LancasterHistory.org National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship recipient Jeremiah Miller will share findings from his research in the LancasterHistory.org collections that assisted in the production of Breaking Through: The Barney Ewell Story, a 50-minute historical and biographical documentary.

Breaking Through: The Barney Ewell Story is a documentary by writer, director, and LancasterHistory.org NEH Fellowship recipient Jeremiah Miller. The 50-minute documentary tells the remarkable story of Lancastrian and Olympic sprinter Henry Norwood “Barney” Ewell (1918-1996). Barney Ewell emerged as a track and field prodigy while growing up in the City of Lancaster, earning recognition around the country as “another Jesse Owens.” He became the fastest man in the world while running for Penn State, breaking the world record for the 50-yard dash with a time of 5 seconds flat. Though World War II suspended his Olympic aspirations, he surprised everyone at the 1948 Olympic trials, not only qualifying for the United States team but also tying Jesse Owens’ world record for the 100-meter dash in 10.2 seconds. He went on to win the Olympic gold medal for the 4×100 meter relay and the silver for both the 100 and 200-meter dash as London’s Wembley Stadium later that summer.

Jeremiah Miller is a filmmaker, writer, and actor, having appeared at Lincoln Center and on “Law & Order,” among many show business credits. A proud graduate of McCaskey High School, he now serves as the coordinator of the McCaskey Alumni Association, an organization that archives the history of the School District of Lancaster while uniting thousands of graduates in service to the high school. With an academic focus on Communications, he attended Brooklyn College of the City University of New York and Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.

To attend this free event, please RSVP by August 20 by clicking the “Buy Tickets” button below or by calling Emily Miller at (717) 392-4633, Ext. 133. This event will take place in Ryder Hall at LancasterHistory.org at 12pm on August 24th.

Visit our Fellowship page to learn more about LancasterHistory.org’s Fellowship program and apply!