Thaddeus Stevens - Legacy

Legacy

Stevens dreamed of a socially just world, where unearned privilege did not exist. He believed from his personal experience that being different or having a different perspective can enrich society. He believed that differences among people should not be feared or oppressed but celebrated. In his will he left $50,000 to establish Stevens, a school for the relief and refuge of homeless, indigent orphans. "They shall be carefully educated in the various branches of English education and all industrial trades and pursuits. No preference shall be shown on account of race or color in their admission or treatment. Neither poor Germans, Irish, or Mahometan, nor any others on account of their race or religion of their parents, shall be excluded. They shall be fed at the same table."

This original bequest has now evolved into Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. The College continually strives to provide underprivileged individuals with opportunities and to create an environment in which individual differences are valued and nurtured.

In Washington, D.C., the Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School was built in 1868 as one of the first publicly funded schools for black children. President Jimmy Carter's daughter, Amy Carter, attended the school.

Stevens County, Kansas and the Thaddeus Stevens School in Lyndon Center, Vermont were named for Stevens.

Locations named in honor of Thaddeus Stevens in Pennsylvania include the community of Stevens, Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School in New Castle, Stevens School in York, Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School in the Chartiers neighborhood of Pittsburgh (built in 1940 with architectural details by Charles Bradley Warren), Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School in Chambersburg, Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School in Williamsport, and Stevens High School in Lancaster. Also, Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School which was in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania during the 1940's and 50's until it was torn down.

Buildings associated with Stevens are currently being restored by the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with an eye toward focusing on the establishment of a $20 million dollar museum. These include his home, law offices, and a nearby tavern. The effort also celebrates the contributions of his housekeeper, Lydia Hamilton Smith, who was involved in the underground railroad.