The Work of The Consortium: Preserving & Sharing Untold History
The Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium has been busy this last month documenting institution history and collecting new stories from a variety of individuals and organizations throughout the region.
Recently, the Consortium traveled with the Heinz History Center staff to Polk Center (opened in 1897) in Venango County. The Consortium documented many of the buildings and artifacts that remain. Polk Center is one of the four state institutions still operating in Pennsylvania.
Our multi-media project is underway, documenting the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and autism who lived in and out of institutional care, their families, and the people who provided their care.
We also had the opportunity to see how successfully our partnership is working with the Heinz History Center. Last weekend we had the opportunity to attend "Treasures in the Archives", an annual event in the History Center's Detre Library and Archives. Sierra Green, archivist, presented a rich and vibrant multi-media lecture on the life of Paul Dick, a nationally recognized transportation advocate who played a significant role in ACCESS rides for people with disabilities, here and throughout the United States.
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