October Speaker Series: W. Miller Barbour: Lancaster County Legacy
A Lancaster County Story with National Significance
Born in Philadelphia, raised in Middletown, and educated in Lancaster County, W. Miller Barbour carried the lessons of his Pennsylvania upbringing onto a national stage.
A pioneering African American human rights advocate, Barbour challenged discrimination in housing, employment, education, and civic life. Although he became an important figure in the struggle for racial equality, his remarkable life and achievements have largely faded from public memory.
The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County invites you to rediscover his story during the next presentation in our 2026 Speaker Series, “W. Miller Barbour: Lancaster County Legacy,” presented by public historian Eric Schubert.
About the Presentation
Barbour’s life connected Lancaster County to a much broader movement for equality and justice in 20th-century America.
During this presentation, Eric Schubert will explore Barbour’s Lancaster County connections, his remarkable career, and his enduring legacy. The program will also consider what Barbour’s story can still teach us about the history of the place we call home.
The lecture is part of Schubert’s independent W. Miller Barbour Lecture Series, which has brought Barbour’s story to historical societies and community organizations throughout South Central Pennsylvania.
About Eric Schubert
Eric Schubert is a public historian, internationally featured genealogist with ES Genealogy, and human identification expert. His work has appeared on Good Morning America, in People Magazine, and across national and regional media.
A White House Historical Association Next-Gen Leader and graduate of Millersville University’s History M.A. program, Schubert focuses his research on presidential history, local biography, genealogy, and Pennsylvania history. His major projects have included recovering the stories of Lancaster County figures Barr Spangler (1822–1922) and civil rights trailblazer W. Miller Barbour (1908–1957).
Schubert’s work on Barbour has received recognition from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Pennsylvania Senate, Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, Dauphin County Commissioners, and National Urban League President Marc H. Morial.
His research and writing have been featured by the American Council of Learned Societies, National Council on Public History, History Is Now, Made By History, LancasterOnline, PennLive, Graduate Journal of Food Studies, EPOCH History Magazine, and Uncharted Lancaster, among others.
Join Us
Join us for an evening devoted to recovering the story of a largely forgotten Pennsylvanian whose work helped advance the struggle for racial equality across the nation.
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
🕕 Time: Doors open at 6:00 PM; presentation starts at 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Sehner-Ellicott-von Hess House, 123 North Prince Street, Lancaster, PA
🎟 Admission: By donation
👥 Seating is limited to 40 attendees. Advanced registration is strongly encouraged.
