‘Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story’ Project Outlined in Dedicated Project Website

The National Endowment for the Humanities funded a 2-year project to explore Scranton’s history, role in the nation.
‘Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story’ Project Outlined in Dedicated Project Website

The University of Scranton along with community partners recently was awarded a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to fund a 2-year project “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” to explore Scranton’s history, culture, and role in the nation at large. The “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” project dedicated website detailing the project’s eight themes, oral histories “Scranton Stories” project and humanities resources launched this week at scranton.edu/scrantonstory 

This project began this past October with an inaugural event, “Scranton at the Popular Imagination,” at the Scranton Culture Center on Oct. 19 featuring a keynote lecture by prolific author and Scranton-native Jay Parini with a respondent panel and audience Q&A. Scranton’s role in the nation’s popular imagination was considered in light of the lived reality of Scrantonians, especially lesser told Scranton stories. The recording of this event is now available on the University’s YouTube channel.

This event was a part of the project’s first theme, “Portrait of Scranton, Portrait of a Nation,” which continues this fall semester with a special roundtable discussion, “Scranton & the Nation: Who Are We and Who Do We Aspire to Be?,” taking place on Monday, Dec. 6 from 5-6:30 p.m. in the PNC Board Room, Brennan Hall at The University of Scranton. As we look ahead to the 250th anniversary of the United States, this event will consider the role of our city in the nation’s progress, or as urbanist Jane Jacobs wrote: “what Scranton is, has been, and can be.”   

This event will feature resource speakers Alejandra Marroquin, co-chair, Immigrant Inclusion Committee; Maureen McGuigan, Deputy Director of Arts & Culture, Lackawanna County; and Larry West, Business Administrator, City of Scranton, co-moderated by Julie Schumacher Cohen and Sondra Myers, both from The University of Scranton. Participants will reflect on excerpts from Glenna Lang’s book Jane Jacobs’ First City and Our America: Who are We? edited by Sondra Myers. Space for this special event is limited. Registration is required at:  surveymonkey.com/r/ScrantonWhoAreWe  

Project events will continue through the fall of 2023, with the next theme, “U.S. Citizen and the American Founding” starting after the new year and the third theme, “Indigenous History in NEPA” continuing in spring 2022. For more information about “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story” please visit scranton.edu/scrantonstory or email community@scranton.edu with questions.  

Back to Top