Banished from Johnstown: A presentation of the book

NOTE: Due to high interest in this program, there will be two identical presentations this evening: one at 6:00 pm, and one at 7:30 pm.

In 1923, the mayor of Johnstown, Pa., ordered every African-American and Mexican who had lived there for less than seven years to leave town. The order came following the shooting of four police officers by an African-American man. The mayor was running for reelection, and he wanted to rally the Ku Klux Klan vote. More than 2,000 Mexicans and African-Americans left the community, penniless and scared. 

“Banished from Johnstown: Racist Backlash in Pennsylvania” tells the story of one of the worst racial injustices in our region’s history. Come see a presentation involving photos, research anecdotes and a talk about and invitation to participate in further research into the topic and era.