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About the Book
Black Philadelphians have shaped Philadelphia history since colonial times.
In Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape, Amy Cohen recounts notable aspects of the Black experience in Philadelphia from the late 1600s to the 1960s and how this history is marked in the contemporary city.
Each chapter explores an event or historical figure and how it is memorialized in the landscape, by historical marker, monument, mural, or some other means—followed by a short list of actions to take to learn more about the topic (e.g. a site to visit, a website to explore, a film to watch, a primary source to examine). Some chapters feature reflections by people with direct connections to the topic. The chapters are organized chronologically, so while the book is not comprehensive, it gives the reader a strong sense of Philadelphia’s African American history from the late 1600s through the 20th century. With relatively short chapter lengths and a straightforward writing style, Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape is approachable for the general public as well as for students at the secondary level and beyond.
Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape includes reflections by:
Dr. Naomi Johnson Booker
Founder and CEO of Global Leadership Academy
Michael Coard, Esquire
Founding Member and Chief Strategist of ATAC, the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition
Coach Kenneth Hamilton
Retired Educator, Athletic Director, and Coach (Benjamin Franklin High School, 1966-1999)
Rev. Dr. Charles Howard
University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity & Community at the University of Pennsylvania
Karen Asper Jordan
President of the Cecil B. Moore Philadelphia Freedom Fighters
Karyn Olivier
Artist
Jillian Patricia Pirtle
CEO of the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society
Hon. Christopher Rabb
Pennsylvania State Representative
Mable Ellis Welborn
Board Chair at the Leon H. Sullivan Charitable Trust
Amy Jane Cohen
Amy Cohen is an educator, historian, and writer. After twenty years teaching social studies, she became Director of Education for History Making Productions and is a contributing writer for Hidden City Philadelphia.
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