It is the goal of the Erie County Historical Society to serve our entire community.
In November 2019, the ECHS Board of Directors officially adopted the following statement as part of its strategic plan:
“The Hagen History Center is a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace where all employees and volunteers, whatever their identity, feel valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide an equal opportunity for employment and advancement, while ensuring that all voices are heard and valued.”
How will this be implemented in 2021?
In February, during Black History Month, ECHS plans a very robust public outreach schedule.
HHC will host a first ever Marketplace at the Mansion featuring exclusively Black businesses, entrepreneurs, and food vendors to sell their goods and services to a broad audience. We will also create an exhibit on Black History in Erie. The HHC Speaker Series will also feature weekly lectures presented by local minority historians.
The next phase of our exhibit construction, beginning in the fall 2021, will be titled “Erie at Work and Coming to Erie”. There will be an emphasis on the immigrant communities from our earliest origins right through our present-day newest residents. The “Work” portion will include a strong component of local labor history, inclusive of all the workers who helped to build our community.
Once local schools resume field trips, HHC has already set aside funds to make it possible to transport underserved students to the museum, where their admission will be waived.
HHC is also about to embark on a vital new program to digitize and make available through multiple websites, some of our most important archival collections, many with important minority content. These include thousands of documents, photos, and clippings.
Look for these initiatives in 2021