Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods. Legendary trumpeter Lee Morgan grew up on Madison Street in the Nicetown/Tioga neighborhood in North Philly. Lee’s block is a 20-minute walk from the intersection of Broad, Germantown and Erie (BGE). In conjunction with traffic safety and beautification improvements to the iconic intersection, the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy (OACCE) issued a Call for Artists to compete for a site-specific public artwork. During an information meeting, Rachel Schwartzman, Percent for Art Rebuild Project Manager, shared the goals of the BGE Public Ar ..read more

All That Philly Jazz was an official partner of the 1st Annual Music Landmarks Virtual Fest, organized by the American Music Landmarks Project. The virtual event celebrated the architectural legacy of American popular music. The Douglass Hotel, former home of the Cotton Club, Show Boat and Bijou Café, was featured on Day 2. The Aqua Lounge, future location of Lee Morgan’s historical marker, was featured on Day 4. Ticket holders have access to all Fest content through November 30, 2023 ..read more

Black sacred places matter. From Bishop Richard Allen preaching at Mother Bethel, Denmark Vesey planning a slave rebellion at Mother Emanuel, and Minister Malcolm X teaching at Muhammad’s Temple of Islam No. 12, Black sacred places have been the heart and soul of the African American community. Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., an advisor to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, observed: “No pillar of the African American community has been more central to its history, identity, and social justice vision than the ‘Black Church.’” Preserving Black Churches is a project of the African A ..read more

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7. Voters in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, be careful how you vote. If you encounter problems at the polls, who you gonna call ..read more

In March 2022, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced plans to give Wesley Wofford, a white artist who has never won a public commission for a Harriet Tubman statue, a $500,000 “direct commission”; in other words, a no-bid commission. In a city that is 40 percent African American, Black artists were not given an opportunity to compete for a public commission for the Black icon. Black women did what we do and made some noise. In August 2022, the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) announced the City was taking a “new direction” and issued an open Call for Artists. Fifty a ..read more

The Hotel Brotherhood USA was a benevolent and mutual aid society founded in 1883 by African American hotel workers. A precursor to the labor movement and Civil Rights Movement, the Hotel Brotherhood advocated for equal pay for Black hotel workers and provided members with healthcare, life insurance, and death benefits. The historic union hall moved to its current location in 1906. A historical marker was unveiled in 2016. The Bainbridge Club, the social arm of the Hotel Brotherhood, opened in 1924. Membership was open to the public. The Bainbridge Club was a swinging joint during Philadelph ..read more

Thelonious Sphere Monk was born on October 10, 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The legendary pianist and composer performed at several Philadelphia jazz clubs, including Emerson’s Tavern and the Showboat. He was a headliner at the 1st Quaker City Music Festival. The bebop pioneer joined the ancestors on February 17, 1982. He bequeathed musicians a list of tips to make them better performers. One of my most memorable experiences was attending Monk’s funeral service. The homegoing was held at Saint Peter’s Church in New York City. Musicians played version-after-version of “’Round Midnight ..read more

Drummer and bandleader Max Roach’s music is at the intersection of art, activism and resistance. His groundbreaking “We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite” was influenced by the then-emerging Civil Rights Movement. This week, American Masters will premiere Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes. The documentary explores the life of the pioneering drummer and cultural activist who spoke truth to power. The film traces Roach’s epic musical journey from bebop to hip-hop. It features Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln; Philadelphians Jimmy Heath, Sonia Sanchez and Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson; and music leg ..read more

September is International Underground Railroad Month. September was chosen because it was the month that Frederick Douglass (September 3, 1838) and Harriet Tubman (September 17, 1849) made their escape from bondage. On September 17, 2023, the Navy announced it will name the ninth John Lewis-class oiler after Harriet Tubman. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said: It’s an honor to maintain the naming tradition for our John Lewis-class oilers and Harriet Tubman is more than deserving of this recognition. She was born into unimaginable circumstances, but she dedicated her life to facing gr ..read more

In the coming months, you will be told the 2024 Election is the most consequential election since, well, the last presidential election. The hype notwithstanding, the right to vote is the right that secures all other rights. If voting didn’t matter, conservatives would not try to block access to the ballot box. National Voter Registration Day, the country’s largest single-day voter registration drive, is September 19, 2023. Since 2012, more than five million Americans have been registered to vote on this civic holiday. Your vote matters. You can register to vote here. If you are already regis ..read more