SUNBURY - Dr. Kate Hastings, associate professor of communications at Susquehanna University, will be the guest speaker at a meeting 7 p.m. Thursday at the Northumberland County Historical Society. She will present a program, "Local Ties to the Underground Railroad: Truth and Tales."
The program will focus on a portion of Hastings' most recent research endeavor, The Milton Roots Project, a study of the lives of the Susquehanna River Valley's African-American residents from 1772 to 1940. Hastings' presentation is part of the society's programming to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Hastings has learned how the presence of African-Americans influenced the history of Milton and the surrounding area, and how local newspapers told that story. Designed to aid families in their search for their roots, to teach high school and college students how to do historical and genealogical research and to explore the role of race in a small town and for all of its inhabitants, The Milton Roots Project provides a wealth of information on a segment of the area's history never closely examined before.
Hastings, the sixth generation of her family to work in journalism, was a photographer, reporter and editor for seven years before earning graduate degrees and joining the Susquehanna University faculty. She teaches courses in journalism, speech communication mass communication and film.
The Northumberland County Historical Society is located at 1150 N. Front St. A reception will follow the program, which is free and open to the public.