The exhibition Black Histories of Philadelphia observes the stories of people and places that make up Philadelphia’s countless histories. Some stories are kept, some fade over time, and others are misrepresented or silenced. The people featured in this exhibition created change through determination and innovation. They overcame obstacles and fought for their successes, just as community members today fight to keep their legacies alive.

Black Histories of Philadelphia features objects from the Children’s Literature Research Collection, the Map Collection, and the Print and Picture Collection. It will be on view in the Second Floor West Gallery of Parkway Central Library from January 27, 2025, to April 19, 2025.

Historic Sites Featured in the Exhibition

Visit the links below to learn more about the preservation efforts of the community members and organizations upholding the legacies of some of Philadelphia’s greats:

• The Dox Thrash Project
• The National Marian Anderson Museum
• The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club
• The Friends of the Tanner House
• The Paul Robeson House and Museum
• The Yard on John Coltrane Street

Resources for Historic Recognition

Is there a location in Philadelphia that represents the history and culture of the city? A location can be historically important because of the events that took place there, the people associated with it, or its architecture and design. In large cities like Philadelphia, narratives can be easily lost. It’s up to the people in the present to learn about and tell the stories of those in the past. These websites and organizations contain resources to learn about how to nominate a place to be officially recognized as somewhere historically significant. 

• Philadelphia Register of Historic Places - Use this site to examine the list of registered historic properties, or learn about submitting a property. Anyone can nominate a historic property in Philadelphia to be added to the register.
• The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office - Have you ever seen a blue plaque with yellow writing indicating a historical event? Many of them were submitted by community members. The State Historic Preservation Office runs the Pennsylvania Historical Marker Program and works with the National Register of Historic Places. This site includes more information on nominating a property to the National Register or nominating a subject for a historical marker. There’s also a search function. Check out what markers are near you!
• Preservation Toolkit - The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia also offers helpful resources for navigating the systems of historic preservation — from the process of nomination to a handbook for community organizations.

A blue and yellow marker by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for the Standard Theatre at 1126 South Street

Get Involved!

Sadly, being on a historic register does not guarantee that a property will be safeguarded. Deterioration, absentee owners, expensive repairs, and many other problems can plague historical sites. These issues are often more pronounced when a historical topic is subject to suppression. 

Charles Blockson, the originator of one of the leading Black history research collections in the United States, reportedly started his collection after a white teacher told him in the 1940s that Black Americans “have no history.” This was less than 100 years ago. Blockson donated his collection to Temple University in the 1980s, and The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection continues to grow.  

Cultural change takes time and is seldom easy. It wasn’t until 1990, when Blockson began a historical marker project to note important locations related to Black Americans, that the city had more than two markers about Black history. With white supremacy currently continuing to threaten the forging of an inclusive society, it’s vital to safeguard sites that represent Black history and resistance. 

The following organizations are continuing this work, making sure that the contributions and narratives of Black figures are remembered well into the future:

• African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund - The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund works to identify and support the preservation of African-American historical sites. 
• Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Inventory of African American Historic Sites - Because of the historical suppression and ignorance of Black narratives in our history, it’s especially important to seek out places and stories to save. The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia created an inventory, last updated in 2009, of over 400 African-American historic sites. The report is great for learning more about the Black history of Philadelphia that’s hidden in plain sight all around us. 
• The Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites - The Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites is a team based out of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania. They work in multiple avenues, including teaching, research, and fieldwork, to amplify narratives of Black heritage and conserve civil rights sites. 
• Memory Workers Guild - The Memory Workers Guild is a group concerned with memory work or how we engage with the past and how that intertwines with our present, with a focus on historical erasure and the disregard of current Black workers. They are dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and production of Black cultural legacies, experiences, and memories. 
• Society to Preserve Philadelphia African American Assets - The Society to Preserve Philadelphia African American Assets focuses on identifying and advocating for Black historical sites in the Philadelphia area, including preservation, providing resources, and promotion. 

Lastly, don’t forget about your local government, which can be instrumental in saving sites! Joe Frazier’s Gym is on both the Philadelphia and national registers of historic places. Despite that, the building is not up to code and has been declared unsafe by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. A property that is considered dangerous can be demolished regardless of its historic status. Fortunately, City Council passed a resolution in December declaring that any demolition of the building be halted as alternative uses of the building are identified. Even so, the fight to save the gym is certainly not over. To get contact information for your elected officials and learn more about political action, visit the Committee of Seventy website.