The Historical Society of Pennsylvania will unveil a new exhibit, Voices of the Community: Local Preservation in Philadelphia, on June 12, 2025. The exhibit explores the history and preservation of Black communities in Philadelphia and Lawnside, New Jersey. I am one of the community curators, along with Shamele Jordon.

The exhibit focuses on four themes:​

• ​Black Joy: Development of Lawnside, the only historically African-American incorporated municipality in the Northern United States​
• Sounds of Freedom, Resistance and Resilience​
• Fulfilling America’s Promise: Founding of the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH)​
• All Power to the People: Local community efforts to preserve and restore Black Philadelphia

With the “Sounds of Freedom, Resistance and Resilience,” I use archival materials to tell the story of Black music from the 1770s to the 1970s.

Voices of the Community: Local Preservation in Philadelphia will be on view June 12, 2025 to September 26, 2025. To be added to the mailing list for the exhibit opening and my gallery talk, send your name and email address to phillyjazzapp@gmail.com.