York group shares how they’re honoring Crispus Attucks’ legacy during Black History Month and beyond

• Aniya Faulcon
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  Aniya Faulcon is The Spark Host/Producer for WITF. She has a passion for shining a light on unique people, experiences, and perspectives within the community.
  
  Previously she worked as the People and Social Trends Reporter/Video Anchor for LancasterOnline | LNPNews. During her time there, she created video packages, provided Facebook Live coverage at community events, and wrote data-driven stories with census data and feature stories on local leaders, non-profit organizations, events, and people with unique talents and experiences within Lancaster County.
  
  Aniya also worked at WMAR ABC 2 News as a Sales Assistant and at the AFRO American Newspapers as an Executive Assistant and Media correspondent. Aniya interned at WEAA Gospel Grace 88.9 and worked at her alma mater’s radio station, WWPJ at Point Park University, where she gained skills and a passion for radio.
  
  Aniya grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the Baltimore School for the arts for high school with a concentration in acting. She continued to hone her skills and passion for storytelling and later graduated from Point Park University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Broadcast Reporting. Aniya is eager to continue her journey with storytelling in her role with WITF, as she aims to shed a light on real people and real stories within Pennsylvania in a variety of mediums.

 PA Cast

Kelly Summerford, Crispus Attucks York speaks with the press. Governor Tom Wolf visited the future site of the Crispus Attucks York African American History & Lecture Center which received a $4 million state investment through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) in downtown York. York, PA – February 25, 2022

Airdate: Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Today is the last day of Black History Month but Crispus Attucks centers across the country and within our region are aiming to carry the patriotic hero’s legacy forward throughout the entire year.

Crispus Attucks was an American whaler and sailor, who is traditionally regarded as the first person killed in the Boston Massacre, and as a result the first American killed in the American Revolution.

Barry Freeland, director of the Crispus Attucks Center for Employment and Training, Greg Smith and Jeff Kirkland, who are a part of the Crispus Attucks York programs joined us on The Spark Tuesday to tell us about Crispus Attucks’ life and legacy.

Kirkland said, Attucks was originally a slave, who was of African and Indian descent. He said, at one point he was a runaway slave but he returned to his enslaver and became a trusted and faithful servant.

Later in life, Attucks led a group of sailors during the Boston massacre and tried to wrestle a gun away from one of the the British soldiers but another soldier opened fire and killed him.

“…Even though many of his (Crispus Attucks’) people were enslaved, he was still willing to fight for the ideals of the country, which was freedom,” Kirkland said. “Many people talked about his bravery, his courage, and his commitment to others in their community; And he became a legend through that bravery and courage.”

Crispus Attucks York aims to honor Crispus Attucks’ legacy through their programs that address communities needs like low access to health care, education, nutritional meals, and community centers.

Freeland said, they also hope to honor Crispus Attucks’ legacy through their Crispus Attucks History and Culture Center that will tell the first hand stories of York’s African-American community and Latino history.