African American History of Philadelphia Heritage Trail

Entries on This Tour

1. Site of the MOVE Bombing (1985)

One of the most tragic events in Philadelphia’s history occurred on May 13, 1985, when the police bombed a residence on Osage Avenue. The home belonged to MOVE, an organization whose members supported a variety of causes from civil rights to animal rights and the rejection of technology. The organization’s unorthodox methods, such as shouting the teachings of their founder, John Africa, through a loudspeaker, earned the ire of some of their neighbors. This also led to tensions between city officials and escalating confrontation with police. In May of 1985, police attacked the barricaded house and dropped a makeshift bomb on the building’s rooftop. The attack ignited a fire that killed several members of MOVE, including children. The fire spread through the community and destroyed three city blocks and left 250 people homeless. To date, this has been the only aerial bombing of a private residence carried out by police officers on American solid.

2. St. Thomas African Episcopal Church

Established in 1792, St. Thomas African Episcopal Church became the first Episcopal Church with African American leaders and congregants. The congregation dates back to discrimination against Black members at St. George's Methodist Church which inspired Black members to form the Free African Society. After white clergy and members of St. George's continued to relegate Black members to separate pews and second-class membership, Black members formed their own congregation under the leadership of Absalom Jones and Richard Allen. In 1802, Jones became the first African American to be ordained to the ministry by Episcopal Bishop William White. During the antebellum period, leaders and members of this congregation actively supported abolitionists and assisted efforts to assist enslaved persons escape via the Underground Railroad.

3. Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park

Located in Philadelphia’s West Parkside neighborhood, the Philadelphia Stars Negro League Memorial Park stands in the very spot where the Philadelphia Stars played their home games an Penmar Park. In addition to being the home of the Stars, the ballpark also served as the host to multiple Negro League World Series games in the 1930s and 1940s. The Memorial Park, which was made possible through the coming together of several parties including the MLB and City of Philadelphia in 2004, features a historical site marker, a mural, and a memorial statue.

4. First African Presbyterian Church

First African Presbyterian Church was established in 1807 by the former slave, Reverend John Gloucester. First African Presbyterian Church was the first African American Presbyterian Congregation in America. Founded as First Colored Presbyterian, the congregation has been known as First African Presbyterian Church since 1966 and has worshipped at this building on Girard Avenue since 1957.

5. Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League

Founded by Marcus Garvey in 1914, the UNIA remains one of the oldest African American fraternal organizations in American history. The organization reached its membership peak in the 1920s but continues to meet in Philadelphia and other major cities under the auspices of the UNIA-ACL.

6. Sister Rosetta Tharpe Home Historical Marker

Dedicated in 2011, this historical marker honors singer-songwriter Sister Rosetta Tharpe, known by many as the "Godmother of Rock and Roll" for her influence in shaping the trajectory of the genre from its roots in rhythm-and-blues versions of spirituals. Tharpe's unique contribution was pairing those spirituals with her electric guitar, and she was credited as a pivotal influence by musicians ranging from Elvis Presley and Little Richard to Johnny Cash. Born on a cotton plantation in 1915, Tharpe traveled with her mother, Katie Bell Nubin, a traveling Holiness Church evangelist. From a young age, Tharpe played guitar and sang spirituals with such authenticity that she won over audiences who had previously been suspicious of electric guitars. Tharpe started recording music in the late 1930s. In the three decades that followed, Tharpe performed at small venues in the South to Madison Square Garden and Griffith Stadium. Forgotten by many until recent years, Tharpe influenced nearly all of the mid-20th century's most iconic musicians and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. This marker is at the site of her home from 1957 until her death in 1973. On October 24, 2011, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission dedicated this marker. According to biographer Gayle Wald, Tharpe responded to claims about the "new" style of rock and roll with the following remark: "Oh, these kids and rock and roll," Tharpe exclaimed, according to the author's accounts, "this is just sped up rhythm and blues."

7. Divine Lorraine Hotel

Constructed as a luxury apartment building in 1892, this structure became home to the Lorraine Hotel in 1900. Father Divine, the leader of the Universal Peace Movement, acquired the building in 1948 and operated the Divine Hotel which welcomed all regardless of race and religion so long as they agreed to follow the rules for guests. With its primarily African American congregation that followed Father Divine, an African American who developed a large national following and even larger real estate portfolio. The Divine Hotel placed men and women in different sides of the hotel and barred alcohol, smoking, and immodest dress and behavior. Divine's wealth attracted numerous investigations and reports of impropriety and mishandling funds meant for the church. Today, the building is once again home to luxury apartments

8. All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors

Created by artist Jakob Otto Schweizer in 1934, the All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors commemorates Pennsylvania's African American service members who served for the country in wartime. It is located prominently in the north end of Aviator Park next to the Logan Square traffic circle. It consists of finely detailed sculptures of African American military men who cluster about an allegorical figure representing Justice, who holds symbols of Honor and Reward. Above, American eagles surround a torch of life. The other side features four allegorical female figures representing the principles of war, liberty, peace, and plenty. First placed in West Fairmount Park, this work was moved here in 1994.

9. St. George's United Methodist Church

Located at the corner of 4th and New Streets, right next to the Ben Franklin Bridge, St. George’s is the oldest Methodist church in continuous use in the United States. The congregation was founded in 1767, moved into its current location in 1769 and has been there ever since. It played a pivotal role in the development of Methodism in the U.S. due to its links to the A.M.E denomination as well as the Methodist leaders who preached within its confines. The church still welcomes worshippers every Sunday and has opened a Methodist museum and archives on the premises. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

10. Burning of Pennsylvania Hall in Anti-Abolitionist Riot of 1838

The Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society built Pennsylvania Hall and dedicated the building on May 14, 1838. The building hosted a three-day convention of the city's female abolitionists, but before the end of the meeting, a mob had assembled to disrupt the meeting and attack the women for their opposition to slavery. Although Pennsylvania passed laws providing for the gradual end of slavery in their own state shortly after the American Revolution, many white residents of the city believed that the abolitionists were encouraging Black migration to the area. They also believed that abolitionists were to blame for the growing political strife between the North and the South. The mob grew extremely violent by the third day of the meeting, encouraged by members of the police who seemed to countenance the violence against abolitionists and their property. On May 17th, only three days after the dedication of the building, the anti-abolitionist mob set fire to Pennsylvania Hall and attacked anyone who tried to save the building.

11. African American Museum in Philadelphia

Established in 1976, the African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first museum in the United States created and funded by a local government to help convey the history and heritage of African Americans to United States citizens. The museum covers the period from slavery to civil rights with over 750,000 artifacts and four galleries. Each gallery contains a variety of exhibits that interpret the museum's collection, selecting items from the collection and placing their history within the larger narrative of the African American experience. The museum also offers a variety of special thematic exhibits throughout the year, to ensure that every visit provides a new learning experience. A huge plus for young children visiting the museum is the "Children's Corner", an interactive exhibit where children explore the lives of young African American children.

12. Anthony Benezet Historical Marker

Anthony Benezet was a French-born American Quaker and teacher who helped educate numerous African American children from his home which was located here in the decades leading up to the American Revolution. Benezet was one of the leading abolitionists in the city during the 18th century and authored numerous articles that influenced the nascent antislavery movement.

13. Mother Bethel AME Church and Museum

Founded in 1793 by African American Bishop, Richard Allen the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Richard Allen was born a slave to a Quaker attorney. This church is an relic in remembrance to Richard Allen. The land on which the church was built was bought by Allen from his owner. Allen was a minister, "preeminent Black leader, and founder of the first permanent national association." Alongside serving as a stop in the underground railroad, the Mother Bethel AME Church also has been used by the African-American community as a place for social organizations to meet, being a proponent for racial equality and civil rights on the local and national level. A number of influential African Americans have been gust in the church as well, such leaders include Frederick Douglass, Lucretia Mott, Rosa Parks, and Colin Powell.

14. Free African Society Historical Marker

Founded in 1787 by preachers Rt. Rev. Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, The Free African Society was a cooperative organization which sought to provide mutual aid, religious services, and community for African-Americans in Philadelphia. It was the second mutual aid society for African-Americans in the United States. While it originally did not have a specific religious affiliation, the organization had ties to several churches and practiced some Quaker traditions; it was a forerunner of the African Methodist Episcopal (A. M. E.) Church, founded by Allen, though he had separated from The Free African Society by then. The society extended help not only to the Black community, but to the rest of the city as well, notably providing aid during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The Philadelphia Historical and Museum Commission place a historical marker here, by the Mother Bethel A. M. E. Church, to commemorate the society in 1991.

15. Lombard Street Riot, 1842

On August 1, 1842, a white mob of mostly Irish immigrants attacked a parade of around 1,000 African Americans promoting temperance and commemorating the eighth anniversary of the end of slavery in the British Caribbean. The attack sparked a three-day riot during which members of the mob pursued marchers around the city, ransacked black homes in the area, and set an abolitionist meeting hall, several public buildings, and the Second African Presbyterian Church ablaze. The mayor called in 1,000 militia troops to finally put an end to the riot. Few rioters were arrested and those who were convicted received light sentences. The event was the third race riot that occurred within the previous decade (the other two took place in 1834 and 1838.

16. W.E.B. Du Bois Historical Marker

The Philadelphia Historical Commission erected this historical marker in 1995 to honor the life of one of the country's leading 20th century African American intellectuals and co-founder of the NAACP, W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963), who, from 1896-1897, lived in a house that once stood at this location. During that time he conducted research for his sociological study called "The Philadelphia Negro," which was published in 1899.

17. Liberty Hall at the Institute for Colored Youth

Liberty Hall was a building belonging to the Institute for Colored Youth.The building was used as the headquarters for the first all Black Philadelphia baseball club, the Pythians, in 1867. The team had meetings and planned events here.The building is no longer standing today. However, there is a plaque elsewhere in Philly, dedicated to the Institute for Colored Youth.

18. Octavius V. Catto Historical Marker

Pennsylvania state historical marker placed at the former residence of the great African American activist, educator and sportsman Octavius V. Catto (1839-71). In addition to co-founding the Pythians baseball club of Philadelphia, one of the most successful and historically significant all-Black teams of their time, Catto spearheaded the movement that led to the racial integration of streetcars in Philadelphia and worked to help African Americans gain the right to vote with the passage of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution in 1870. During a time of violent unrest shortly before the fall 1871 elections in Philadelphia, Catto was murdered in the street, a victim of a politically motivated assassination.

19. The Institute for Colored Youth (1837) and Samuel J. Randall School (1902)

This was the historic location of one of America’s most influential historic schools, The Institute for Colored Youth, predecessor to Cheyney University. In 1902, the Institute secured a new location at a farm in Cheyney and this building became home to the Samuel J. Randall School. The Institute was established by Quakers and became one of the first schools in the United States devoted to the education of Black youth. Many of the graduates of the Institute for Colored Youth became leaders in the fight to abolish slavery leading up to the Civil War. Later graduates led efforts to establish legal and political equality for African Americans in the 19th century.

20. William and Letitia Still Underground Railroad Way Station

The child of formerly enslaved parents, William Still (1821-1902) dedicated his life to the abolition of slavery and protection of fugitives from slavery. His house at 625 South Delhi Street (then called Ronaldson Street) in Philadelphia was a stop on the Underground Railroad from 1850 to 1855. As chair of the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society's Vigilance Committee, Still organized Underground Railroad efforts in the city and further afield. After the abolition of slavery, he wrote an extensive book on the Underground Railroad. In 2017-2018, preservationists positively identified the house as one of the places Still and his wife Letitia (1821-1906) had lived and sheltered those who had escaped slavery. The Keeping Society of Philadelphia nominated the site to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.

21. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper House

This historic Philadelphia home is where poet, fiction writer, journalist, and activist Frances Ellen Watkins Harper spent her later years and the location where she passed away on February 22, 1911. Born in Baltimore in 1825, she was the only child of free African American parents. After growing up in difficult conditions, she embarked on a career as a traveling speaker on the abolitionist circuit. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper also helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad and wrote frequently for anti-slavery newspapers. As a journalist and activist, she worked with Frederick Douglass and other reformers, earning a reputation for her writing which led some to refer to her as the "mother" of African American journalism. The house has since been named a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public during special events.

22. Engine Company No. 11

From 1919 to 1953 existed Philadelphia's only all-Black segregated fire department. The brave men who served with Engine Company No. 11 were known to the public and company as the 'leather lungs'. Working alongside their white superiors, the leather lungs were more often than not, placed in the most dangerous of situations when fighting fires. On February 17, 1953, segregation had officially been ruled to end within the fire department due to overstaffing within Engine Company No. 11 and other surrounding departments. The desegregation prompted the creation of six new mixed fire departments in the area. Since the desegregation, the original Engine Company No. 11 fire station building and the brave men who worked for the station have been memorialized through murals, mosaic pieces, and a Pennsylvania landmark plaque.

23. Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield Historic Marker

Viewed as one of the greatest musicians of her time, Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield was an exceptional, well-known African American singer. Although Greenfield was born into slavery, she was emancipated not long after her birth. With the support of her former owner and dedicating her time to studying and learning, Greenfield excelled in her musical abilities. Once Greenfield gained popularity, she advocated for anti-slavery and equality laws through her voice and numerous performances.

24. Jacob C. White, Jr. Historical Marker

This historical marker is placed where the residence of prominent African American educator, businessman, and baseball player Jacob C. White, Jr. (1837-1902) once stood. In 1868, White, along with his lifelong friend Octavius Catto, founded the one of the city's most important all-Black baseball clubs, the Pythians, which became the best black team in the country. It was also the first to beat an all-white team.

25. William Still: Pennsylvania Historical Marker (Also briefly the home of Henry 'Box' Brown)

William Still was an active Civil Rights abolitionist in the mid 1800s and was an integral player in helping many slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. He worked tirelessly in many different ways to better the African American community throughout his entire life. Born the son of former slaves, Still's passion for freedom and justice was rooted deep within him. Still taught himself to read and write which furthered his work as an abolitionist and he published works speaking out against the injustices placed upon the African American community. Often referred to as the Father of the Underground Railroad, Still's historical land-marker is placed in front of his home at 244 S. 12th Street in Philadelphia which served as a stop on the Underground Railroad for many years.

26. Billie Holiday Historical Marker

Billie Holiday, also known as "Lady Day," is said to be one of the greatest American jazz singers of her time. She stood out in the jazz industry due to her unconventional music styles and improvisation. Although she was faced with many hardships throughout both her life and career, Holiday will always be remembered as a very influential figure in the jazz music industry. She was known to bring life to her music and always performed music the way she wanted to, even if others did not agree. She is best known for her songs "Lover Man" and "Strange Fruit" as well as her many collaborations with various famous jazz musicians. The historical marker located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania serves as a tribute to her accomplishments in the jazz industry.

27. Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church

Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church is a leading African-American church in Philadelphia founded in 1820. Its nickname is "Big Wesley" for the significant role it has played in improving the lives of the city's black residents throughout its history, from hosting anti-slavery meetings in the 1800s, to actively supporting the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, and to fighting for social justice and economic equality today. Wesley belongs to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, which is a Christian denomination established in 1821 (Wesley was originally called the First Colored Wesley Methodist Church of Philadelphia before changing its name to its current one in 1821). Architecturally, the church is an imposing Gothic stone structure built in 1926. It features a corner bell tower and several stained glass windows with tracery including a large one above the three main entrance doorways. Wesley was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

28. Frederick Douglass Memorial Hospital

The Frederick Douglass Memorial Hospital was founded by Dr. Nathan Francis Mossell, M.D. (1856-1946) in 1895. It was created to provide affordable/free healthcare for the city’s population, though it primarily catered towards African Americans who were frequently denied care by other hospital systems because their race. The hospital also served as a training center for Black nurses and interns who were denied teaching by other institutions. The Frederick Douglass Memorial Hospital merged with Mercy Hospital, another African American serving hospital, in 1948 to form the Mercy-Douglass Hospital. The Mercy-Douglass Hospital was closed in 1973 due to financial issues.

29. Hotel Brotherhood USA and the Bainbridge Club

Black hotel workers in Philadelphia founded this benevolent organization in the early 1880s to provide health care and aid for workers in their industry. Hotel Brotherhood USA was one of the first trade organizations in the hotel industry, and it soon became one of the largest. The organization was also one of the earliest trade organizations representing Black workers, with members and officers working to address pay inequality and other forms of discrimination. In its early years, the organization operated as a benevolent and mutual aid society, and chapters of the group were founded in other US cities. The organization has been headquartered at this location since 1906, and its current clubhouse was completed in 1924 and was recently remodeled along with an upstairs ballroom that is available for rent.

This Tour is a Thematic Tour or Heritage Trail.

African American History of Philadelphia Heritage Trail

Created by Clio Admin on November 26th 2018, 8:10:12 am.

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Description

This heritage trail begins on Philadelphia's Lombard Street with churches and other landmarks along with historical markers, that commemorate the lives of Frederick Douglass, Billie Holiday, businessman Jacob C. White, writer Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, and many others. The tour moves east before turning north and winding through several neighborhoods (the first half of the trail is perfect for walking while the second half would require a car). Together, the two halves of the tour include numerous landmarks, sculptures, historic churches, and several museums and institutions dedicated to preserving and sharing African American history.

Entries on This Tour

African American History of Philadelphia Heritage Trail

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