Press Release

PHILLY’S HISTORIC SITES FOCUS ON AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Visitors To Independence Mall And Beyond Will Hear A More Accurate Telling Of The Nation’s History In Summer 2006

African American Museum in Philadelphia

Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC

PHILADELPHIA, February 17, 2006 – In recent years, Independence Mall, the heart of Philadelphia’s Historic District, has undergone a major makeover with the addition of new attractions such as the Liberty Bell Center and the National Constitution Center. This transformation will continue into summer 2007 when a commemorative site will be erected to mark the location of the first Executive Mansion and to honor the enslaved Africans who lived there. Along with the Mall’s new look comes a new emphasis on the undertold stories of the African American experience in the nation’s history. These new stories will also be incorporated into tours and exhibitions at nearby Valley Forge National Historical Park, where one out of every six soldiers in George Washington’s Continental Army was of African descent. Here’s a look at what visitors can experience in summer 2006:

• The connection between the Liberty Bell and African American history is revealed at the Liberty Bell Center. Exhibitions, videos and interactive displays explain how the Abolitionist Movement adopted the famous icon of freedom based on the inscribed quote from Leviticus, which reads “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” as a symbol of its anti-slavery activities. Just steps from the building are two new street side panel displays with information about the enslaved Africans who served George Washington during his tenure at the President’s House in Philadelphia and the modern-day controversy surrounding the National Park Service’s efforts to tell this story. 5th & Chestnut Streets, (215) 965-2305, www.nps.gov/inde
  
• The writing and evolution of the U.S. Constitution is what the National Constitution Center (NCC) is all about. Entry to the museum begins with a powerful multi-media theater presentation, Freedom Rising, which dramatically showcases how the nation came into existence. Through hands-on exhibitions and activities, the NCC also delves into pivotal cases such as Dred Scott v. Sanford, showing just how strongly the nation was divided over the issue of slavery; and Brown v. Board of Education, which led to the desegregation of public schools. Visitors to the museum also learn about the Emancipation Proclamation, a ruling that didn’t immediately free all enslaved people, but set a precedent for the abolishment of slavery. 525 Arch Street, (215) 409-6600, www.constitutioncenter.org.
  
• From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Once Upon A Nation’s professional storytellers return to the now-familiar benches throughout the Historic District with even more stories of the well-known and not-so-well-known people who shaped America’s history. Visitors can hear the story of Henry “Box” Brown who packed himself in a wooden box and shipped himself north to escape slavery. After a grueling 37-hour journey, he emerged out of the box in Philadelphia a free man. The life of Richard Allen, founder of two of the first independent black organizations (The Free African Society and The African Methodist Episcopal Church), is also in the storyteller’s rotation. During Independence After Hours, a twilight tour of Independence Hall, the role of free Africans during colonial times is a focus. (800) 537-7676, www.onceuponanation.org
  
• Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Tourism Network explores some of the many landmarks of the abolitionist and civil rights movements in Taking a Stand for Freedom and Philadelphia’s Civil Rights Struggle, two tours that accent these historic sites with live actors, performances, music and traditional foods. Tour season runs from May to October. Tours depart from the Independence Visitor Center. 6th & Market Streets, (215) 599-2295, www.gophila.com
  
• Inside the Welcome Center at Valley Forge National Historical Park (VFNHP) is Determined to Persevere, an exhibition that looks at various facets of the American Revolution, including the role of people of African descent. This summer, during the first Saturday of June, July and August, the Park will host special programs about African Americans who served during the Revolution. Visitors can also spend the day following a self-guided African American Heritage Discovery Tour that begins at VFNHP’s Patriots of African Descent monument, honoring the estimated 5,000 black soldiers and civilians who fought in the Revolutionary War. The tour highlights many Underground Railroad sites throughout the countryside. Some, such as the Johnson House, are open to the public; others are noted by historical markers. The tour ends at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2006. Route 23 & N. Gulph Road, Valley Forge, (610) 783-1077, www.nps.gov/vafo

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) builds the region’s economy and image through destination marketing to increase the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the five-county region. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery.

CONTACT:

Rosalyn McPherson
(215) 563-6042, mcphersonroz@aol.com

Jeff Guaracino, GPTMC
(215) 599-2290, jeff@gptmc.com

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