History center collecting COVID-19 perspectives

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

It’s the job of a community museum or historical society to highlight the history of the towns, schools, businesses, people, sports, headlines and events in the area.

The McKeesport History & Heritage Center’s museum in Renziehausen Park is a one-stop destination to do research, read old documents and see old photos, paintings, news articles and other items that help tell the region’s story.

While the center focuses on remembering people, places and events that have already happened, its staff and volunteers realize the people of the Mon Valley communities represented in the museum’s galleries — because of the coronavirus pandemic — are currently living the experiences that will fill the history books of the future.

“At the center, we spend a lot of time and energy on the past — the history of the region. But one of the things that we don’t have currently is history through the perspective of those who lived it,” said Teresa Trich, community outreach director for the center. “Living through a global pandemic, we are literally living during what will be known as a historic time. We thought what a better time to start curating history than while we are going through it.”

In a call to never let future generations forget the past, the center put out a release asking Valley residents to share their COVID-19 remembrances.

“A pandemic is something we all will remember for our entire lives, and we will pass down our stories to future generations,” the center stated. “What is your experience living in the time of COVID-19?”

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