Philadelphia Conversations exhibit located on the second floor.

By Alexa Hicklin, Staff Writer

Sorrel Price, a native of England, has never been to Philadelphia but heard about the African American Museum from a book of interesting places to visit in the city.

On Wednesday, Price got to see the appeal, beauty and the charm of this downtown attraction first hand.

“I came to this museum because I was interested in learning more about the slave trade,” said Price, who was in town for a convention. “This museum is beautifully laid out.”

The story of the African diaspora in America can be told in many different forums but perhaps the most powerful and compelling way of telling this story is by examining some of the artifacts up close.

The museum tells the story of African Americans in a poignant way. It was founded in 1976 and was the first museum to be funded by the government in a metropolitan area.

Video panel from the Philadelphia Conversations exhibit on the second floor.

When entering the building, you’re surrounded by collections that are rare and unique. The walls are beautifully decorated with vibrant colors, pictures and artifacts. There are also primary materials that document the history, literature, politics and the culture of African Americans in Philadelphia and throughout the Americas.

The museum is very small with only four floors but it holds plenty of information. Richard Watson, the museum’s director, said, “The mission of the African American Museum in Philadelphia is to tell the story of African Americans.”

The interactive feature on the second floor is called Philadelphia Conversations and it tells the untold stories of people that lived in the city. Malik Parker, a 17-year-old student who is working at the museum on a summer internship, said he loved this floor because it told the story of Philadelphians.

Narrative light show located on the first floor by the entrance of the museum.

Words written on the mural at the museum read, “They raised their voices because they believed in themselves, their community, and the great promise of this country.”

If you’re into history and learning about Philadelphia, the African American Museum is a must-see destination. It’s located on 701 Arch St and open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The museum offers a unique setting for special events.

QUESTION:

What impact does journalism have today?

“The impact on journalism today is that many people depend on having news every day. If there was no journalism, no newspaper, no news at all we won’t know what the weather is. Who and what we need to look out for. What I’m trying to say is that we wont know what we know now. That is what I think about the impact on journalism today.”

- Nashali Maldonado

- Que Scott

- Dado Nianghane

- Dado Nianghane

- Jamel Crawford

- Davia Magee

- Dado Nianghane

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By Kenisha Pinckney, Staff Writer

Everywhere you looked, the Philadelphia Convention Center was a beehive of activity.

Well dressed young professionals scurried in all different directions: some attended engaging panel discussions, many went to the career and job fair and others reminisced with old friends.

That was the buzz as more than 3,000 participants convened at the 2011 National Association of Black Journalists convention.

“NABJ means the world to me. It’s a place where family connects, where we have each other backs, a place where we can exhale and develop skills that are going to change our lives,” said Kathy Y. Times, NABJ president as she ran off to yet another important event.

That can be said for just about all of the conventioneers. Attendees said they operate in a small universe. Many have come to the convention since college and have since formed lifelong acquaintances as NABJ members.

The organization was founded on Dec. 12, 1975 by 44 strong black men and women in Washington D.C. The essence of NABJ arose from their consistent dedication of providing programs and services to black journalists from around the globe. Some of their commitments include strengthening their fellow colleagues and the black community, providing professional development and bestowing recruitment and job opportunities for future black journalists.

“I don’t think I’d be in the position I am in now without it. NABJ gave me my first break when no one else did. I got my first real internship from NABJ in ’94 with the Grand Rapids Press, “ said Marc J. Spears, NBA writer for Yahoo! Sports. “After that the ‘flood gates’ opened with opportunities.”

Workshops at this year’s convention stressed on eating right and staying healthy, transforming life stories into memoirs, how to use digital media to implement the life of the LGBT community, techniques on how to draw an online audience, and many more.  Many said today’s journalists must implement more than one skill in their everyday lives. They also said as technology is constantly changing, so is the world of journalism.

It’s apparent that NABJ has mothered many of the world’s finest and most accomplished journalists. Many traveled far and wide just to make the convention.

Whether it costs a little or a lot, many could not conceive the thought of missing the NABJ convention as members attend to reunite and rejuvenate.

“It’s a priority for me to come here every year. So as soon as registration starts I pay for my registration and ask for the time off in February because it can be difficult to get time off at my station, “ said Traci Grant, a reporter for NBC Bay Area. “I don’t want to miss NABJ!”

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By Davia Magee, Staff Writer

One of Philadelphia’s main attractions is called the mighty duck ride.

I personally experienced this ride recently. Although in the past I didn’t find it to be that exciting, I had the chance to return to this attraction and see how important it was to others.

I had a good time. I had the chance to see some historical parts of my city and take a little ride on the Delaware River.  It felt like I was there in the moment, experiencing history first hand.

Some highlights of this ride are Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the Philadelphia Mint, Besty Ross House, Ben Franklin’s grave, Philly’s Vietnam War Memorial, Society Hall and the Delaware River. The duck boat rides have been open for thirty-three years, over 14 million passengers and over 700 thousand tours.

The passengers first enter the duck boat at Fourth and Chestnut streets. Before you enter the duck boat you have the privilege of taking a photo. Before pulling off, the captain describes the boat and its history.

Harnet and Jenny Cole, both from visiting from southern Minnesota, were in line waiting for the duck ride recently with 15 other family members – nine adults and six children. They had been in Philadelphia for a week and this was their first time riding the duck ride.

The children that were with them had Philly T-shirts on with pictures on the back of a U.S. map, Benjamin franklin, and the Liberty Bell. The children stated that they enjoy the quackers, a mouthpiece that makes a duck-like sound, because they make a lot of noise. They also were very excited to ride through the Delaware River.

Inane Davis, 17, of Philadelphia has been working for the duck boat ride since April. She said she enjoys the job and she loves the fact that her job is downtown. She said  the environment is nice and also that she gets to meet new people from all over the country. She said that she is looking forward to working there next year.

Elizabeth Oliver and her niece Gwenth Oliver, both from Cincinnati, Ohio, said they came to Philadelphia for a couple of days for some bonding time. Gwenth, 12, said that she loved learning about the past and that she was happy to have taken this historical ride with her aunt. She said she especially loved having the chance to see all the sites that the captain was describing.

The staff piles up to 37 guests into each boat every half hour. The rides last for about 70 to 80 minutes and are available in mid-march to late November, from 8 a.m to 6 p.m.

The duck boat company has 14 boats available and hosts groups from twenty to five hundred. All ride vehicles are United States Coast Guard inspected. Boats and captains are certified.

As a result of a tragic accident on July 7, 2010, when a tugboat driver who was talking on a cellular phone and using a laptop computer ran into the duck boat, the company that runs the rides updated its safety rules. This was the first accident involving an injury in the company’s 33 years.

The duck boats now have a steady route, and stay closer to the shore away from larger boats, according to the company’s website.

The site also claims that Ride the Ducks was the only amphibious tour operator to support the rescue and evacuation efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. They immediately volunteered equipment, crew, and other resources in order to help evacuate hundreds of residents of the hardest hit areas.

The duck boat ride is a historical adventure. Come and enjoy this land and water ride.

Photos courtesy of Shaquil Taylor.

By Shaquil Taylor, Staff Writer

Standing across the street of the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, one cannot escape the history and symbolism of this iconic Philadelphia landmark.

Philadelphia is a great place to explore the historic sites and the A.M.E. Church perhaps typifies the cities rich cultural heritage.

Visitors may hear of our most famous cheese steaks or Italian ices, but here in Philadelphia there are many beautiful and antic landmarks from many years back that has tremendous meaning.  Many of the places in Philadelphia have great significance in slavery and other historical moments.

Founded by Richard Allen, Mother Bethel Church located at 6th and Lombard streets in South Philadelphia, is considered the beginnings of black life in America.  Allen himself born into slavery cared for his people and as a bishop, educator and abolitionist pushed for the betterment of his people.

The church itself is a beautiful piece of history.

“The Mother Bethel Church is a huge piece of what we are,” said Crawford Wilson, the President of the Mother Bethel Historical Society.   Wilson the unofficial historian of Mother Bethel studied the life and time of Richard Allen.  Crawford described Richard Allen with such emphases as if he knew him personally.

Looking around the church one can get the feel that services 200 years ago were much the way they are today.  Same pew, same altar, and it quiet loft this is what makes this church so unique nothing much has changed.

The church is incased in steal with cherry wood pews and stained glass windows that tell the story of Richard Allen.

The structure of the inside of the church is in form of a horseshoe for Richard Allen and the blacksmith shop.  The light resemble the ones from the original church which used candles instead of electricity

In the basement there are many remains of Richard Allen and his wife Sarah Allen.   Also a Triptych- (a style of painting that tells a story) of the life of Richard Allen and story of how the Mother Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church came to be, painted by James Dupree on the wall.

In the basement there is the marble and brick casket where Richard Allen, his wife Sarah Allen and the 2nd Bishop Morris Brown bodies was are kept.

The Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was first a blacksmith shop purchased by Richard Allen and moved to the current location of the Mother Bethel Church.  Richard Allen purchased the Shop for $30.00 and started his own church in 1793.  Years later the church evolved to the Roughcast Church, which had two entrances one for men and the other for woman because the two services were separate.  In 1841 the Brick Church was built in the same spot.  Each of the churches was an essential stop in the Underground Railroad.  The current building is the first modernized black church in the United States.  Artifacts inside of the church set back from when the church was first built.   

The Pastor of the Mother Bethel Church is Mark Kelly a native of Oakland, CA.  The church can hold up to 1400 people in its cherry wood pews and original balconys.  Pastor Kelly exhorts the word through the soul of Richard Allen.  An informational tour by the pastor’s daughter and deacon Anthony Jones brought back to life the period of Richard Allen’s arise.  The church is a enchanting piece of history where you can still worship and praise God as if it was 1793.

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By Nianghane, Staff Writer

When you think of George Washington, the nation’s first president, you probably think of a man of principle and a brilliant leader.

He’s often associated with the man who helped America gain its freedom. But he was also a slave owner.

This little-known fact of Washington’s life has come into sharper focus in recent years through the commemorative exhibition entitled “The President’s House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation”

The new exhibit, completed December 15, 2010 is an open-air footprint of the original house, Washington owned and lived from November 1790 to March 1797, including the slave quarters located one block north of Independence Hall.

The exhibit was built thanks to the persistent work of a group called the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition.

The old saying goes Washington never told a lie-but he did knowingly

and repeatedly violate the amendment to the Gradual Abolition Law. It provided a mechanism for those enslaved to legally obtain their freedom, but only if they had a 6-month residency in Pennsylvania. To prevent this, slaveholders simply took their slaves out of the state before the 6-month deadline

Nine of the slaves that Washington owned were housed at the President’s house. They were: Oney Judge, Austin, Moll, Giles, Paris, Christopher Sheels, Hercules, Richmond, and Joe (Richardson).

Their names are written in stone on a wall at the site “It’s really beautiful and nice.” Says Laura Cosgrove who brought her family out to see the exhibit. “The architecture here is something worth seeing.”

The Presidents house has become a busy tourist site in Philadelphia. Luther Chambers and wife of forty years Carmen Kirton came from Phoenix, Arizona to Philadelphia and one of the first places they came to was Independence Mall. ‘It marks a time in history about slavery but doesn’t really teach us anything about slavery.” Said Luther Chambers.

“I think it does exactly what it’s supposed to do.” Says Frank Fitch, a historian from Washington DC who bought a tour group to the site. “It’s an important part of American history.”

Medha Yajnik agrees. “Its definitely something people should come see.”

A photo shows some of Bronson's collection at Temple. Photo credit: Temple.edu

By Devon Wheeler, Staff Writer

Charles Blockson has made it his life’s work of telling the story of African Americans through literature exhibits, and artifacts.

His collection at Sullivan Hall on Temples Main Campus is something to behold. His passion for documenting the African American experience started out in a small way, and as his passion grew so did the collection.

Today the Blockson collection is world-renowned and each year thousands of visitors, students, and researchers drop in to get a first hand look at his treasure trove.

What strike visitors the most when they enter Sullivan Hall is the organization and the condition of the artifacts on display.

Vintage pieces are given special care, as they are stored in glass display boxes. Also everything is grouped into themes like civil rights, Slavery, Religion and Many more areas of history.

When I examined the items at Sullivan Hall I felt as though I was exploring these sections of history. For example, when I looked at the items from Slavery I could imagine the environment in which they lived and worked.

Most of the pieces were vivid and told stories in and of themselves.

Of particular interest to me was the African American section. One of the pieces that stood out was a bust of an African-American woman with a “cool Afro”. The piece was well crafted with telling details from the lines on her face to the rich bronze hues.

A unique display of tribal masks left me to ponder some of the conflicts between warring tribes in the homeland. It also made me reflect on the spiritual and religious significance of these ceremonial masks.

Because of the wide range and the diversity of the Blockson Collection, any visitor to Sullivan Hall will find some historical and cultural information to take away. It’s a must-see attraction.

Blockson, who is 78 years old, has certainly left Philadelphians and any visitor who cares to check out this collection a rich legacy.

Photo courtesy of The Lights of Liberty

Lights of Liberty, a popular Philadelphia artistic attraction, closed two weeks ago in order to be rebuilt in time for the summer of 2012.

The lights of liberty show is a digital outdoor show where visitors can experience the story of America’s birth. It combines elements of independence mall with cutting-edge technology for a breathtaking nighttime walk through our nation’s past.

The outdoor show, witch is held during the summer months, is    15 minutes long and uses 3-D film unlike anything that has ever been seen before.

“The lights of Liberty are very important in the city of Philadelphia,” said Rondayah Taylor, director of the attraction on Independence mall.

“When looking at the lights and all of the colors and hues, people are reminded of their culture,” Taylor said.

Taylor said when the show re-opens in 2012 it will be even more breathtaking. In addition to re-imaging, there will be new pictures all around the building, and for the new lights, visitors will need 3-D glasses to check it out.

She also said the show will include more black historical figures, who were often times left out in the telling of this nation’s history.

A visit to the site showed some world famous painters and artist examining features of the attraction.  The few people milling around all seemed to want to know more about the attraction as well.

Faces of some of our nations founders such as George Washington is on display. As for more black historical figures, Taylor said the show will include the likes of Martin Luther King and Harriet Tubman.

If you’re visiting Philadelphia in 2012 the lights of liberty show should be high on your list of things to see or things to do.