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Funding will support the establishment of The Stevens & Smith Center.
Lancaster, Pa. (Aug. 21, 2024) – Fulton Forward Foundation, an independent, non-profit private foundation funded by Fulton Bank, recently presented a $100,000 grant to LancasterHistory, to support the development of the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy.
The Center will explore the profound effects that Stevens, Smith, and networks of advocates and abolitionists had on movements to end slavery, support racial equality, and promote full citizenship in the United States.
Stevens was an American politician and lawyer and an ardent abolitionist who championed civil rights before, during, and after the Civil War. Smith served as Stevens’ closest confidante and house manager for more than 20 years. As a thriving businesswoman, she broke social barriers to achieve remarkable influence and wealth during a transformative time in American history, particularly for people of color.
“Lancaster County has been home to Fulton Bank for more than 140 years,” said William “Smokey” Glover, executive vice president and director of fair and responsible banking for Fulton Bank and president of Fulton Forward Foundation. “As a purpose-driven community bank committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, it is our honor and privilege to support the development of the new center which will recognize the contributions of Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith towards equality and the moral implications of slavery in the 19th century.”
In the photo, left to right, are Robin Sarratt, vice president of LancasterHistory; Thomas R. Ryan, president & CEO of LancasterHistory; and Tom Baldrige, co-chair of the steering committee for the Center.
“Fulton Bank has enjoyed a long history as a business leader and community partner in the Lancaster region,” said Thomas R. Ryan, Ph.D., President & CEO of LancasterHistory. “This generous financial commitment to the Stevens & Smith Center will go a long way in propelling our mission forward and promoting the legacy of Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith.”
The Fulton Forward Foundation is an extension of the bank’s Fulton Forward® initiative, which promotes diversity, equity and inclusion; encourages the building of vibrant communities; fosters affordable housing; drives economic development; and increases financial literacy in the communities served by Fulton Bank.
LancasterHistory is a community-based, not-for-profit organization established to educate the public on the history of Lancaster County and its place in the history of Pennsylvania and the United States, to advance the missions of regional historical organizations, and to promote the acquisition, preservation, and interpretation of resources representing the history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania within the broader context of state and national history, including the homes of 15th U.S. President James Buchanan and Congressman Thaddeus Stevens and Lydia Hamilton Smith.
Headquartered in Lancaster, Pa., Fulton Bank is a premier community bank in the Mid-Atlantic region. As a subsidiary of Fulton Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: FULT), a more than $30 billion financial services holding company, Fulton Bank offers a broad array of products and services at more than 200 financial centers across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. At Fulton Bank, we seek to change lives for the better by building strong customer relationships, providing significant community support and empowering more than 3,500 employees to do the same. Through the Fulton Forward® initiative, we’re helping build vibrant communities. Learn more at www.FultonBank.com.
