Poverty in Philly

Poverty is an important problem in the city of Philadelphia. Poverty which is the lack of things we need daily such as food, clothing, shelter.These basic things determine the quality of life. As the years went by the poverty rate got higher which is a problem. More and more people from Philadelphia are losing their jobs.The loss of employment often leads to homelessness. While the homelessness rate is going up attention to the problem is decreasing. Students who drop out of school often loose their jobs in the future. As a consequence, they are likely to become victims of poverty.

One of the biggest reasons for the high rate of homelessness in the city of Philadelphia is the lack of jobs. With few open jobs people are hit hard by layoffs. With that comes violence. People who do not have jobs have too much free time on their hands. This is a bad thing to see in our city that has one of country's highest murder rates. Lack of jobs is a problem but at the root of it is the lack of education.

The lack of education is also an important reason for why our city has one of the highest poverty rates in the country . With the lack of educational growth of children who are growing up today they will have few skills in the future. The dropout rate is raising drastically and the grade to drop out is getting lower. Teachers can't teach their student,which is a problem. Most teachers are not willing to listen and that's what turns the students off topic and to other things.School dropouts are often poor because education is major in today's society . The lack of education is also related to the lack of jobs which is another cause of poverty.

In conclusion those topics that I shared about poverty are really the basics of poverty. Poverty is starting to be an epidemic in the United States which is not good. We need to try harder to keep our kids in school and have more job opportunity for our graduating student. But the poverty rate can go down if we have more hope for the future. Poverty is a lot to manage but we can do it with the help of our communities.

African American Violence!!!!!!!

What do you think about when you hear the word violence?
When I hear that word the only thing that comes to mind is African Americans. Even though there are different kinds of violence. The most common type is physical and sexual. Homicide, rape, and aggravated assault are criminalized violence. Many use violence to obtain respect and power. It threatens the body in numerous and complex ways. Violence is inflicted by individuals, groups, and or nations. It includes emotional pain as well as physical. To understand why individuals commit violence criminologist and physiologists often focus on personality, and backgrounds. Violence is the number one killer of Americans between ages 15 - 24.

Black men and violence!
Black males have a 1 in 21 chance of being murdered in his lifetime compared to a 1 in 131 chance for white men. Homicide rate soars high in neighborhoods where a high of unemployment, and poor education is. Firearms are used 75% of all homicides. Other violence comes from street holdups, drug dealing, sexual jealousy, and gang fights. The rate of incarceration for teens is 44 to 1 black vs. white. 25% of young black men are either on parole, on probation, or incarcerated. Compared to 6% of young white males. That means there are more black men in prison then in college. Many of these young men are growing up without fathers and or significant role models. So instead they learn behavior from television and movies. Black mothers know a grief that no parent should know. As soon as a black males is born they are constructed as the ultimate threat to civilization. He is the rapist that all white women must fear, the thief that all store owners must be on their guard against, and the drug dealer and gang member that plagues police across America. Blacks are not the only ones committing crimes in this society ,but yet and still even to this very day it is blacks that are dying and being abused by police and the government. Most African Americans men who are murdered are murdered by other African American men. This is what we call Black on Black crime. Its throughout America.

Black women and violence!
Black women have a 1 in 104 chance of being murdered by domestic violence compared to the 1 in 369 chance for white women. Black women between the ages of 20 to 24 experience domestic violence. The weapon that is used by men to kill black women is a gun. In 2006 551 black women were murdered by males. 305 of the victims were shot during an argument. 1 out of every 3 women experiences physical assault at least once during adulthood. The majority victims are black heterosexual women. 29 acts of domestic violence per 1,000 Black women and 20 acts against white women. The permissible from of violence in communities of color that is against women of color is by black men and white men.

Here are some sign and symptoms of violence.
1. Loss of temper on a daily basis
2. Frequent physical fighting
3. Significant vandalism or property damage
4. Increase in use of drugs and or alcohol
5. Increase in risk-taking behavior
6. Detail plans to commit acts of violence
7. Announcing threats or plans for hurting others
8. Enjoying hurting animals
9. Carrying a weapon

I have witness a lot of violence in my lifetime and to this day i am still seeing violence all around. Sometimes it can change you into a different person. Violence doesn't discriminate. It effects all kinds of people everyday. It doesn't matter what race or culture you came from, your money, and age doesn't matter. Even though there are organizations who are trying to stop violence its still continuing.

Julian Abele.

African Americans have contributed a lot of art and history to Philadelphia. There are many African American artist who have contributed to Philadelphia.

Julian Abele was the first African American to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania's architecture program in 1902. He was born in Philadelphia on April 30, 1881; he was the youngest of 8 children. Abele was educated at the Institute for Colored Youth, Brown Preparatory School, and The Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art; before going to the University of Pennsylvania in 1881. He was an outstanding student who had won many prizes during his undergraduate years. During his senior year he served as president of the Architectural Society.

After graduating he became an apprentice to Horace Trumbauer, who financed his three years of study in Paris. Abele returned to Philadelphia and the Horace Trumbauer Company, he eventually took over the office after Trumbauer's death in 1938. Abele was responsible for the design of such Philadelphia buildings as The Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Free Library of Philadelphia. "When he was given the task of designing the Philadelphia Art Museum in 1919, he immediately traveled to Greece to study classic Greek buildings; he was responsible for adapting not only the column styles of classical Greece temples for the Art Museum, but also the color of the stone and the polychrome figures on the facade" (Penn Biographies, 1).

Racial prejudice was the reason Julian Abele did not sign his name to architectural designs he did for Trumbauer's firm until after Trumbauer's death in 1938. During most of his career Julian Abele's role in the firm of Horace Trumbauer was neither a well-kept secret nor a well-publicized fact. No one knows if it was his choice to keep it a secret or if it was because of his race that he had to hide the fact that he was working on the designs. Julian Abele died in Philadelphia on April 23, 1950.

Julian Abele is responsible for some of the most beautiful buildings in Philadelphia. His contribution to art work in Philadelphia goes beyond what he is credited for. He often quoted "the shadows are all mine" (Abele 1881-1950). Julian Abele was a gifted artist who contributed to the beauty of Philadelphia.

Willie Wilson Goode

"Who knows but what god has brought us through his child"
Willie Wilson Goode was born on August 3, 1938 into a family of tenant farmers in North Carolina. Arriving in Philadelphia in 1954, after graduating from John Bartram High School Goode earned his BA from Morgan State College. Later on he earned a masters degree in government administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania .


Goode used to work as a probation officer, a building supervisor and an insurance claims adjuster. In 1978 Goode joined the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission and later was appointed managing director of Philadelphia. Wilson Goode became the first African American Mayor of Philadelphia. His term lasted from 1984 to 1992. Goode stayed active after his time as mayor by attending community meetings, hosting a radio show on WDAS, and holding mid-level positions in the U.S Department of Education. Goode was recently awarded the Purpose prize, a $100,000 award given to exceptional individuals over age 60 who are addressing critical social problems. In May 2000 at the age of 62 Goode received his doctorate of ministry. Amachi is a Nigerian saying that means
"Who knows but what god has brought us through his child".


In conclusion, I think Willie Wilson Goode is important to African Americans because he proves that we can be anything we set ours minds to. Breaking all boundaries and setting new goals.He inspires those that thought they would never be equal to other people. . I think he was a big help for the community and still is. Working his way up from nothing to what he has today is an example that nothing can hold you back. "Education will take you far".


by Shyniqua l.

"Cecil B Moore Story" Rochelle Hamilton

Growing up as a kid I always wondered why Columbia ave was changed to Cecil B Moore ave.That was a topic I always wondered about growing up. Just so happen that wound up being a research topic in my group and I took it as a opportunity to do some research. During my research i found out some interesting facts about Cecil B Moore himself. It amazed how the street received its name. The reason why I'm writing this essay is to give some information about Cecil B Moore.He is an important figure because he helped make a change to the North Philadelphia area. In the passage I will be discussing where he was born at and when he died, where he spent his military time at, Education and his time as a lawyer, and leadership and dealings with NAACP and recognition.

Cecil Bassett Moore was born 1915 in the West Virginia area. He died in 1979 at the age of 64 years of age. He served time in the US Marine corps during World War 2. 1947 he was discharged from Fort Mifflin which was originally called Fort Island Battery that sits on Deep water Island on the Delaware river in Philadelphia. Once he was discharged from the military he then moved to Philadelphia and studied Law at Temple University. He had a reputation of taking no non-sense as a lawyer, which he fought on behalf of his mostly poor African Americans reduced in North Philadelphia. Cecil B Moore was a powerful lawyer who was credited for the things he done.

Moore has been credited for helping with the restoring of Columbia avenue when it was a viscous riot that occurred in 1964. He also he had dealings with a group that is known nationwide as the NAACP. During his occupancy with the NAACP it expanded from 7,000 in 1962 to more than 50,000 in a short period of time. Moore lead a protest against Girad college which led to the ending of racial segregation of the school. Moore helped increase political & economic representation for the poor black people. Moore had an aggressive manner and confortational procedures alienated many leaders caused many leaders to be withdrawn. 1966 NAACP feared that Moore's leadership was out of hand, which resulted in breaking up Philadelphia chapter into smaller groups. He was granted authority of the North Philadelphia for 1 year then he left the NAACP on uneasy terms. Cecil B Moore has been appreciated for the things he did throughout his lifetime.

Over the time appreciation of Moore has expanded beyond as he sited as a justice figure in the fields of social justice & race relation. 1987 Columbia ave was renamed to Cecil B Moore. He was a member of the city council. Cecil B Moore has a library branch named after him thanks to high school students taking the time to get a petition signed and the library was renamed in 1987 of honors to Cecil B Moore. He has a subway station named after him located at Broad & Cecil B Moore. As well as apartment named after him called the Cecil B Moore villages located at 16 & Cecil B Moore.

To conclude this passage Cecil B Moore did a lot for the North Philadelphia area which where I stay at. I got the answer to the question I wanted to know as a child and it was a benefit to do the research. It was a good idea from them to change Columbia ave to Cecil B Moore being as though he did a lot to change that area. It also good that he has recognition throughout the Cecil B Moore ave for what he has done. I did the research so people can know why he was famous and what he did out his lifetime.

The Freedom Theatre

The Freedom Theatre was formerly known as the home of actor Edwin Forrest was born in Philadelphia in 1806. Even though it was Edwin Forrest's home at first, who knew he was going to expand it into a Theatre. First it became Philadelphia School of Design for Women. Secondly it became a Heritage House, lastly in 1968, Freedom Theatre became a community-based Black theatre for professional instruction in the theatrical arts. The Freedom Theatre was founded by John E. Allen, Jr in 1966, it's the oldest African-American Theatre in Pennsylvania. The Freedom Theatre is located at 1346 N. Broad St. John E. Allen,Jr died February 29, 1992 from lung cancer. After his death in 1992, Walter Dallas was nationally acclaimed to become the Freedom's Artistic Director. Walter Dallas was born in Atlanta in 1946, he was raised in a middle-class conservative Baptist Church in Atlanta of the '50s and '60s.

Edwin Forrest was good for being a great imitator. At the age of eleven, he convinced an audience at the South Street Theatre that he was a girl. At fourteen, he made his professional debut on a stage at the Walnut Street Theatre. Mr. Forrest spent his next couple of years honing his own craft on the road, playing a variety of different roles, including several in black face. What is black face?Walnut Street Theatre. Mr. Forrest spent his next couple of years honing his own craft on the road, playing a variety of different roles, including several in black face. What is black face?. A year later, Edwin Forrest was starring in the most prestigious theatre in New York called the Park; as Othello and was soon headlining at the lower-brow Bowery Theatre for an unheard price of $200 a night.

John E. Allen, Jr was the artistic director and founder of the Freedom Theatre, one of the nation's leading black theatres, he died on Tuesday, February 29, 1992 at a Hospital here in Philadelphia. He was only 58 years old and lived in Southwest Philadelphia. He founded the Freedom Theatre in a North Philadelphia storefront in 1966 with the support of the Black People's Unity Movement. Mr. Allen was also a performer, teacher, director and writer. He had worked in television and had directed productions for the New York Theatre Festival, the Walnut Street Theatre and the Philadelphia Company. He studied drama at the American Education Theatre in Washington. In 1973, he left his job as a supervisor with the Sun Oil Company, to run the theatre full-time.

The Freedom Theatre was known for presented about 275 plays and maybe more, and trained more than 10,000 youths in the Performing Arts Program. Among the Freedom's alumni are Erika Alexander, who plays cousin Pam on " The Cosby Show"; Samm-Art Williams, a writer and co-producer of " Fresh Prince of Bel Air," and Wanya Morris of the Grammy Award-winning rap group Boyz II Men. From my point of view, The Freedom Theatre is a great theatre, in the past it has played a lot of plays such as the Black Nativity, A Raisin in the Sun, Cooley High and the Trick The Devil. Even though the Freedom Theatre is old it's a great place to be I've had a couple dance recitals there. Freedom Theatre was struggling financially, it was 1.3 million dollars in debt.

Basically, the Freedom Theatre had a very intelligent intellectual Artistic Director by the name of John E. Allen,Jr until his death in 1992, even though Walter Dallas is now the Artistic Director Mr. Allen is still living his life as the Artistic Director for the Freedom Theatre. The Theatre was in debt, but because of all of the sold out shows the Freedom Theatre building is standing taller than ever, and it will always be there for you to stop by and have a look inside.
If you want to see a show or play at the Freedom Theatre here's the website for you to do so http://www.freedomtheatre.org/PurchaseTickets/tabid./360/Default.aspx.

Quotes about the Freedom Theatre:
" Freedom Theatre is now one of the leading regional theatres in the country"
By: American Theatre Magazine

" Freedom Theatre is vital to the fabric of Philadelphia"
By: Mayor John Street

"Walter Dallas has turned Philadelphia's Freedom Theatre into one of the finest regional companies"
By: Hartford Courant

By: Lanee G. Hill