1838 Black Metropolis

Update: APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH, 31, 2025. Click link for more information: https://lnkd.in/dEZF9exD

We weren’t planning to write about Franklin Guinn this week. We thought we were going to tell a short story about Black Philadelphians organizing public science lectures in the 1850s. But we picked up The Rise and Progress of Shiloh Baptist Church, written in 1905 by Guinn himself—and something told us to read it more slowly this time. That’s when we saw it. A single line about a concert. Then a few more details. Then a date. Then the realization that a Black man - born in 1839, who grew up in the 1838 Black Metropolis, a janitor by trade - had filled the Academy of Music with a 300-person choir and 18-piece orchestra in 1884. For Shiloh. And for the community. And somehow… that part of the story had been completely forgotten. This post wouldn’t exist if we hadn’t gone back to the source. Not just read about Black history—but read it directly from someone who lived it. It’s a reminder of why Black primary sources are essential ???. And why digitization is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. Because if this book hadn’t survived, this story would’ve been lost forever. Read the full piece here: From Pemberton Street to the Academy of Music: How Franklin Guinn Turned a Childhood of Song Into an Unforgettable Concert https://lnkd.in/eAMuqDrU Let’s keep surfacing what’s been buried. Let’s keep reading the words our ancestors left us ??????

Introducing: (In)Visible Architects of Freedom: African Americans in Early Philadelphia Digital Archive, currently live at https://lnkd.in/gneaTePT! I have been a partner of Independence National Historical Park for the past 18 months, as a Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow. This archive is my fellowship project developed from collaborating with teachers and students of the School District of Philadelphia and National Park staff. It is a project designed?with and for?educators and students. It serves as a central digital location with free, easy access to primary sources illuminating the community-building endeavors, achievements, and lived experiences of Philadelphia's Black American residents. We concentrated on the land and community right around the park in Old City Philadelphia. The primary sources date from when African people first arrived in the 17th century, in L?napehòkink, later known as Philadelphia, through Reconstruction at the end of the 19th century. Check it out to see primary sources, a map, timeline, primary source analysis worksheets, a self-guided walking tour around the land of the park, and a bibliography all related to early Black Philadelphia. We are continuing to work on the digital archive. Let me know your thoughts and how you'd use the resource at home, at school, on walking tours, or at work. I'd love to share feedback with the National Park Foundation and the Mellon Foundation.

Honored to receive recognition from the students at The Jubilee School! Congratulations to all the incredible individuals being honored—your work continues to uplift and empower. If you’d like to join in celebrating this special occasion, we invite you to attend the Human Rights Day event and stand in solidarity with those making a difference. #HumanRightsDay #CommunityHonor #education4liberation

News!? If you’re researching 19th Century Black family or history we have a ?new? resource that may save you a ton of time.?Historian Julie Winch has provided her personal notes for us to share to the public.?As she learned new facts, she connected them to people. This includes: ??? newspaper mentions ??? Organizations ?? Addresses ??????Family members This resource is growing weekly as new names are added. We currently have A-G.?Check it out!?https://lnkd.in/e7aG3pSg

Pennsylvania Needs More Teachers! Pennsylvania’s Student Teacher Stipend Program, originally introduced by Senator Vincent Hughes, is helping student teachers pay their bills while they complete their unpaid student teaching requirement! Applications are OPEN NOW for Student Teacher Stipends for the 25-26 School Year. Individuals who will student teach in the 25-26 school year can?apply for a student teacher stipend today on the PHEAA website. If you or someone you know will be student teaching in the next school year, apply now for funding that supports future teachers. Stipends will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis.? Applicants can apply online at?PHEAA.ORG/STUDENTTEACHER?

William Still kept record of freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad—and when he published his writings—he made public history! ? Call for Presenters! ? (Proposals due 3/15.) Come share how YOU teach Black history. —-from anywhere in the tristate—- Community storytellers??? church historians?? digital creators students ?? teachers family genealogists poets artists?? walking tour creators???? community members Submit here https://lnkd.in/eqanbd8b Now more than ever before we want learn from YOU—-the people who are inspired by history and use it as a tool to inspire the community! So we’re partnering with the @historicalpa to create a day long workshop celebrating you! Join us as we use the past to keep Black & Brown history front and center and inspire our future generations. #blackhistory #storytelling #publichistory #callforpapers #1838blkmet #1838blackmetropolis #phillyarea #phillyhistory #newjerseyhistory #delawarehistory

?? Join Us for the Africana Studies Lecture & Workshop Series – Part XXII! ?? ?? Date: March 15, 2025 ?? Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ?? Virtual Event – Open to All! The School District of Philadelphia’s Africana Studies Lecture and Workshop Series is back with another powerful lineup of speakers and sessions! This FREE and open-to-the-public event is designed for educators, students, community members, and anyone passionate about Black history, culture, and education. ? FEATURED SESSIONS: ?? Opening Keynote: Andrea Lawful Sanders - "Releasing Trauma in Traumatic Times" ?? Interactive Workshops on: ??? (Re)Claiming and (Re)Purposing Anti-Blackness in 18th Century Casta Paintings (Abigail Henry) ?? The Road to the Culture Final 4: Caring, Committed, Responsive, and Relevant ( NaKeisha Jones-Helton) ?????? By Their Own Design: Black Women Collectives in Philadelphia (Stephanie Tinsdale) ?? Closing Keynote: Dr. Stephanie Toliver - "Wakanda Vs. Everybody: A Layered Account of Speculative Mundanity" ?? Explore topics in cultural resistance, historical justice, speculative Black futures, and building transformative educational spaces! ?? This event is open to EVERYONE! Whether you’re a teacher, student, parent, or community member, join us for an inspiring day of learning and discussion. ?? Register Now & Spread the Word! ?? bit.ly/ASLWS22 hashtag #africanastudies hashtag #blackhistory365 hashtag #education4liberation

URGENT !!

Indeed. So many of us have been staying silent in the face of our destruction. This cannot stand. Become a guerilla archivist!