Description from 2020-04-01 Clarion University News Release:
Two of Clarion University’s historians are seeking to bring the region’s rich history to life and collaborate with the public through a podcast called “Stories from the Pennsylvania Wilds.”
Clarion University history professors Marc Sanko, Ph.D., and Jeffrey Diamond, Ph.D., created the podcast to make history more accessible to the public, as well as draw on the public's expertise. The Pennsylvania Wilds region they plan to cover includes the western part of the state with Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, Clinton, Elk, Cameron, Forest, Clearfield, Clarion, Jefferson and northern Centre counties, with occasional reaches into Erie and Pittsburgh.
"We came up with the idea over a period of time. It started one evening after work when we met in Clarion and discussed history, our students, new technologies, and making history relevant to our students and community," Diamond said.
Sanko's background in public history and 20th century U.S. offers insight to the region. Diamond's background in European/global history, focusing on Britain and the British Empire, offers an international perspective. They hope their combined expertise will make for an exciting show. "This broad teaching that we do helps us consider how we can talk about the interrelations between global, national and local events," Diamond said. "Our first podcast covering the Great Depression and the 1930s banking crisis is a case in point."
The pair believes the region has plenty of rich material for the podcast. "The Clarion area (and the PA Wilds) have great stories to be told, and we want to blend our resources with our partners (the public) to help tell those stories," Sanko said.
