Finding the Boyer House Mob Attack and Righting the California House: Black Self-Defense in 1849 Philadelphia
How a forgotten attack in August 1849 rewrites the story of Philadelphia's California House riot - and reveals fifteen years of Black self-defense hiding in…
America's 250th Birthday - The Black 4th in Philadelphia
1838 Black Metropolis is honored to host guest blogger Meredith EdlowThe week of The United States' 250th Birthday always takes Philadelphia back to it's…
So That They May Be Seen; A Walk Through Black Churches as Museums in the 19th Century Philadelphia
How Black Philadelphia built its own cultural infrastructure because the white one was bolted shut. A story that begins with a telescope.This is a story…
Black Philadelphia's Uncle Sam and the Rise of Black Armed Self-Protection Groups in the 1850s
In September 1851, a man in his 50s boarded a train from Philadelphia heading toward Lancaster County. His name was Samuel Williams, and he had been sent by…
When the Ideas Shifted but the Movement Endured: William Whipper and Black Temperance in Antebellum Philadelph
Exploring William Whipper's ideas, he debates with Samuel Cornish, and the impact on Black Temperance
From Vigilance to Baseball to Oddfellows: The Needham Family and the Making of Black Civic Power in Philadelph
We started researching James Needham - more specifically James Fields Needham - through our work on the students of the Institute for Colored Youth. What…
A Procession of Unified Purpose: The Day the Philadelphia Black Metropolis Announced Its Power
The untold history of a massive Black voting rights parade held in 1870 Philadelphia.
The US Census Was Tracking Freedom All Along
TLDR:US Census data makes visible the movement of the liberation of Black people from enslavement in the 19th Century. • Over 400,000 people liberated from…
The Picture That Freed Hundreds: Madison Washington's Cinque Inspiration at 918 Lombard Street
Sometimes we stumble upon incredible stories from the past and this was one was soooo good, we had to bring it to you in it's unadulterated format. It's a…
The Forgotten Victims and Organized Violence To Suppress the Black Vote on Election Day 1871
June 2026 UPDATE: The City of Philadelphia has declared July 5, 2026 as 'Martyrs Day' in honor of the five Black men killed in the 1871 Election. 1838…
The Law In Her Pocket: A Look into Black Philadelphia's Struggles and Victories in Public Transit in the 19th
Philadelphia’s battles over public transportation began with 19th Century Black Philadelphians who risked safety, livelihood, and reputation to claim a…
Finding a Firsthand Account of the 1842 Mob Attack—in the Strangest Place; The Tale of Charles Black
I wasn't looking for Charles Black when I opened The Colored Patriots of the American Revolution. I was preparing for a public program on Robert Purvis.…
Finding the 1844 Borrower Log: What Black Children Were Reading in Northern Liberties
a library catalog from the African Zoar Methodist Episcopal Church in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia shows us what Black children were…
From Paschall's Alley to the Harlem Renaissance: The Legacy of Deep Community Care
INTRODUCTIONWe are proud to introduce a new Story Map and Self-Guided Tour that brings to life the people and places of nineteenth-century Northern…
We Will Cherish His Memory and Imitate His Example: Melvin Garrison Becomes an Ancestor
We only knew Melvin for a couple of years. But the clarity of his support - the why behind it - changed the course of our lives. There was this walking…
Where the Past Still Breathes; Spring Break Book Recommendations for Young People
Recommendations for books and things to do with the family that highlight what was life was like for young Black people in 1800s Philadelphia.
The 1770 Love Story of Rose and Pollidore
Note: All manuscript pictures below are courtesy Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers, Historical Society of PennsylvaniaSome stories deserve to be shouted…
From Pemberton Street to the Academy of Music: How Franklin Guinn Turned a Childhood of Song into an Historic
Note: Except where noted, this history sources from The Rise and Progress of Shiloh Baptist Church, written by Franklin A. Guinn in 1905. If you stand at…
Thrown Out of Democracy: The Untold Story of Black Resistance at the 1838 Constitutional Convention
1838 Black Metropolis is trying something new. We are surfacing stories of resistance from the archives and presenting them back to you, our community, as…
How Mary Ann Shadd Cary Took Philadelphia by Storm in 1855
1838 Black Metropolis is happy to welcome guest writer Michael Clemmons, Secretary of the Black Docents Collective and member of Mother Bethel Historical…
Free As One Exhibit
Free As One, Our Exhibit on Black-Led Abolition in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers
The Hidden Blackprint: Julian Abele's Roots in Emancipation and Community Building
Julian Abele (1881–1950) stands as one of the most celebrated Black architects in American history. He is most well known for his work as lead designer of…
27 Miles in the Snow; Honoring the Courage of December Escapes and Visualizing Freedom’s Routes Into and Out o
During these cold winter days we think about enslaved Black people planning to make their escape in December, in the dead of winter. How high was their…
Finding the 1826 Black Arts Renaissance: Activist Artists, Sacred Concerts, Music for Hayti, and Friday the 13
IntroductionIn the 1820s, racism barred Black audiences from the cultural venues that showcased the arts on a grand scale, even though Black artists were…
From Philadelphia to Nat Turner; Shadrack Bassett's African Hymn Inspires an Uprising
Almost all liberation movements have a song that inspires people and turns rooms where it is sung into spirit filled spaces. In 1830s Virginia, The African…
Finding Stories of Early Black Banking, Freedom Suits and more in the 1847 Census
We take our name from the 1838 Census of the Black population of Philadelphia; the only known statistical snapshot of educational, economic and social life…
In 1840 Philly, Westward Keeling Used Classified Newspaper Ads to Protest Racism
The Rise and Progress of Shiloh Baptist church is the gift that keeps on giving. This is a church history that is told as an autobiography - it could…
Bringing The 1838 Black Metropolis to Life for Teachers
This week Morgan and I fought back tears of joy at our teacher focus group held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Teachers examined primary sources…
Francis Petts, Cannon Fire and the Complication of 115 Queen Street
As part of the work we are doing on Bethel Burying Ground, we began to more closely look at the connections between who is buried at Bethel and who shows up…
Finding Harriet Jacobs’ Underground Railroad Safe House in Philadelphia
In the Spring of 1842, Harriet Jacobs arrived in Philadelphia. She was met at the docks by a Reverend Jeremiah Durham. Rev. Durham was a popular minister…
And They Were Neighbors; Black Women Phenomenal Movers and Shakers of 1871
Nazera Sadiq Wright's study of Black Girlhood in the 19th Century leads us to see the emphasis that 19th Black women writers placed on characters who built…
A Useful Framework for Understanding Black Associations in pre Civil War Philadelphia
Students of the Black population of Philadelphia before the Civil War will encounter a wide variety of types of organizations. As we have dug into the…
Finding Beneficial Hall
On May 17, 1838, Pennsylvania Hall burned to the ground.Probably because so much of the funding came from the Quaker community, and because the first…
The Two Rebeccas: Building a Black, Feminist, Shaker, and Queer Sisterhood in Philly in 1858
Imagine that it's 1871 and you've just come from class at the Institute for Colored Youth. As you walk east you see Francis Ellen Watkins Harper but she…
A Love Story; How The Institute for Colored Youth Birthed a Philly Public School in 1860
In 1860, Cordelia Jennings stood on a stage in front of thousands of people. She was one of 7 seniors from the Institute of Colored Youth (ICY) reciting…
Finding the Forgotten Exhibition of Black Inventors and Artisans in 1851
173 years ago - today (I decided to publish today - April 21 - which was the last day of the fair), a Black organization called 'The Coloured American…
Exploring the Legacy of the Appo Family: A Century of Black Metropolis Excellence
SPECIAL THANKS is due to Chayanne Marcano—Consulting ResearcherToday I’d like to tell you a story of an incredible family. I first started looking at this…
1800s Black Education in Philadelphia
History of Black Education in Philadelphia, with stories of how the Black population fought for Public Schooling in the early 1800s.
Finding Benezet Hall; the Civil Rights Center You've Never Heard About
Many of us are familiar with important Civil Rights sites from the 1960s, like theDexter Avenue King Memorial Church where the Montgomery bus boycott was…
Rix and Bix, the Toy Makers and the Spy
Bix, Rix, Toy Makers, and the Spy!?!Hey Peeps! 👋🏾We're just hopping on your feed to say in our 1838 census finding aid we just found two guys named (wait…
A Fresh Look at Francis Johnson, Philadelphia's Musical Magnet
The 1838 Black Metropolis is pleased to welcome intern Tyler Diaz to the team! His insight into Frank Johnson brings this incredible historic figure alive…
The Gibbs Brothers Run the World
We are so excited to be a new member of the National Park Service's Reconstruction Network. We know that the spatial stability of the Black Metropolis…
Euphemia's Victory Tour: An Explosion of Joy in The Black Metropolis
We often come across stories that move us deeply in this research. But this one was a surprise. I was looking for the 'Philadelphia Institute' and…
Finding Black-Led Creation and Use of Economic Instruments to support Freedom Seekers in 1840
This research was supported by the Along Freedom's Journey History grant provided to the Peter Mott House from the New Jersey Historical Commission. We are…
Uncovering the Forgotten Story: The Hidden Civil Rights Movement of 1838
Most people don't know that Black people had the right to vote in Pennsylvania before 1838. There was a fight to keep that right and we call that the 1838…
There were Black Civil Rights Movements and Orgs in Philadelphia 170 years Ago
I asked Google what Civil Rights are and Google said:Which is cool. That's pretty much what I had in my head. 🧐 I wanted to be sure because I think that…
Finding Phebe Lewis and The White Scorpions in The Daughters of Africa
While exploring the Daughters of Africa dues book, I found the a title of a Beneficial Society that we cannot find records of: The African Female…
Were the Daughters of Africa More Powerful than We Thought?
Hi! I'm Jordan, a history and secondary education major at Temple University and currently a CDFI intern here at 1838. I was born and raised in Northeast…
Finding Black Labor Organization In the 1820s and 1830s
Imagine knocking on the door of someone in The Black Metropolis on a cold day in late December in 1837. Not only are you going to make them deal with a…
James J.G Bias and Eliza Bias: Medical Care and Social Support for Freedom Seekers in 1838
A brief history on unsung heroes James and Eliza Bias.
Black People Were Not Included in Some Older Popular Philly History Books
Lots of students are looking to use primary sources in their papers starting as early as 6th grade. But some primary sources have written Black people out…
We have the receipts! Finding early Black organizations financial support for Freedom Seekers
We are kind of passionate here about early Black organizations supporting freedom seekers. We think our ancestors were AMAZING!As thousands of freedom…
Finding an Underground Railroad Junction in Northern Liberties
The Underground Railroad (UGRR) in Philly was just a way bigger operation than we think. The late Charles L. Blockson basically said that Philly was the…
A peek into September, 170 years ago, through Black newspapers and a Black historical lens.
We talk about the people of The Black Metropolis almost as if we just ran into them on the street. They are very much alive for us. So when we describe…
A School Principal AND An Underground Railroad Agent; Finding the identity of C.L.R
170 years ago today, Freedom Seeker John Walker arrived in Philadelphia. All arrivals had teams of people to help them and in this case we see that two…
Henry ‘Box’ Brown Wasn't the Only One: Two Women Escaped in Shipping Crates Too!
This is a breaking news blog post. This morning, Morgan posted the story of Lear Green on Instagram. There is also one more unamed woman, who was pregnant,…
Finding Victims of the 1834 and 1842 Mob Attacks in the Archives
The most miraculous thing that has happened to me this year was when my co-Founder Morgan Lloyd started lifting people out of the records from 2D written…
Finding Second African Presbyterian Church - A Story of Erasure, Minimization and a Needed Rewrite
I've been doing a lot of research into Black Presbyterianism. I was woefully unable to find a picture of the Second African Presbyterian Church. It's on…
In 1838, a bustling Black city was steps away from Independence Hall
When we collectively think of colonial and early 1800s Philadelphia, we all usually think up something that looks like this...But 1838 Philly was wayyyyy…
In 1821 a group of single and widowed Black woman founded the Daughters of Africa
You may have heard about beneficial societies. Starting with the Free Africa Society in the late 1770s, Black people in Philadelphia organized to support…
In 1842 Hetty Reckless built a shelter in Philly for Black Women
Besides having the most powerful 19th century name I've ever heard, Hetty Reckless was a hero.Yesterday, we stood at 7th and Lombard and bought Hetty back…
Musical Fund Hall and Taxation Without Representation
You know how you've heard all about how Taxation without Representation is a really bad thing? As citizens we pay our taxes but we get a way to have some…
We were not all in Moyamensing
'HIstoriography' refers to the language, nuances, and implications that shape the historical narrative, not just the facts of history. For some reason, the…
We Owe it All to Charles L. Blockson
I am very, very sad to hear of the passing of Charles L. Blockson. I had hoped to meet him someday.I do believe that nothing that is on this website, none…
The Black Metropolis has Always Celebrated Emancipation
As we head into Juneteenth season (and Lordt there is SO MUCH GOING ON) we are reflecting on the fact that The Black Metropolis was well aware of…
A Small Note, A World of Meaning, and real ABOVE ground railroad cars for Freedom Seekers
This is one of those finds in the archive that seems sooo simple and yet holds so much meaning.A few lines scribbled hurriedly on a note. I came across…
This is not the 7th Ward
I keep seeing well meaning historians describe 1830s and 1840s Black Philadelphians as living in the 7th ward. Ya'll. The 7th ward did not exist until…
Henrietta Duterte and dealing with Grief; a Memorial Day reflection
A friend of mine forwarded the story of Henrietta Duterte.Ever since our last tour I've been thinking alot about grief and loss. Since it's Memorial day,…
What Resistance looked like in 1838
Someone asked me recently when was it that I became passionate about the antebellum period in Philadelphia. And I answered that I became passionate about…
Mysterious People in the 1838 Census
There are some people in the 1838 census who are quite mysterious.Sidebar - This post needs a soundtrack. I highly suggest you turn on this nice number…
William Still and a free Black Region
Today our co-Founder Morgan introduced William Still.Here are all the things about him in addition to all the things she mentioned in the video because -…
There was a Black Lutheran Church on Quince in 1838 and historic things happened there
There was a Black Lutheran Church on Quince in 1838 and historic things happened there
Black Metropolis 101 and Glossary
What are they talking about? We know that our co-founder Michiko tends to get a little excited on the tours and starts throwing out rapid dates, times,…