Connections

Connecting people to the past, and each other

I am sure many of you, as I do, remember learning about Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's pioneering expedition through the American West in your history classes.

What you might not know (I admit I didn't) is that 200 years ago this month, on the advice of President Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis visited our region to receive instruction in astronomy, navigation, medicine and the natural sciences before setting out on his journey.

This is just one of the many fascinating facts revealed in the WHYY Historical Markers Project, a new WHYY-FM series which begins airing this month during Morning Edition. The series brings to life the stories behind Pennsylvania's blue-and-gold historical markers as it explores the critical role that Philadelphia played in the development of the Keystone State and in our country.

What was true in 1803 is still true today -- the Delaware Valley is a respected center for arts and culture, education, medicine, science and technology. This unique multimedia project, developed through WHYY's ever-expanding Arts & Culture service and made possible by generous support from the William Penn Foundation, offers us yet another opportunity to share the incredible richness of our region with a much larger audience.

The WHYY Historical Markers Project is one part of a new statewide initiative encouraging residents, travelers, educators and virtual visitors to explore and enjoy Pennsylvania's history and heritage. We are proud to be working as a content partner with WITF in Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and other nonprofit organizations and state agencies to maximize our 21st-century technology resources to help bring this history alive, on and off the air and online.

A key element of these partnerships has been the development of a fully-interactive Web site at www.explorePAhistory.com. This new "heritage hub" is rich with information, featuring audio (including WHYY's radio series) and video clips, archival photos, a searchable timeline and map, complete teacher lesson plans, links to additional Internet resources and information for travelers planning a visit to the state.

WHYY-FM listeners will be directed to www.explorePAhistory.com to learn more about each of the featured markers, and people will be able to link directly to this Web site from www.whyy.org. We are also producing a series of short television features highlighting the WHYY Historical Markers Project to air on WHYY-TV.

As we have with other WHYY arts and culture initiatives, we are exploring ways to repurpose the on-air content from the WHYY Historical Markers Project across a variety of platforms, including digital datacasts and a CD, in our ongoing efforts to enhance people's lifelong learning experiences.

I would like to offer special thanks to our partners and to one of the most dedicated supporters of this initiative, Pennsylvania's First Lady, Judge Marjorie "Midge" Rendell, who recently confirmed her interest to, in her words, "highlight our rich historic traditions" as part of her role as first lady. Not so incidentally, Midge, along with her husband Ed, has been a longtime and enthusiastic member of WHYY.

Last month at a special celebration at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, I was pleased and humbled to accept an award for Arts and Culture Excellence from Dance Affiliates in recognition of WHYY's support of arts and culture coverage in the region through the broadcast of programs such as Fresh Air and Sunday Showcase.

While this honor lets us know that we are making a positive impact in the community, the most important measurement is the connections we make with our diverse audiences every day. With your ongoing support, and that of our many community partners, we can continue to build our Arts & Culture service and each of our service strands, enriching your lives in new and increasingly innovative ways.

Best regards,
William J. Marrazzo
President and Chief Executive Officer