We are pleased to extend the coalition of civic partners involved with The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia into South Jersey with the addition of the Camden County Historical Society. Watch for items from the CCHS collections to be featured in the image galleries that accompany topics of regional interest.
Blog Category: Blog, page 7
New Civic Partner:
Global Philadelphia Association
The mission of the Global Philadelphia Association is “to assist—and to encourage greater interaction among—the many organizations and people who are engaged in international activity in the Greater Philadelphia Region, to promote the development of an international consciousness within the region, and to enhance the region’s global profile.” We are pleased to have Global Philadelphia as a new civic partner, as well as to add The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia to the membership roll of Global Philadelphia. To find out more about Global Philadelphia, visit the association’s web site, and to learn more about Philadelphia’s global heritage, visit our “Philadelphia and the World” content theme.
New Film: The Work and Legacy of W.E.B. DuBois
We’re pleased to call attention to a new documentary produced by area high school and college students under the direction of one of the Encyclopedia project’s advisers, Professor Amy Hillier at the University of Pennsylvania. Legacy of Courage: W.E.B. DuBois and The Philadelphia Negro, was created as part of the Mapping DuBois Project.
Legacy of Courage: W.E.B. Du Bois and The Philadelphia Negro from Amy Hillier on Vimeo.
New Opportunities for Teachers
We’re so pleased that the Encyclopedia project has sparked a series of extraordinary workshops for Philadelphia-area educators. Please add these to your calendar and register now:
- City of Neighborhoods, April 17, 4-6:30 p.m., a free workshop at the Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent. Click here for more information and registration.
- A Summer Teacher Institute! During July, the Encyclopedia team together with our education consortium of civic partners, will offer “Philadelphia for Teachers,” a week-long institute for graduate credit. In addition to an immersion in Philadelphia history, teachers will have the opportunity to research and write their own Encyclopedia-style essays, which may be considered for publication. Click here for more information and registration. Download a flyer for posting (PDF): Click here.
These opportunities are created by our education consortium, including the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent, the National Archives in Philadelphia, the National Constitution Center, and Independence National Historical Park. Thank you very much!
New Program Series Explores Civil Rights Struggles
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Thirteenth Amendment and the abolition of slavery, local cultural institutions will host screenings of clips from Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle. The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP), Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP), the National Constitution Center (NCC), and the Philadelphia History Museum (PHM) have also developed programming using these video clips to launch larger explorations of whether or not equality is ensured with the passage of new laws or amendments. For details about these free events, which are co-sponsored by The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, please visit our events page.
These four documentaries feature riveting new footage illustrating the history of civil rights in America. Each film tells remarkable stories of individuals who challenged the social and legal status quo of deeply rooted institutions, from slavery to segregation. Abolitionists, Slavery by Another Name, The Loving Story, and Freedom Riders include dramatic scenes of incidents in the 150-year effort to achieve equal rights for all. Presentations and discussions featured in the AAMP, HSP, NCC, and PHM programs will focus on the specific themes and subjects of the documentary series.
“We are thankful to the NEH and Gilder Lehrman Institute for the ability to bring these programs to Philadelphia. It is an opportune time to be having these conversations,” said Beth Twiss Houting, HSP’s Senior Director of Programs and Services.
Educators will also be able to receive ACT 48/CEU credits at each Created Equal? event. A teacher workshop on February 28 will also focus on civil rights struggles.
The Created Equal film set and public programs have been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle is made possible through a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, as part of its Bridging Cultures initiative, in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
New Support from The Mayor’s Fund for Philadelphia, Poor Richard’s Charitable Trust
We are pleased to announce new financial support for The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia project. From The Mayor’s Fund for Philadelphia, the project has received a grant of $25,000. In addition, Poor Richard’s Charitable Trust has contributed $2,500. These much-needed awards will help us to continue to expand the Encyclopedia’s content, especially in ways that serve the needs of the region’s students and teachers. We extend our thanks to these valued partners as we continue fund-raising efforts among individuals, corporations, and foundations.
New: Teaching With The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia
We have learned a great deal from the students and educators who have turned to The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia to explore local, regional, and United States history. In return, we now offer a brief guide, Teaching With The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. The guide offers assignment tips, outlines correlations between encyclopedia essays and typical textbook chapters, and includes a digital scavenger hunt activity for introducing students to The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.
Link to download the PDF document — and please share your ideas for the next edition!
Northeast Philly Spreads the Word
We’re pleased to see a report of the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable program, “Workshop of the World,” on NortheastPhilly.com. Thanks for joining us for this discussion, and we hope you’ll join us again for the “Corrupt and Contented” discussion on November 15.
On the Trail: A History of American Hiking — New Book by Encyclopedia Contributor
We are pleased to share the news of a new book by Silas Chamberlin, author of the essay about recreational trails in The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. His book, On the Trail: A History of American Hiking, is a history of American hikers and their role in creating the nation’s trail system. According to Yale University Press:
In the mid-nineteenth century urban walking clubs emerged in the United States. A little more than a century later, tens of millions of Americans were hiking on trails blazed in every region of the country. This groundbreaking book is the first full account of the unique history of the American hiking community and its rich, nationwide culture.
Delving into unexplored archives, including those of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Green Mountain Club, and many others, Silas Chamberlin recounts the activities of hikers who over many decades formed clubs, built trails, and advocated for environmental protection. He also discusses the shifting attitudes of the late 1960s and early 1970s when ideas about traditional volunteerism shifted and new hikers came to see trail blazing and maintenance as government responsibilities. Chamberlin explores the implications for hiking groups, future club leaders, and the millions of others who find happiness, inspiration, and better health on America’s trails.
Chamberlin will discuss and sign his book at the Penn Book Center, 130 S. Thirty-Fourth Street, Philadelphia, on Thursday, December 8, at 6:30 p.m. For more information, link here.
One Year Later
It’s been a busy year since we launched the Encyclopedia project with a Civic Partnership and Planning Workshop in April 2009. To summarize our progress and challenges, we have prepared a brief annual report. Thanks to all of our partners and the new friends we are making at branch libraries and through the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable. Please continue to add to these discussions on our Events page and join us for our additional programs this spring.