Susquehanna National Heritage Area (SNHA) has received a grant through America250PA’s Lecture250 program to support their upcoming presentation, “Creating an American Identity on Native Landscapes”. The funding will help us offer a free public lecture exploring the people, ideas, and events that shaped our Commonwealth and the nation.

“Creating an American Identity on Native Landscapes” will take place on October 21, 2026, at The Appell Center’s Capital Theatre and will feature a panel of speakers who will share insights to better understand the Native roots of America’s identity. Susquehanna National Heritage Area focuses on connecting stories and landscape together so we can have a deeper understanding of our past, present, and future. We are proud to partner with America250PA to bring this lecture to the public. Event details and registration are expected in early August.

“This milestone is an invitation to learn together—to engage with the stories, struggles, and triumphs that define who we are and how we arrived at this moment,” said Cassandra Coleman, Executive Director of America250PA. “The Lecture250 series is rooted in the belief that history is not something that lives behind glass. It lives in our communities, in the questions we ask, and in the conversations we share. I’m incredibly proud of Susquehanna National Heritage Area for stepping forward to facilitate this conversation and help Pennsylvanians better understand their place in our shared story.”

The Lecture250 Series will take place from April through October 2026 and will examine the forces that shaped Pennsylvania’s role in the American story—from the founding ideals of independence and equality to the development of industry, culture, community identity, and global connections. Each event will include a public discussion following the lecture to deepen civic engagement and invite community reflection. PCN will provide coverage of each lecture, allowing audiences across the Commonwealth to join the conversation.  

Awardee Organizations, Lecture Date, & Lecture Theme

*Lecture subjects may be refined as awardees and speakers finalize their programs

  • Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site
    • May 27, 2026
    • Exploring historic and contemporary relationship between faith and reform in prisons
  • Friends of Washington Crossing Park
    • April 29, 2026
    • Writing and Development of the Declaration of Independence
  • LancasterHistory
    • October 7, 2026
    • Exploring PA’s central role in shaping our ideals of liberty & equality from the Revolution through Reconstruction
  • WVIA (Northeastern Pennsylvania Educational Television Association)
    • April 8, 2026
    • Historic Industries of PA
  • Pennsylvania Humanities Council
    • August 12, 2026
    • Highlighting PA’s laws around freedom and slavery when the founding documents were being written
  • Senator John Heinz History Center
    • September 16, 2026
    • African American History
  • Susquehanna National Heritage Area
    • October 21, 2026
    • Creating an American Identity & Native Landscapes
  • World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
    • September 2, 2026
    • Greater Philadelphia’s Place in the World: Labor, Business, and Global Connections

For more information about the America250PA Lecture250 Series, please visit  https://america250pa.org/PPE:_Lecture250.