Philadelphia’s official historic district may be in Old City, but the stories that shape this city extend beyond that neighborhood’s boundaries, and that’s why an upcoming festival spotlights the historic fabric of North Philadelphia.
The four-day North Philadelphia History Festival beginning Thursday is spearheaded by Scribe Video Center in partnership with archivists, artists, and community leaders who have spent years documenting their neighborhood's history. The festival focuses on the emergence and contributions of African Americans and Puerto Ricans in the 19th and 20th centuries.
“We conceived the festival as something that should be a resource for people who are connected to North Philadelphia, people who live and work or have roots in North Philadelphia,” said Louis Massiah, executive director of Scribe. “But we also wanted it to be something accessible for everybody.”
He said Philadelphians understand the value of history and the benefits that come with it. “If the history of an area is acknowledged, it means that area is going to be [economically] supported,” Massiah said.
If neighbors can understand the history of where they live, Massiah said, it can change their sense of identity. And others can begin to look at the neighborhood a bit differently. By respecting each other’s places and knowing history, he said, certain neighborhoods won’t be viewed as “disposable” by incoming developers and residents.
“The wrecking ball of displacement can be slowed down somewhat if people realize we can't just destroy everything,” Massiah said.
What To Expect
The festival is jam-packed with activities including a walking tour of Northern Liberties, a procession of classic cars cruising down Ridge Avenue, a photo exhibition capturing Strawberry Mansion’s evolution, and a jazz concert.
During one panel discussion, “In Pursuit of Preservation: A Community Conversation for our Black Historic District,” attendees can learn what historic districts are and the different levels of protections that they’re afforded.
Maya Thomas, founder of the Dox Thrash House Project, said this panel will be the organizers’ first opportunity to present the idea of creating a historic district in Sharswood, a neighborhood in North Philly. She emphasized that the goal of the designation and archival work goes beyond just remembering the past.
“We're grounding this in physical space and reclaiming physical things and objects,” Thomas said.
“The solution is for people to move back into the neighborhood, own their buildings, own their houses to pass on this generational wealth, and that is what we're advocating for.”
Top Cats Drill Team marches by 26th Street and Columbia Avenue on July 16, 1966. (Courtesy of Special Collections Research Center at Temple University)
History Highlights
Throughout the research process, organizers were struck by elements of North Philadelphia history that they felt were overlooked. Thomas pointed to the Great Migration, the mass movement of African-Americans in the early 1900s who moved from the rural South to the midwest and northern cities like Philadelphia. She said there is a direct connection between Black landowners fleeing violence in southern states and finding safe havens in North Philly.
“I want people to know it's worth it for you to stay in this community and invest in it because that's what your ancestors were doing,” Thomas said. “They had lost [their] community. They had died, literally were being lynched and targeted to come north and find something else, to buy this family home and keep that legacy.”
Cierra Freeman, director of the Brewerytown-Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition, pointed to the Poor People’s Campaign’s ties to North Philly. The economic justice campaign was launched by Martin Luther King Jr. months before his assassination and is currently being revived by a new generation.
“Ridge Avenue isn't just the jazz corridor,” Freeman said. “This is also a space where a lot of movement work happened with the Poor People's Campaign. Folks know about Cecil B. Moore, the students fighting back to desegregate the schools, but not so much about the Poor People's campaign, which was a workers' rights movement.”
Archivists like Thomas and Freeman hope this festival will encourage other residents, especially youth, to learn from the past.
“They can see themselves. They can see the resilience of the giants that they're told about in schools,” Freeman said. “But they can [also] see the resilience of everyday people and what folks did to continue to have community, to continue to stick together, and to continue to survive and thrive.”
How To Register
Interested attendees are encouraged to register in advance, as some participating venues may have limited capacity. Click here for a full event schedule and registration links. The festival runs July 24 to July 27.
