Share a book with Pitt Public Health through our One Book, One Community program featuring American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics by journalist and paramedic Kevin Hazzard.
Read the book, discuss it with your colleagues and classmates, and learn more through our associated events and resources.
We invite the entire Pitt Public Health community to share in reading the amazing story of the young, undereducated Black men in Pittsburgh, PA who forged a new frontier of health care.
Join us at the Heinz History Center for a screening of the WQED documentary about Freedom House Ambulance Service followed by a panel discussion featuring John Moon, filmmaker Annette Banks, Darnella Wilson, George McCary and Jason Deakings. Registration and additional information coming soon!
On February 10 at 12:30 p.m., the Pitt Public Health community joined the Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee for spring term's installment of Coffee and Conversations which was turned into a book group-like discussion on American Sirens. Playwright L.E. McCullough joined the discussion.
The play runs until February 1, so you still have a few chances to catch it. Purchase tickets
The play was fantastic and we enjoyed an informal meet up for those that were interested, joined by Sheldon Williams, assistant professor of emergency medicine and Mayor O'Connor's nominee for Department of Public Safety. Williams also studied under John Moon.
A few photos (Flickr) from the event.
Contact us if you have ideas for other resources or if you're an alum that wants to get involved.
Read a summary of the development of Freedom House plus a few relevant archives from the Heinz History Center.
Freedom House 2.0 is a UPMC-sponsored workforce development program that trains individuals from underserved communities for health care and EMT careers. Inspired by the original Freedom House Ambulance Service of the 1960s, this program aims to diversify the workforce address the social determinants of health.
Nobody had seen ambulance attendants like these before. Read a 2004 article from the archives of PITTMED magazine.
The story of Freedom House from the Health Sciences Library System archives.
The Theiss Center is the cornerstone of early childhood mental health services at UPMC Western Behavioral Health. Read about the legacy of Freedom House from their perspective.
A hybrid panel featuring original members of Freedom House, author Kevin Hazzard, cast and production from The Pitt, and Pitt faculty.
Reach out to us with questions or with ideas for engagement and resources during our academic year with American Sirens.
