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.
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Women’s History Roundtable Posted
We invite additional participation in the recent session of the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable, “Philadelphia-Area Women in the Twentieth Century: What Do We Know, and What Do We Need to Know?” Summaries of the panel discussion and dialogue are now available on our Events page, with comment space open for each segment of the program.
More Space! “Imagining Philadelphia’s Future”
We have been thrilled with the interest in our April 22 roundtable, “Imagining Philadelphia’s Future,” at the Academy of Natural Sciences. For a brief time, we had reached the capacity of our room, but thanks to the generosity of the Academy we have moved the event into the auditorium there. Registration has been opened once again, so please invite friends and colleagues. Everyone on the waiting list should receive an email notice so they may confirm their registration.
Thanks to Young Involved Philadelphia and all of our partners involved in organizing this very compelling program, which will help to shape the future content of The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.
Women in the Twentieth Century
Discussion at the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable session on April 1 at the Historical Society of Pennsvylania yielded a wealth of insight into the needs and potential for new research on twentieth-century women’s history. We have posted topic suggestions from participants’ comment cards on our Nominations page. Watch for a summary of the discussion to be posted soon.
Discussion Posted: LGBT Activism
We have posted summaries of the presentations and discussion at the first session of the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable, “Striving for Equality: LGBT Activism in Greater Philadelphia.” We encourage continuing discussion online and welcome additional suggestions of related topics. Watch for additional summaries of roundtables to be posted approximately two weeks after each event.
Nominations from the Northeast
More nominations for topics have come in from the Free Library of Philadelphia branches in Tacony and Holmesburg. Thanks to all who add their ideas to the library suggestion boxes. Check out the list and add your nominations on our Home page.
Program Updates – April Roundtables
We’re so pleased by the brisk registration for the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable events in April. Unfortunately, we have already reached the capacity of our room for the roundtable on April 22, “Imagining Philadelphia’s Future,” at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Please add your name to the wait list by visiting our “Events” page, and we’ll let you know if we can accommodate more people. Also, consider joining us for our other roundtables this spring. An added attraction for the roundtable on April 1 is a book-signing for Women of Industry and Reform: Shaping the History of Pennsylvania, 1865-1940, by Marion Roydhouse, published by the Pennsylvania Historical Association.
The Greater Philadelphia Roundtable: LGBT Activism
Our new initiative for civic dialogue, the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable, began this week with a gathering at the William Way Community Center for a panel, “Striving for Equality: LGBT Activism in Greater Philadelphia.” The discussion highlighted the generations of activism necessary to achieve goals such as the Philadelphia civil rights bill and the Pennsylvania hate crimes bill. By understanding the connections that advocates for LGBT rights have forged between Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Washington, we gained insight into Philadelphia’s impact in the state and nation. We discussed the importance of visibility for LGBT people in Philadelphia’s history and the prospects for continuing conversation and future collaborations with the Encyclopedia project. We thank the participants and many cosponsors of this event, especially facilitator Kathy Padilla for organizing the panel. Thanks also to Professor William Hewitt of West Chester University for stepping in as speaker to discuss the life and legacy of Bayard Rustin. Topics submitted on comment cards have been posted on our nominations page , and a more detailed summary of the event will be posted soon to allow the conversation to continue.
The Greater Philadelphia Roundtable is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities We the People initiative for American history.
Program Update – Greater Philadelphia Roundtable
We are pleased to announce an addition to the March 18 Greater Philadelphia Roundtable, “Striving for Equality: LGBT Activism in Greater Philadelphia.” Professor William L. Hewitt, the recipient of the 2009 Bayard Rustin Compassion and Courage Award, will speak on the topic of Bayard Rustin’s activism and legacy. This evening also features a panel discussion with Stephen Glassman, chairperson, Pennsylvaina Human Relations Commission; Michael P. Williams, City of Philadelphia Law Department; and Stacey Sobel, Western State University, former executive director of Equality Advocates Pennsylvania. Kathy Padilla will facilitate. (Kevin Mumford from the University of Iowa is unable to participate.) For details and registration, visit our Events page.
Tacony Adds Tips for Topics
Our latest information session took place on Saturday, February 27, at the branch library in Tacony, “the community that bridges yesterday with tomorrow.” Among the library’s treasures are the minute books of the Keystone Scientific and Literary Association, founded in Tacony in 1876. To stir up interest, the association organized a debate on the topic, “Are athletic sports, as at present conducted, beneficial to the students?” The next debate tackled the question, “Does the reading of novels have a beneficial effect upon the community?” We can only hope some debate occurred on January 23, 1877, when a Rev. Mr. Kidder lectured on the topic, “Dry as dust — the Historian” ! Thanks to our hosts at Tacony and to everyone who suggested topics for the Encyclopedia. These are now posted on-line, and we look forward to receiving more in the suggestion box that will remain at the library for the month of March.
Join Us: The Greater Philadelphia Roundtable
Our public discussion of Greater Philadelphia history and issues expands this spring with the introduction of the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable, a forum for community dialogue that will help shape the future content of The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. With the help of many civic partners, four programs have been organized for this spring. Please visit our Events page or our Eventbrite listings for complete information. (Advance registration will help us assure enough seats for everyone at these events.) The Eventbrite listings allow you to email your own electronic invitations to these events, post them on Facebook, or alert your followers on Twitter — please do! Press Release
This program has been supported in part by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities’ We the People initiative on American History.
National Constitution Center Joins Advisory Board
We are pleased to welcome the National Constitution Center to our Civic Advisory Board. These important partners provide guidance to assure that The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia project creates civic benefits and meets community needs. To learn more about the National Constitution Center, visit the web site http://www.constitutioncenter.org .
West Philadelphia Weighs In
Visitors to the Walnut Street West branch of the Free Library began adding their suggestions for the Encyclopedia at our information table on February 16. A suggestion box will remain at the library for two weeks (until around March 2), so continue to add your ideas! Nominations of topics also are welcome on this web site, where we have already posted some submissions from Walnut Street West.
Holmesburg Helps Us Make History
Thanks to our new friends in Holmesburg for hosting our first branch library information table. We collected many new ideas for the Encyclopedia as people in this active library came in to do homework, browse for new books and DVDs, and catch up with their neighbors. The suggestions we received are posted on our “Nominate a Topic” page, and the suggestion box will remain at the library for the rest of February. For more information sessions at branch libraries this month, check out our events list.
Support from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council
A newly-awarded grant from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council will allow us to launch the Greater Philadelphia Roundtable, a series of public forums for dialogue that will help shape the contents of the Encyclopedia. The first sessions of the roundtable, beginning in March, will respond to suggestions received on this web site and at our Civic Partnership and Planning Workshop last year. See our Events calendar for details of the first three roundtables, and watch for an additional session that is being planned on African American history. Each session will feature new research, lively discussion, and the opportunity to contribute ideas for Encyclopedia topics.
Check Us Out at the Library
During February, we will visit four branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia to spread the word about the Encyclopedia project and gather public input. Look for us at the Holmesburg branch on Tuesday, February 2, 4-6 p.m.; the Lovett branch on Thursday, February 11, 3-5 p.m.; Walnut Street West on Tuesday, February 16, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.; and the Tacony branch on Saturday, February 27, 1-3 p.m. A suggestion box will be placed in each branch after the information session to gather additional suggestions for Encyclopedia topics.
Our New Look
We are pleased to present new content and a new look for The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia web site. Thanks to Brian Jacobs at Avencia Inc., our site is more attractive, easier to navigate, and offers more ways to become involved with the project. The site also demonstrates our commitment to highlight the resources of the region by presenting and linking organizations, historic sites, and collections. Our banner images come from the collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania; the color thumbnail photographs appear by courtesy of ushistory.org; and our home page features historical photographs from the Philadelphia City Archives.
Along with the new look, we introduce the first essays produced for the Encyclopedia. Each includes links to historic sites and collections, and each offers the opportunity to add stories and offer suggestions or corrections. Watch for new topics as we begin to build The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia!
Nominate A Topic
What would you like to know about Philadelphia and its history? Nominate a topic and tell us why you’d like to see it in The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. To submit your ideas to the editors, simply scroll to the bottom of this page.
Bibliographic Survey Expanded
Our survey of recently published works about Philadelphia now covers books, articles, and dissertations since 1982. To find the most up-to-date research on numerous topics, link to the survey on our Bibliographic Survey page.
Add Your Voice to the Conversation
What forms should the Encyclopedia take? What information is needed, and how might this benefit the city and region? We began this conversation at the Civic Partnership and Planning Workshop in April. Summaries of all workshop sessions are now posted on this site, with opportunities to comment. See “Join the Discussion” on the menu bar above or go directly to the workshop program page for links to the summaries. Your input will help shape the direction of this project.
Join the Encyclopedia List-Serv
We are pleased to announce the creation of a list-serv to build and sustain the growing community of interest in The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Anyone who would like to receive periodic updates about the project is invited to join the list. To join, send an e-mail to Howard Gillette at hfg@camden.rutgers.edu or add a comment expressing your interest to this post.
We’re In The News
An array of organizations and individuals met April 16-17 at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to begin the work of imagining and planning The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia project. Our first Civic Partnership and Planning Workshop made the news in the Inquirer and on WHYY. Thanks to the many people who devoted time, energy, and inquisitive minds to make this event a success.
Prospectus Update
Our Draft Prospectus has been updated to include the steps taken to launch The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia project from January through March 2009. We look forward to applying the advice of the Civic Partnership and Planning Workshop when we create the next evolution of this guiding document for the project.
Planning Grant From Barra Foundation
On March 17, 2009, the Barra Foundation approved the application of University of Pennsylvania Press for a Planning Grant for the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia project. This grant will allow us to launch the project with a Civic Partnership and Planning Workshop at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania on April 16-17, 2009. The workshop will create a collaborative foundation for the Encyclopedia and seek to identify points of cooperation with other projects and civic organizations. The workshop also will identify information needs and seek advice from the participants about the future form and content of the Encyclopedia. This workshop adds to the Barra Foundation’s arts and culture initiatives, such as the documentary television series with the working title America’s First Great City: Philadelphia (History Making Productions), which will be represented at the event. Additional support for the workshop comes from Southwest Airlines and the Union League of Philadelphia. For further details, see the “Civic Partnership and Planning Workshop” link on this page.