Penn State Altoona professor earns Mid-Atlantic Emmy nomination

ALTOONA, Pa. - Jared Frederick, associate teaching professor of history at Penn State Altoona, has been nominated for a Mid-Atlantic Emmy award for his role as screenwriter for the documentary, "Blair County: A People's History."

The documentary has been nominated in the "Historical/Cultural - Long Form Content" category for the Mid-Atlantic Emmys. Frederick was nominated alongside his brother, Mark Frederick, a 2017 Penn State Altoona graduate, who produced, directed and edited the film.

Created by Brush Mountain Media in conjunction with the Blair County Historical Society, the 90-minute feature documentary premiered at the historic Mishler Theatre in Altoona last year and more recently aired on WPSU.

Interviews, reenactments, rare photos and archival footage are used to take viewers on a centuries-long history of Blair County.

The independently produced film also features several expert faculty and staff from Penn State Altoona. Lindsay Keiter, assistant professor of history and women's, gender, and sexuality studies, discusses indigenous and colonial history as a transformative force in central Pennsylvania. Harriett Gaston, academic adviser and director of the Blair County African American Heritage Project, interprets the sagas of local antislavery and civil rights activities. Bonnie Imler, head librarian of the Eiche Library, explains the roots and history of Penn State Altoona, stemming back to the days of Ivyside Amusement Park.

The Mid-Atlantic Emmy ceremony and awards will take place in Philadelphia on Sept. 20.