On October 11th, the Kutztown Area Historical Society (KAHS) and Lehigh University’s South Side Initiative (SSI) unveiled a historical marker dedicated to Keith Haring, a renowned Neo-Pop artist and activist who grew up in Kutztown, PA. The historical marker program is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which approved a marker to honor Haring after receiving two separate proposals from Dr. Mary Foltz of Lehigh University and Robert Tuerk, a LGBTQ+ activist from Philadelphia. Haring made a name for himself with his bold, graffiti-style pieces that demanded people’s attention. Haring was originally from Kutztown, and often referred to himself as “Keith from Kutztown,” indicating a lifelong pride for his home even as he became recognizable global figure in the art world. In his art, Haring addressed socio-political issues, including, but not limited to, gay rights, the AIDS epidemic, and apartheid in South Africa. Haring’s work was wildly influential and remains so 34 years after his passing in 1990.
The celebration of Haring’s historical marker took place outside the Historical Society’s building. Prior to the unveiling of the marker, speakers from across the state spoke about Haring’s legacy. Together, the speakers illustrated Haring’s character, highlighting the ways in which he influenced each of them and altered the trajectory of the LGBTQ+ movement for the better.
One of the speakers was Ashleigh Strange, the Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, who referred to themselves as a conduit between the queer community and the government of Pennsylvania. In part, Strange attributes their work to Haring, who they remember watching on Sesame Street teaching children to count. They emphasized that Haring uplifted every community, and cared for everyone, and that, through his art, he has continued to influence and uplift others.
The celebration also included speeches from Robert Tuerk, an LGBTQIA+ activist from the Philadelphia area, and Dr. Mary Foltz, an associate professor in English and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Lehigh University. In his speech, Tuerk made sure to highlight that Haring was proud of being openly gay, despite the stigma of being so during the early years of the AIDS epidemic. Tuerk emphasized the import of Haring’s AIDS activism and political art for bringing attention to a public health crisis that impacted gay communities and others in the 1980s and 1990s. Foltz focused on another of Haring’s famous quotes: “Art is for everyone.” She articulated that Haring’s art and the messages behind it were created for all people, and, with the establishment of the new marker, that history is likewise for everyone, including LGBTQ+ people. She argued that Haring is a valuable historical figure because he saw art as an important way to inspire democratic engagement and community building to address urgent issues in our communities. By remembering Haring’s life, work, and legacy through a historical marker, Foltz hoped future generations will be inspired to learn more about this artist, activist, and gay icon and to follow his lead in addressing social justice issues in the 21st century.
Another speaker, Liz Bradbury, the board director of Keystone Equality and the co-founder of Allentown’s Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, spoke of her deep admiration of Haring’s art and activism, and the ways in which his influence continues today in local activist work and in local arts communities.
The last of the speakers, Dr. Brendan Strasser, a librarian and archivist for KAHS, emotionally spoke about his personal interactions with Haring. Strasser, as a scholar who focused on Haring’s artwork and activism, wanted to share Haring’s work with others. He sent Haring a $100 check and asked that Haring send him as many buttons as possible so that he could pass them out on his college campus. Without hearing anything back, Strasser tuned into the radio one day and was shocked to hear that Haring had passed away. Soon after, Strasser received a package from Haring that was postmarked just 8 days before his death. The package contained the original, uncashed check and a box full of buttons. Strasser’s touching story emphasized Haring’s commitment to his fans and to scholars that cared about his work even as he struggled with illness.
The unveiling of the historical marker took place directly after the conclusion of the speeches. Kay Haring and Karen Haring DeLong, Haring’s sisters, were given the honor of unveiling the marker. As they pulled off the cover, they revealed a beautiful bright blue sign with yellow lettering that provides a brief statement about Haring’s career as an artist and an activist.
Beyond unveiling the marker, KAHS organized an exhibition featuring Haring’s art and memorabilia, some of which had not been shown before in an exhibition. Filling an entire room, the exhibition featured a wide variety of pieces, including a print of one of his most famous works “National Coming Out Day” (1988), books that feature his art, and buttons he produced. Along with his art pieces, the exhibition also featured other mementos from his life. Allowing viewers to get a glimpse into Haring’s early life, there were various school yearbook pictures as well as a backpack that he used to travel around the country. The exhibit honored Haring’s legacy, displaying works that directly advocated for gay rights and other issues.
The dedication of a historical marker for Keith Haring emphasizes the impact he had on Pennsylvanian communities broadly as well as LGBTQIA+ folks in our region. His commitment to social justice, AIDS activism, gay rights, anti-racism, and environmentalism during his life make him an ideal figure to commemorate with a marker.
To learn more about Keith Haring, his work, and his legacy, visit the Keith Haring Foundation.
