from 91 applications, will be added to the more than 2,500 familiar blue signs with gold lettering along roads throughout Pennsylvania.
Of the 36, one will be placed in Kutztown to pay tribute to Keith Allen Haring (1958–1990). Raised in Kutztown, Haring was an internationally recognized artist known for his contributions to Pop art as well as his socially engaged works that addressed the AIDS epidemic and public health, racism, homophobia and environmentalism. He believed in the power of art to promote inclusivity, address social issues, and promote a healthy democracy.
Since 1946 PHMC’s Historical Markers have chronicled the people, places and events that have affected the lives of Pennsylvanians over the centuries.
The signs feature subjects such as Native Americans and early settlers, government and politics, athletes, entertainers, artists, struggles for freedom and equality, factories and businesses, and a multitude of other noteworthy topics.
More information on the Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program is available online at pahistoricalmarkers.com.
