Discover the Black History Keepers of Philadelphia

Black historians, curators and leaders preserve the legacy of people of African descent in Philadelphia...

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Artists, Activists & Organizers

Branly Cadet, Sculptor of Octavius V. Catto Memorial Statue

A Quest for Parity: The Octavius V. Catto Memorial stands with outstretched arms on the southeast apron of City Hall. The journey to the creation of this memorial — to one of the most influential African American leaders in Philadelphia during the 19th century — dates to 1906 when the Black Elks of Philadelphia renamed their chapter after Octavius Catto. The lodge kept his name and legacy alive, and later became a financial contributor to the memorial. Officially commissioned by the Octavius V. Catto Memorial Fund, the memorial, a work of public art by sculptor Branly Cadet, was unveiled in 2017. The previously little-known story of Catto is now a prominent symbol for activism and voting rights in the center of Philadelphia.

A Quest for Parity: The Octavius V. Catto Memorial   — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia

Ron Brown, Juneteenth Organizer

Ron Brown has organized the celebration of Juneteenth since 1995 and is the founder and CEO of the Pennsylvania Juneteenth Coalition. In 2019, after more than 24 years of advocacy, the coalition was critical in bringing about the adoption of Juneteenth as an official legal holiday in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, paving the way for an expanded Juneteenth celebration in Greater Philadelphia. Its next mission? To collaborate with the national Juneteenth organizational efforts to lobby for Juneteenth to become a national holiday.

Rev. Mark Tyler and Rev. Martini Shaw of Philadelphia AME Churches

Rev. Mark Tyler and Rev. Martini Shaw — alongside their congregations at Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas — have kept the work of AME founders Richard Allen and Absalom Jones alive. A museum and archive at Mother Bethel documents the founding of America’s first two African Methodist Episcopalian churches, housing Allen’s tomb and other intriguing artifacts, including original pews, the original pulpit constructed and used by Rev. Allen, old ballot boxes used to elect church officers, and muskets from when Allen raised Black troops during the War of 1812.

Michael Coard, Esq. and Dr. Cheryl LaRoche, Archeologist of The President’s House

Social activists and advocates have played a huge role in fighting for the telling of Black history, as well as scientists. The fiery leadership of Michael Coard, Esq., who remains a fierce advocate for criminal justice, resulted in the funding of The President’s House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation, a historic attraction on Independence Mall commemorating the lives of nine enslaved Africans at the site of the nation’s first executive mansion. Dr. Cheryl LaRoche, esteemed archaeologist, became an adopted daughter of Philadelphia when she, along with National Park Service archaeologist Dr. Jed Levin, conducted the due diligence dig at the President’s House site at 6th and Market Streets.

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church   — Photo by P. Meyer for Visit Philadelphia

Curators & Educators

Ivan Henderson of The African American Museum in Philadelphia

Since October 2016, Ivan Henderson has served as Vice President of Programming at The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP), where he leads the work of the museum’s programming, exhibitions and collections teams. Founded in 1976, AAMP is the first institution built by a major U.S. city to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage and culture of African Americans. The museum takes a fresh and bold look at the stories of African Americans and their role in the founding of the nation.

Adrienne Whaley of the Museum of the American Revolution

Adrienne Whaley is the Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Museum of the American Revolution, where she created the museum’s signature school program that is shared with more than 70,000 school children a year, teaching them history that’s often overlooked in school curriculums. The Museum of the American Revolution exhibitions offer an inclusive picture of the American Revolution, showcasing stories of enslaved and free Africans, Native Americans and women — in addition to the Founding Fathers and Revolutionary War soldiers — through immersive displays and fascinating artifacts that create a modern storytelling experience.

The African American Museum in Philadelphia   — Photo by A. Ricketts for Visit Philadelphia

Dr. Diane Turner of the Temple University Charles Blockson Collection

The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University, founded by Charles Blockson, has been a treasure since 1984 and is one of the most prestigious collections of African American artifacts in the U.S. The collection houses over 500,000 items relating to the global Black experience. Dr. Diane Turner, whose life-long passion has been elevating the history of people of African descent, is a three-time graduate of Temple University and current curator of the Charles Blockson collection.

Dr. Molefi Asante of Temple University

Dr. Molefi Asante of Temple University turned the history world upside-down in the 1980s by expounding upon Carter G. Woodson’s “Afro-centric” perspective. He espoused that history should not be told from only the European point of view. Teachers in major urban school districts across the country clamored for Dr. Asanti’s approach because it instilled pride in their students. Currently, Dr. Asante’ is taking a deep dive to uncover more about Philadelphia’s past.

Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar of Rutgers University

Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar, an esteemed historian, author, and speaker out of Rutgers University in Newark, NJ is a native Philadelphian. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and went on to earn both a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. She is part of a new generation of experts receiving national acclaim thanks to her Frederick Douglass Award-winning work, a book about Ona Judge, Never Caught, covering the story of the young woman who escaped from bondage at the home of President George and Martha Washington.

Dr. Tukufu Zuberi of the University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Tukufu Zuberi — a sociologist, filmmaker, and social critic at the University of Pennsylvania — has focused on race and African and African diaspora populations. Dr. Zuberi served as a host on the PBS television program History Detectives. The show explored the complexities of historical mysteries, searching out the facts from myths that connect local folklore, family legends and interesting objects. He has been involved in important maritime exhibits at the Independence Seaport Museum, which delves into the Delaware River’s role in the Middle Passage, enslavement, emancipation, Jim Crow and the civil rights movement.

The President's House   — Photo by M. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia