This June, the Free Library is celebrating Philadelphia’s immigrant communities! June is Immigrant Heritage Month, a time when we celebrate the beauty and strength of our city’s many immigrant communities.

Philadelphia represents the ways in which immigrants and our contributions have transformed the course of our collective history as a city and as a country. Our nation’s history is connected to the stories and experiences of immigrants who have made Philadelphia home. Whether it be through food, language, music, or tradition, this month, the Free Library celebrates the resiliency, power, and strength of our immigrant heritages.

The Free Library’s programming for Immigrant Heritage Month includes:

• One Book, One Philadelphia events commemorating this year’s featured selection, My Broken Language by Quiara Alegría Hudes, a musical memoir of Hudes searching for her own voice while coming of age in 1980s and 1990s Philadelphia;
• South Philadelphia Library’s children’s storytimes in Spanish with Read, Baby, Read;
• The Azadi Reading Collective which revisits the revolutionary history of the Indian Freedom Struggle;
• Events about Ukraine and the history and culture of its people;
• Opportunities to improve your language skills, such as practicing the Spanish language through South American news and culture discussions or Spanish conversation meetings; learning Mandarin through music and song; and joining French learning circles; and
• Upcoming Author Events where you can engage with authors like Maxine Hong Kingston who will be in conversation with Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Find more events on the Free Library’s online calendar.

If you’re searching for more ways to join the festivities, you can also browse the book lists in our catalog for reading recommendations and check out our blog for more posts commemorating Immigrant Heritage Month, including articles from past years.

Share with us how you are celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month by using the #CelebrateImmigrants hashtag and tagging @freelibrary on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

The Free Library wishes you a very happy Immigrant Heritage Month!