Muhlenberg College to Host International Traveling Exhibition
Celebrating the 300th birthday of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, Muhlenberg College will host the Francke Foundation Traveling Exhibit of German Heritage from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., February 1-21, 2011 in Egner Memorial Chapel.Friday, January 28, 2011 11:45 AM
The exhibit is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored by the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
The exhibit, which consists of 20 full-color panels, celebrates the importance of his legacy to the American colonies and his place as patriarch and pillar of Lutheranism in North America.
Muhlenberg is widely recognized as the most influential German-American cultural figure in 18th century America, spending 43 years in a vigorous engagement with life in colonial America, actively participating in community affairs throughout the colonies, closely observing all aspects of the world around him, and recording his daily activities in precise detail in journals and correspondence to friends in the colonies and Europe. He officially served as pastor to congregations in Pennsylvania and New York, but even more importantly worked as an advisor to hundreds of small Lutheran settlements scattered across the colonial landscape. He traveled frequently, journeying by horseback, wooden sailboat, and canoe to meet with settlers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, South Carolina, and Georgia. His descriptions of his travels and his work at these locations offer an unparalleled glimpse into the urban and rural landscapes, as well as the concerns of German settlers in 18th century colonial America.
