Black Sewickley residents preserve their surprising history through story and film

Gwen Cole Strickland and Stratton Nash grew up blocks from each other in Sewickley, where they stand at the intersection of Nevin Avenue and Hill Street, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. Cole Strickland holds her mother’s book on Black history in Sewickley, which Nash’s mother helped to type up. The two are working to bring attention to the history and contributions of Black Sewickley. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource) Sewickley frequently gets defined as “rich” and “white” — but a group of past and present residents are on a mission to recast that perception by mapping the vibrant Black history of the Pittsburgh suburb. “PublicSource is an independent nonprofit newsroom serving the Pittsburgh region. Sign up for our free newsletters.” by Gregory Laski, PublicSource Gwen Cole Strickland always felt “upset and angry” after watching documentaries chronicling Black history in the United States. The stories of enslavement and segregation made her feel like she “wasn’t wanted” in this country, a sentiment the 74-year-old never experienced growing up within the vibrant Black community of Sewickley, a suburb located about a 14-mile drive northwest of Pittsburgh.& For Stratton Nash, 67, it was an in-flight screening of “Remember the Titans” on a business trip that cast...