Upcoming Events
Most people likely know about the 1876 World’s Fair, held in Philadelphia in celebration of America’s Centennial Anniversary, but do they know about the one held 50 years later? In an attempt to recapture the glory of its first world’s fair, Philadelphia planned and hosted one to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Minus a few bright spots, the fair was a sparsely-attended monumental disaster, ripe with corruption, racism, and greed at the heart of it. That’s why many don’t know the story of the 1926 World’s Fair.
In his talk, Thomas Keels, author of Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World’s Fair of 1926, will revisit the failures of the Sesquicentennial while looking at how this year’s celebrations can learn from the mistakes of the past.
In 1946, six women, at the urging of the U.S. Army, joined a project to program the world’s first computer, the ENIAC, at the University of Pennsylvania. Two of these women, Frances Bilas and Kay McNulty Mauchly Antonelli, were fresh off graduating from Chestnut Hill College when they joined the project, forever etching their names in history. But it wasn’t until recently that Bilas, Antonelli, and the other four female programmers, received the recognition for their work.
Kathy Kleiman, author of Proving Ground: The Untold Story of the Six Women Who Programmed the World’s First Modern Computer will lead a discussion about the legacy of the ENIAC 6 in celebration of the ENIAC’s 80th Anniversary.
September 17, 2026 – Annual Recognition of Constitution Day
Get ready to learn more about the United States Constitution during our annual celebration of Constitution Day. Take a sample Citizenship Test, discover your favorite amendment, and learn to write with a feather quill as you sign your name to our giant replica Constitution.
