Op-Ed: Honor Black History All Year Long Through Historic Preservation (Hidden City Philadelphia, 03/02/2023)

Op-Ed: Honor Black History All Year Long Through Historic Preservation

Carter G. Woodson, the originator of Black History Month, spent considerable time in Philadelphia including at the Tanner-Alexander family residence located at 2908. W. Diamond Street. The blueprint that Woodson established was anchored by the idea that we should be honoring Black history all year long with a month serving as a platform for showcasing promising projects and undervalued treasures that emerged from the labor of the previous year. 

As Black History Month 2023 comes to a close, Friends of the Tanner House invite residents of the Greater Philadelphia area to remain engaged in sustaining the powerful possibilities that emerge from honoring the glorious Black past. It is not surprising to see that the teaching of African American history is under attack when we recognize that Black contributions to the world have consistently uplifted principles of equity, justice, and inclusiveness that challenge longstanding prejudice. These traditions are open to all communities to bear witness, take notice, and find their place within the struggle to restore human dignity to all. One tangible way we may all further this mission is through investing in the stewardship of historic African American sites, whereas many of these places struggle to maintain the infrastructure and labor that allow for them to serve as dynamic landmarks of community engagement, education, and empowerment.