Barney Ewell Legacy Committee

01/27/2024

Saint John's Episcopal Church's Music Director and our neighbor, Doug Beach, asked me for advice on spiritual songs connected with the Underground Railroad. That led to a discussion of the planned format and theme of his African American history choral service and the idea to ask attendees for a free-will offering to benefit two well-deserved community groups - Shreiner-Concord Cemetery, and African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania , as outlined below.

Doug put together this announcement and the attached poster.

Please share this information as you see fit. Maybe I'll see you at the service...

The public is invited to a special choral program commemorating Black History Month on Sunday, February 4 at 4 PM at Saint John's Episcopal Church, 312 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster. Proceeds from a free will offering will benefit two community organizations that work to share the rich history of civil rights and Black History in the Lancaster Community: the African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania and Shreiner-Concord Cemetery Foundation.

"This service was created with the intent to respectfully and reverently remember the heritage of African American culture in our nation's history and our community's heritage during Black History Month," said Douglas Beach, Director of Music at Saint John's. https://stjohns-lancaster.org/

The one-hour service will feature spiritual songs such as "Go Down, Moses," "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" and "Steal Away." The Chancel Choir of St. John's will lead the congregation in song, singing: "There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit" and "Everytime I Feel the Spirit" from the Episcopal Church's "Wonder, Love, and Praise" songbook. Beach has pointed the chosen Psalm for the choir to sing in a gospel style, and prayers have been selected from the Anglican Church's Black History Month Liturgy resource. The Chancel Choir of St. John's consists of 18 volunteer congregants, and will be accompanied by pianist Nate Petley.

The African American Historical Society of South Central Pennsylvania's mission is "to collect, analyze, interpret, and preserve essential facts and materials related to the life of African Americans in historic and contemporary communities in South Central Pennsylvania and adjoining areas." The group has conducted walking tours of Lancaster's Black History sites since 2016 and a variety of other public history programs and projects. https://www.aahsscpa.org/

Shreiner-Concord Cemetery Foundation, located at the corner of North Mulberry and West Chestnut Street in Lancaster, is across the street from Saint John's Church. Weather permitting, volunteer members of the cemetery stewardship organization will conduct free tours of the historic burial ground, which includes the plot of the abolitionist and civil rights leader, U.S Congressman Thaddeus Stevens ( 1792-1868), along with more than 60 veterans of the US armed forces, most of whom served during the Civil War (1861-1865). http://www.shreinercemetery.org/

11/15/2022

The Barney Ewell Legacy Committee cordially invites you to the dedication of the Barney Ewell Statue this Saturday, November 19 at 11 AM in Ewell Plaza (on N. Queen St., between Orange St. and Chestnut St., across from Binns Park). The program will include musical performances from McCaskey High School students, as well as remarks from dignitaries and members of the Ewell family.

Following the unveiling of Lancaster’s new monument to Henry Norwood “Barney” Ewell (1918-1996), once the “fastest man in the world,” enjoy live music from the Binns Park stage, purchase some lunch from the food trucks on site, and bring the kids for a variety of physical activities provided by the Lancaster Recreation Commission.

This dedication is free to the public, and you need not RSVP in order to attend.

Barney Ewell brought worldwide honor to the City of Lancaster as an Olympic gold medal winner. We hope you will join us as we give this extraordinary athlete and human being the recognition his legacy deserves.

10/27/2022

My fondest memory to this day is knowing that I share a record with Mr. Ewell running a 9.56 in the 100 yard dash during my junior year. What made this so special was having Mr. Ewell’s support and having him present at the track meets. Looking back now it means so much.
I look forward to attending the dedication of the Barney Ewell Statue to honor such a great man.
Robert L. Allen, Jr.
McCaskey HS, Class of 1978

09/15/2022

Ken Stoudt was a member of the Barney Ewell Legacy Committee, a lead sponsor on the Barney Ewell Statue, a great human being, and one of the best friends we have ever had. We mourn.

Share Memories and Support the Family.

09/15/2022

"How To Be Fast"
By Glenn Myers

We had just finished the football-throwing contest where you tried to pass the pigskin through the swinging truck tire and were hanging out under the band shell at the Springs Park. It was the summer of 1957, hot as blazes, and I was happy to get away from my nosy sisters and pesky brother by going to day camp run by the Lititz Rec Commission: you know, games, crafts, all that stuff designed to keep us up-and-coming hoodlums busy while our parents were at work.

Anyway, Coach Red came over to us and announced in his serious coach voice that Barney Ewell, Olympic champion and Lancaster guy, was going to be at the football field at one o’clock. No one seemed too interested except me, as I had seen the Saturday matinee Movie Tone reels of him barely losing to Harrison Dillard. While all those other knuckleheads were busy throwing popcorn and soda at each other, I sat transfixed by the world news in front of me, which, sadly, was mostly as it is today-military coups, food crises, refugee crises, general unrest. And sports.

But at one o’clock I bounded up the circular steps at the head of Springs Creek, through the woods and onto the football field, where I saw a small, gray-haired Black man holding court to a sparse audience. Frankly, I do not remember what he talked about, but all of a sudden I found myself alone with the man. Everyone else had drifted off.

I looked at him and thought to myself, “How can a person with such skinny legs be so fast?”

There just wasn’t much to him physically.

And so we talked. I told him I played football and was a fast runner, but how, I asked, could I get a quick start. Just a few nights before, Johnny G. had nipped me in a race to the stop sign in front of McElroy’s Pharmacy, and I was still a little miffed. Maybe I wasn’t the fastest eleven year old in Lancaster County. I needed some help, and here was the man to give it.

Patiently he taught me how to get into the sprinter’s position and coached me through a half-dozen starts. I watched him as he blasted out of imaginary starting blocks and took the first few powerful steps. I realized then that I was watching greatness. I myself felt like a world be**er and thanked him with all my heart.

“Son,” he said, looking at me straight in the eye and pointing a bony finger skyward, “I can teach you how to run, but I can’t teach you how to be fast. Being fast comes from The Man up there.”

08/18/2022

These placards, covering a granite base, mark the spot where we will dedicate the Barney Ewell Statue on November 19.

07/28/2022

I graduated from McCaskey High School in 1981 and ran on the track team. Barney Ewell came to all of my track meets and gave me many helpful running tips. He supported me 100%. Many years later I was inducted into the McCaskey Athletic Hall of Fame.
In 1994, I founded the Lancaster Southeast Track Club for children and young teenagers. I started with five little girls, but the program eventually grew to over 100 kids.
It occurred to me that the Southeast had this amazing Olympian, Barney Ewell. He loved people and everybody loved him. I got the idea to rename the Southeast Track Club after Barney Ewell.
I went to Mr. Ewell and asked him if that would be okay with him. He was very humbled and said, “Most definitely!”.
Mr. Ewell would come in his wheelchair to cheer our young people on in their track meets.
My track club was one of the first things named for Barney Ewell. Shortly thereafter they established the Ewell/Gantz Playground in the Southeast, named for early childhood learning advocate Ida Gantz and Mr. Ewell.

Karen Cotton, McCaskey Class of 1981

07/24/2022

"Did you know Henry Norwood 'Barney' Ewell, the standout sprinter, long jumper and J.P. McCaskey High School alumnus?
Were you inspired by this friendly, humble man, who distinguished himself as a sprinter and long jumper; who won three Olympic medals more than seven decades ago; and who lived, worked and raised his family here in Lancaster?
If so, the Barney Ewell Legacy Committee wants to hear from you, and to share your story so others can be inspired, too.
The committee has set a date of Saturday, Nov. 19, for the ceremony in which a bronze statue of Ewell will be dedicated in Barney Ewell Plaza — formerly Lancaster Square — in the 100 block of North Queen Street."

Did you know Henry Norwood “Barney” Ewell, the standout sprinter, long jumper and J.P. McCaskey High School alumnus?

07/19/2022

I grew up in Lancaster, and my parents and grandparents often talked about Barney Ewell. They exclaimed how great he was as an athlete in high school, at Penn State, and then in the 1948 Olympics. I was told that he would have been in his prime in 1940 and 1944 when war stole the Olympics.

Later, I ran for Hempfield in the District 3 Championships at McCaskey High School and was thrilled to see Barney in the stands cheering on all of the athletes. I will never forget his wonderful influence on the generations of athletes in Lancaster County and especially those at McCaskey.

Jeff Bradley, Hempfield Class of 1970

07/14/2022

While at McCaskey I was selected as a member of the 1970-71 All Central PA Basketball Team. In addition I qualified for the PIAA State Championships in Track and Field in the 120 yd. high hurdles. Our 1971 track team went undefeated and also won the PIAA District 3 Championships, which at that time was hosted at McCaskey.

My memory of "Mr. Barney" as I called him occurred on a trip to Franklin Field in Philadelphia for the Penn Relays back when I was still attending Edward Hand Junior High (now Hazel I. Jackson Middle School). My friend Larry Ford invited me to go along with him, as well as Mr. Barney, and his son Patrick. Up until this time, I never knew that Mr. Barney had been in the Olympics. But that day the announcer said, “Today we would like to welcome to Franklin Field an outstanding Olympic athlete, IC4A Champion, and one of the fastest runners to ever run here at the Penn Relays. Would you join us in a round of applause for Barney Ewell?!”. Mr. Barney stood up and waved to the sellout crowd as they cheered and clapped for him.

I looked at Mr. Barney and he just smiled. During those early years, I never knew Mr. Barney’s story. Many years later, I went to Penn State for an AAU Basketball Tournament with my daughter. It was there at Penn State that I saw his track accomplishments listed for the first time. All I could say was WOW...Mr. Barney never boasted about his accomplishments or complained about the times he had lost.

I am proud to say that I knew Mr. Barney. As I began to learn how to run the high and low hurdles, he was always encouraging me. He would say, if you failed, get up and do it again. Don’t stop trying. Keep at it. You will get better.

Many years have gone by, but I will never forget Mr. Barney.

-Daryl Hardcastle, McCaskey Class of 1971

04/29/2022

It's official! The Barney Ewell Statue coming to Lancaster City's Ewell Plaza is currently scheduled for dedication on Saturday, November 19!
As we build excitement for the dedication, we will be collecting and sharing memories of Mr. Ewell and reflections on his legacy from the community. If you would like to contribute to this effort, please send written or videoed recollections to [email protected].
Even if your age and/or circumstances prevented you from ever knowing Mr. Ewell, we are interested in hearing from individuals of all ages who have been impacted by his remarkable story of resilience.