When Stevens moved to Lancaster in the 1840s, slavery was the most critical issue facing the nation. Southeastern Pennsylvania served as a key area for Underground Railroad activity, and Black resistance to slavery was widespread in Lancaster County. Exhibits and immersive experiences at the Stevens & Smith Center will focus on key events, both local and national, that led to the Civil War.

During the Civil War and the rebuilding of the nation that followed, Black people advocated for equality and civil rights. In Congress, Stevens championed radical policies including nationwide emancipation, universal voting rights, and federal protection for Black people’s rights in the postwar South. At the Stevens & Smith Center, visitors will be inspired to continue the fight to ensure civil rights for all Americans.

Thaddeus Stevens led Republicans in Congress during the shaping of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the US Constitution. Among the most important ever passed, these amendments ended slavery, extended full citizenship to most Americans, and guaranteed Black men the right to vote. Visitors will develop an appreciation for the ways these amendments formed the basis for all future civil rights legislation, transforming American life.

After Thaddeus Stevens died in 1868, Lydia Hamilton Smith continued to fight for her rights amid rising racial violence and the erosion of Reconstruction’s legal protections. The legacies of Stevens and Smith—and the long struggle for equality that continued to gain momentum in the century after their lives—resonates in our lives today. Visitors will discover the power that individuals and their networks possess to advocate for change and push our nation forward toward equality.