Events: Online/Virtual Event

Entrepreneur, Reverend, Abolitionist: Stephen Smith’s Journey From Columbia to Philadelphia

  • September 10, 2026
  • LancasterHistory Museum and Research Center & Online Via Zoom
  • 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Lecture
  • Free | Registration Requested
(left) A headshot of Michael Clemmons, an African American man with gray facial hair, wearing glasses and a gray blazer. (right) A portrait of Stephen Smith.
(left) Presenter Michael Clemmons. (right) A portrait of Stephen Smith.

On Thursday, September 10, join LancasterHistory as we kick off our fall season of the Regional History Colloquium Series with speaker Michael Clemmons, who will discuss Entrepreneur, Reverend, Abolitionist: Stephen Smith’s Journey From Columbia to Philadelphia. Stephen Smith was a 19th-century African American raised in indentured servitude in Columbia, PA. He went on to become a leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, an advocate for freedom, and the richest Black man in America. Michael Clemmons, former Vice President of the Mother Bethel AME Church Historical Society, joins us to discuss the life of Stephen Smith, focusing on his accomplishments and setbacks in his journey from humble beginnings in Lancaster County to Philadelphia and Bethel AME Church.

Michael Clemmons is a Philadelphia-based public historian, researcher, and docent at the Richard Allen Museum. He has collaborated with the Free Library, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Athenaeum, and the African American Museum of Philadelphia. Clemmons is a member and former Vice President of the Mother Bethel AME Church Historical Society and a founding member of the Black Docents Collective. Together with Dr. Donna Rilling, he co-authored the successful nomination of the historic homes of Stephen Smith and William Whipper for inclusion on the Philadelphia Historical Commission Register of Historic Places. As an independent researcher, he continues to explore and document their legacies. His perspectives have been featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer Op-Ed page and on the 1838 Black Metropolis© website. Clemmons is a retired aerospace engineering manager and transit rail safety consultant. He holds a B.S. from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.S. from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

EVENT DETAILS & HOW TO REGISTER

This event is expected to take place in person at the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Doors open and the reception begins at 5pm. The lecture will begin at 5:30pm. The lecture will also be streamed to Zoom at 5:30pm for those who wish to join us virtually.

This program is free and open to the public. In-person attendance requires advance registration in order to guarantee a seat. Due to capacity restrictions, tickets may not be available at the door. Virtual attendance requires advance registration in order to receive the Zoom link. Register online by clicking the appropriate link below or by calling 717.392.4633. The online version of this program will also be recorded and uploaded to LancasterHistory’s YouTube channel after the event.

REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON

Register to Attend Online

Please Note: Your Zoom information will be sent to you in your confirmation email upon registering for the online option. If you do not receive this email and it is not in your junk and spam folders, please contact support@lancasterhistory.org.

Featured Event Online/Virtual Event In-Person Event Lecture

White House Workers

Since 1800, thousands of dedicated workers have labored behind the scenes to help the White House fulfill its roles as a seat of government, a family residence, and a historic site. On Thursday, October 29th, join White House Historical Association historian Sarah Fling as she highlights lesser-known stories of White House workers throughout history, including the men and women who worked for President James Buchanan.

A young woman with light skin, long brown hair, wearing a blue dress.
Sarah Fling

Sarah Fling is a historian at the White House Historical Association. Her research focuses on free and enslaved workers, the first ladies, and the White House Collection. Fling is a contributor in The Cambridge Companion to US First Ladies (2025) and has published her research in White House History Quarterly and Teen Vogue. She serves on the Board of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, and previously served as a Community Lead in the Youth250 Bureau, a non-partisan initiative that highlighted the Gen Z perspective during America’s 250th. Sarah’s previous work experience includes internships at historic sites such as George Washington’s Mount Vernon and the Frick Pittsburgh. She received her bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Pittsburgh and her master’s in Public History from American University.

EVENT DETAILS & HOW TO REGISTER

This event is expected to take place in person at the LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Doors open and the reception begins at 5pm. The lecture will begin at 5:30pm. The lecture will also be streamed to Zoom at 5:30pm for those who wish to join us virtually.

This program is free and open to the public. In-person attendance requires advance registration in order to guarantee a seat. Due to capacity restrictions, tickets may not be available at the door. Virtual attendance requires advance registration in order to receive the Zoom link. Register online by clicking the appropriate link below or by calling 717.392.4633. The online version of this program will also be recorded and uploaded to LancasterHistory’s YouTube channel after the event.

REGISTER TO ATTEND IN PERSON

Register to Attend Online

Please Note: Your Zoom information will be sent to you in your confirmation email upon registering for the online option. If you do not receive this email and it is not in your junk and spam folders, please contact support@lancasterhistory.org.

Online/Virtual Event In-Person Event Lecture Reception

October 29, 2026 LancasterHistory Museum & Research Center, 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster 5pm Reception | 5:30pm Lecture FREE | Registration Required