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.