Dr. Karen Fisher Younger, chair of the Department of Humanities at Waynesburg University, will appear in a documentary film, “The Daring Women of Philadelphia,” which will be produced by the Emmy-Award-winning studio History Making Productions.
The writer of the documentary requested to interview Younger after reading a scholarly article she wrote which was published in Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography in July 2010. The article, based on Younger’s doctoral dissertation, discussed females’ role in the American colonization movement in Philadelphia in the 1830s-40s.
“The American colonization movement was an early anti-slavery movement that predated the rise of abolitionism,” said Younger. “The movement advocated freeing slaves and resettling them in Liberia, Africa. It attracted some of the most well-known men and women of the era, but an examination of northern female participation had been virtually ignored by historians.”
Younger will be interviewed this month for the first episode of the documentary, which is about abolitionist pioneers of the 19th century.
“I’m always excited to be able to share what I know with the public,” said Younger. “It’s a validation of my scholarship, and this particular opportunity seems really fun.”
Founded in 1849 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Waynesburg University is located on a traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, with three additional sites located in the Pittsburgh region. The University is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and is one of only 21 Bonner Scholar schools in the country, offering local, regional and international opportunities to touch the lives of others through service.
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Ashley Wise, Director of University Relations
724-852-7675 or awise@waynesburg.edu
