Seeds to Grow Your Pittsburgh Black History Knowledge
Group of Freedom House first responders outside of Pittsburgh’s Presbyterian Hospital
In honor of Black History Month, we're highlighting historic moments and change-makers from Pittsburgh's past and present. Our city’s rich history of Black leadership, activism, ingenuity, and resistance is something we uplift year-round, and we’ve compiled a list of some moments and accomplishments to reflect on. We hope you check out the sources and learn something new!
Freedom House Ambulance
“In 1967, Pittsburgh’s inner city produced America’s first EMT service. Comprised solely of Black men and women recruited from the city’s Hill District neighborhood, the paramedics of Freedom House Ambulance became trailblazers in providing pre-hospital and CPR care.” Learn more and check out WQED’s documentary.
The University of Pittsburgh Black Action Society’s peaceful computer center protest in 1969
Learn about the historic day that Pitt Black Action Society members locked themselves in the Cathedral of Learning Computer Center to call for more opportunities for Black students and faculty to thrive. Hear former BAS members reflect on their experiences.
Dr. Jean Hamilton Walls
Dr. Jean Hamilton Walls, the first Black woman to receive a bachelor’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh, fostered community and growth among women at Pitt in the early 1900s. She also served as the executive secretary of the Pittsburgh YWCA in 1925 before becoming the first Black woman to earn a PhD at Pitt! Learn more about how she made history.
Jeanette Washington
After leaving Pittsburgh to study nursing in Philadelphia, Jeanette Washington returned in 1915 as a registered nurse, ready to help patients. Hospitals refused to employ nonwhite applicants, so she worked alongside the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh to provide care to Pittsburgh’s Black community with a special presence in the Hill District. Read about how she became the first Black woman to work in our Public Health Department.
Freedom Corner
There is a rich history of activism to be tapped into at the corner of Crawford Street and Centre Avenue in the Hill District. In the 1950s and 60s, Hill District residents demanded an end to the destruction of their neighborhood following the demolition of the Lower Hill District, which forced 8,000 residents and 400 businesses out of their homes to make room for the Civic Arena. Learn about how Freedom Corner came to be.