African American Sites of Memory

Charles Blockson is the founder of the Blockson Collection. He also created the Historical Marker Program in 1990. This program was funded by the William Penn Foundation. The Historical Marker Program brings attention to the national significance of the African Americans contribution to the historical, social, political-economic, and cultural heritage of Philadelphia. The Marker also shows the African American experience in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. It shows the creation and development of the nation’s most important religious, educational, economic, and cultural institutions which constitute the local and national significance of Philadelphia’s historic African American community throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The African American markers were given public designation by the State of Pennsylvania Commission on Historical Landmarks through the academic research, archival collections and civic organizing efforts by Charles Blockson. The markers are important to historians, geographers, curators, and librarians for the very fact they are sites of historical and geographic memories. This multimedia virtual heritage resource will connect the places recognized by the markers to the significant holdings of the Blockson Collection. Because of these markers they also illuminate larger themes of more universal significance to the national African American and American Historical narrative. Just as the aim of the State of Pennsylvania historical marker program is to enhance public awareness and education about the history of African Americans in Philadelphia, PA.