YSU receives Ohio History Fund grant for America250 traveling exhibit

Youngstown State University has officially received a $17,574 grant from the Ohio History Fund to support the development of a new America250-themed traveling exhibit, “Mahoning Valley 250: A Celebration of Change-Makers and their Communities.”

Representatives from the Ohio History Connection presented the award during a check ceremony held April 15 at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labor. The funding will help bring to life a collaborative project highlighting the region’s rich and diverse history.

The exhibit is being developed through a partnership between YSU, the Steel Museum, the Mahoning Valley Historical Society and the Trumbull County Historical Society. It will explore five key themes in local history: Indigenous history, the Underground Railroad, immigration, innovation in manufacturing, and amusement and recreation.

To ensure broad community access, the project will include three versions of the exhibit: a permanent installation at the Steel Museum, a traveling exhibit that will visit libraries and historical societies throughout the region, and a digital version available online.

“This project highlights the Mahoning Valley’s long tradition of resilience, creativity and community leadership,” said Amy Fluker, distinguished associate professor of history and chair of the Reeder Memorial Endowment in U.S. History at YSU. “By sharing these stories through multiple formats, we’re ensuring that the voices and contributions of our region’s change-makers are accessible to a wide and diverse audience, both now and as part of the nation’s America250 commemoration.”

The exhibit is part of the broader America250 initiative, which marks the 250th anniversary of the United States and encourages communities to reflect on their local histories and contributions to the nation’s story.