In celebration of Black History Month 2025, the Luzerne County Historical Society is proud to partner with In This Together NEPA, the Luzerne County Chapter of the NAACP, and the RACEteam to bring noted African-American Living Historian Tim Hodge to our area on Thursday, February 27th, at 7 p.m.!

Tim is a member of the Confederation of Union Generals re-enactment group and portrays Capt. Robert Smalls, USN. Smalls was an enslaved African-American who became a hero for the Union during the Civil War. He escaped slavery on a captured Confederate ship and joined the Union Navy. He later had a long career in politics after the war. Tim Hodge will be speaking in the first person as Capt. Smalls during the program.

The program will also include a performance by the Soulful Springs Gospel Choir, directed by Courney Haulcom. The event will also discuss our area’s connections to the United States Colored Troops (USCT) units that served during the Civil War.

The event will be held at the Grand Hall (the former First Baptist Church) behind the Westmoreland Club on February 27th at 7pm. The event is free and open to the public and includes light refreshments. For more info call 570-823-6244 x3.