Dr. Paul Shackel was quoted in article titled, “Flashback: Tucked away in rural Illinois is the site of America’s first town founded by a free Black man. His descendants want you to know its history” in Chicago Tribune. The author of the article, Christine Ledbetter, highlights the history of Free Frank McWorter who purchased his own freedom and moved to Illinois where he bought land and founded New Philadelphia in 1836. Although not much of the town remains, the area was deemed a National Historic Landmark. Dr. Paul Shackel secured a federal grant to locate traces of New Philadelphia.

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