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African American Museum in Philadelphia

This article documents the history of the African-Americans in Philadelphia.

In 1976 about one third of all Philadelphians were black.^[1]

History

Published in 1899 by the University of Pennsylvania and conducted by W. E. B. Du Bois, The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study was the first sociological race study of the African American community in the United States.^[2] The aim of the social study was to identify "The Negro Problems of Philadelphia," the problems facing black communities not only in Philadelphia, but all over the country as well.^[3] The study focused on Philadelphia's Seventh Ward (currently Center City Philadelphia) and the socioeconomic conditions of black churches, businesses and homes within the neighborhood. Using statistics Du Bois created from his survey data, Du Bois compared the occupation, income, education, family size, health, drug use, criminal activity and suffrage of black and white residents living in the Seventh Ward and to Philadelphia's other wards.^[4] Du Bois used statistical evidence to highlight the socioeconomic inequalities the black community faced and make the black community's suffrage known to whites. In turn, he disproved stereotypes surrounding the black community which were cited as the sources of "The Negro Problem."^[4]

Geography

By 1976 many blacks were moving to Wynnefield, with many originating from Creek and Overbrook; the new residents of Wynnefield had recently become middle class.^[1]

Circa 1976 many African-Americans resided in Powelltown Village. The majority originated from other states and held professional positions, including artists, graduate students, musicians, teachers, and writers.^[1]

Circa 1961 Society Hill was a majority black and low income neighborhood, but by 1976 it became gentrified and mostly White with the remaining black population residing in about three or four high-rise apartment buildings with high rents. Black Enterprise wrote that a possible reason why wealthier blacks opted not to move to Society Hill was "Unpleasant memories of the old neighborhood".^[1]

Institutions

The African American Museum in Philadelphia is located in Center City.

Religion

An 1829 image of the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas

The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, established in 1792, was the first house of worship designated for black people in the United States. While the St. George's United Methodist Church had initially allowed black worshipers in the main area, its black worshipers left after the church moved them to the gallery area by 1787.^[5]

Education

In 1976 66% of all students of the School District of Philadelphia were black; this number was proportionally high since whites of all economic backgrounds had a tendency to use private schools. Wealthier blacks chose not to use private schools because their neighborhoods were assigned to higher quality public schools.^[1]

Notable residents

• 
  Mumia Abu-Jamal (born Wesley Cook), death row inmate and activist


• 
  Bill Cosby, Comedian and actor


• 
  Michael Nutter, Mayor of Philadelphia
  


• 
  John F. Street, Mayor of Philadelphia


• 
  Charles "Luckey" Roberts, pianist and composer


• 
  Ethel Waters, Singer, comedienne and actress


• 
  Raymond Pace Alexander, Lawyer and civil rights activist


• 
  Ed Bradley, News correspondent


• 
  Bessie Smith, Blues singer and actress


• 
  Thomas J. Dorsey, Former slave and financier


• 
  Henry Ossawa Tanner, painter


• 
  Marian Anderson, contralto opera singer


• 
  Frances Harper, abolitionist, suffragette, poet, author


• 
  John McKee (Colonel), property owner


• 
  Wilt Chamberlain, basketball player


• 
  Kobe Bryant, basketball player


• 
  Will Smith, rapper, actor


• 
  Guion S. Bluford, astronaut, scientist, pilot


• 
  Kevin Hart, actor, comedian


• 
  Patti LaBelle, singer, actor


• 
  Richard Allen, religious leader, author, journalist


• 
  Alain LeRoy Locke, philosopher, journalist, author, scholar


• 
  Judith Jamison, ballet dancer, choreographer


• 
  Billie Holiday, singer


• 
  Jill Scott, singer


• 
  Sherman Hemsley, actor


• 
  Solomon Burke, singer


• 
  Rex Stewart, cornetist/trumpeter, journalist, disk jockey, publisher


• 
  Charlotte Forten, civil rights activist, woman's rights activist


• 
  W. Wilson Goode, Mayor of Philadelphia
  

References

• "Blacks in Philadelphia." (November 1976). Black Enterprise. Start p. 36.

Notes