Joanne Harris, '88

"We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future.” –Frederick Douglass

        The stories of the past come to life not only by chance or virtue, but also by the sheer will and determination of the transcriber. For University of Central Florida alumna Joanne Harris, '88, that effort has enabled her to tell tales of the past across different mediums.

        In September 2011, Harris’ book, “Safety On The Rails: The Union Switch & Signal Story” was released after she was commissioned to chronicle the legendary Union Switch and Signal company whose origins date back to the 1880s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company, now known as Ansaldo STS, was instrumental in the railway signaling industry, having endured the wrath of the Great Depression, several wars, and economically trying times. Thanks to Harris’ thorough coverage, readers can learn how Union Switch & Signal created a foundation for which to conduct business in an increasingly advanced railroad industry. Every employee that had the vision of what the company could be, including founder George Westinghouse, is detailed in this reflective work as a way to celebrate the company’s 130^th anniversary.

        Harris added to her impressive résumé by releasing her first foreign documentary short film at the Downtown Boca Film Fest in Boca Raton, Florida in 2011. The film, “A Mass of Wine,” was filmed on location in Oberlinxweiler, Germany and tells the story of that very town from 1750-1870 thanks to the work of a dedicated citizen who considered it his duty to preserve his town’s past.

        After attending a presentation discussing Heinrich Schwingel’s life, including his preservation of books and other unique pieces of the town’s history as the German army attempted to vacuum out the town’s history, Harris transcribed his text by hand into modern German and discovered there was a story most definitely worth telling. Hitler’s Youth were sent into towns to rid Oberlinxweiler of any pre-war literature and writing, but thanks to Schwingel’s understanding of the importance of the past and history of his town, enough documents and writings were saved over time to ensure the world would know they existed.

        Harris also screened the film at The Indie Gathering in Cleveland, Ohio and and the LDUB Film Festival in Lake Worth, Florida. At the Indie Gathering, the film won 4^th place amongst the Documentaries submitted.

        Joanne Harris’ success across several media platforms is definitely worthy of recognition. The UCF Alumni Association would like to congratulate her on her tremendous accomplishments as well as wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.
       Harris' first book fair is Saturday, Feb. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.at St. Margaret's Episocopal Church located at 114 N. Osceola Ave. Inverness, Florida. Copies of the film, "A Mass of Wine," will also be available.