York Civil War Roundtable: Cooper H. Wingert, “Abolitionists of South Central Pennsylvania”

Historian and author Cooper Wingert will explore the history of the antislavery movement in South Central Pennsylvania. Close to the Mason-Dixon line, South Central Pennsylvania was a magnet for slave catchers and abolitionists alike. Influenced by religion and empathy, local abolitionists risked their reputations, fortunes and lives in the pursuit of what they believed was right. Women, alongside men, wrote protests, petitioned Congress and pioneered the Underground Railroad. The sister of Benjamin Lundy, one of America’s most famous abolitionists, married into an Adams County family, and spent decades helping runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad. National figures such as Frederick Douglas toured the region, delivering antislavery orations to mixed receptions. In 1859, John Brown planned Harper’s Ferry raid from Chambersburg, where his identity was concealed by local abolitionists.

Cooper Wingert is the author of eleven books and numerous articles on slavery and the American Civil War. He is the recipient of the 2012 Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr. Literary Award for Confederate History in recognition for his book “The Confederate Approach on Harrisburg.” He is currently co-authoring a book on “The Cumberland Valley Railroad” with author and historian Scott L. Mingus, Sr.

The York Civil War Round Table (YCWRT) is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote, interpret, preserve, and protect the Civil War heritage of York County, Pennsylvania, through the education and exchange of information with its members and the general public. Membership is free and open to anyone interested in learning more about the American Civil War.

Each meeting features a guest speaker talking about a Civil War topic of local or national interest. Meetings are FREE and open to the public. Please visit the YCWRT website for more information about the York County Civil War Roundtable.