R,„
.ADELPHIA,
PENNSYLVANIA
in the 400 years that African-Americans have
lived in Philadelphia, their lives have taken on a
dual character. On the one hand, forced exclu­
sion from the mainstream brought about the cre­
ation of separate institutions and lifestyles. On
the other hand, African-Americans never ceased
their efforts to change the dominant white soci­
ety. Blacks started their own schools, insurance
companies, newspapers, and societies, hut they
also dem onstrated, withheld tax money, and
spoke out against segregation.
Philadelphia was a key city in the activities of
the Underground Railroad, a loosely organized
system of escape routes for fugitive slaves. Many
homes here served as “stations," or places of hid­
ing, where fugitives were sheltered for a short
time before being taken to the next stop.
H IS T O R IC S IT E S
Soldier of the Revolutionary W ar is
•All Wars Memorial to
Black Soldiers
flame.
in the Square along with an eternal
West Lansdowne Drive
215 63S-000I
•Freedom Theater
Fairmount Park's only statue dedicat­
1346 N Broad Street
ed to Blacks. The monument features
215 765-2793
12 military figures and commemo­
Founded in 1966, the theater is
rates the Black Pennsylvania soldiers
Pennsylvania’s oldest Black theatrical
who fought in America's wars. It was
institution, and is considered one of
erected in 1934.
Fairmount Park is
the largest urban park in the nation.
the top six theaters in the nation. It
has trained thousands and has pre­
sented over 275 plays, bringing the
•Johnson House in
Germantown
affirmation of Black culture to more
than 400,000 theater patrons. The
Germantown Avenue 8 Washington
building occupied by Freedom
Lane
Theater was called Heritage House,
215 843-0943
and was founded in 1949 by Dr.
The house was an underground rail­
Eugene Waymon Jones. The Heritage
road station operated by Quaker,
House was the oldest Black cultural
Samuel Johnson. Runaway slaves
center in the United States. The
were hidden in the basement and
building is the former home of
the attic. The house was also a
Edwin Forrest, a great American,
meeting place for such important
19th century actor.
underground operators as William
Still and Harriet Tubman.
•Afro-American Historical
and Cultural Museum
•Kunder House
7 th and Arch Streets
5109 Germantown Avenue
215 574-0380
The site of the first formal protest
Built in 1976 by the City of
against slavery in North America in
Philadelphia, the museum is dedicat­
1688, it is used today as a commer­
ed to researching, documenting and
cial laboratory.
exhibiting African-American culture.
•Washington Square
over one million visitors. The muse­
6th 8 7th Streets and Walnut to
um also houses a gift shop.
During its first decade it attracted
Locust Streets
The Square was once known as
“Congo Square," because it was a
THERE'S NO
SUCHTHINCAS
TOO MUCH
FUN!
•The John W. Coltrane
Society
meeting place for free Blacks. The
1511 N. 33rd Street
Square is the burial place for hun­
215 763-1118
dreds of Revolutionary W ar Black
Established in 1984, the organiza­
soldiers. The Tomb of the Unknown
tion’s purpose is to preserve the
continued on page 10
To find out about
the new Atlantic City,
send for this booklet
today by calling
l-800-BOARDW K-Ext 611