The day thousands were banished in fear

Cambria County, PA — Thursday, September 7, is the 100 year anniversary of what the president and C.E.O. of Johnstown Area Heritage Association, Patty Carnevali, says was a quote “...terribly egregious act by the former mayor of Johnstown.” The mayor being Joseph Cauffiel.

“In which folks that were Mexican, and black descent who lived here for less than seven years, were banished,” says Carnevali.

Historians say this was because of a man named Robert Young, who just so happened to be black. Records show he killed two police officers, wounded four others, and died in a Rosedale shootout in 1923.

Estimates range from 500 to 2,000 people being forced to leave town, in fear for their lives, just days later.

“Rosedale was a predominantly black neighborhood. Many people there had migrated to Johnstown to work in the steel mills. So, when this edit was handed down, they immediately left town. Even some people that lived here longer than seven years.” says the ambassador of ‘Why Are They So Angry?’, Carol Francois.

The Laurel Highlands Historical Village has a sign on the Honan Avenue hiking trail, which runs next to where the Rosedale community used to be. It says that some of the people ended up in shanty houses on ‘Colored Road’ just up the hill.

Carnevali says “That has had a tremendous impact on the cultural identity of our town. So, this is a commemoration and a remembrance of that.”

That remembrance, a book written by Cody McDevitt called ‘Banished From Johnstown.’ A forum took place on Thursday, with the book's author and others sharing their knowledge.

“It’s not just a discussion about Rosedale and the events a hundred years ago. I’m talking about now. Right now, our friends and our neighbors.” Carnevali says.

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