Category Archives: Walking Tour

Advocacy, Hercules Posey, The President's House, Walking Tour

George Washington and Slavery

In arguable violation of U.S. District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe’s order, the National Park Service, without notice or collaboration with the City of Philadelphia and Avenging The Ancestors Coalition (ATAC), uploaded digital renderings to the President’s House Site webpage. The alternative interpretive panels erase the truth about George Washington and slavery.

In a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed, Michael Coard, founder of ATAC, wrote:

These were not restorations. They were revisions — an attempt to soften and sanitize George Washington’s deep involvement in slavery, recasting a man who enslaved African men, women, and children from the age of 11 until his death as someone merely “uncomfortable” with the institution. They even suggest the enslaved in Philadelphia experienced a “modicum of autonomy.”

Let’s be clear: There is no autonomy in enslavement.

If Washington felt “discomfort,” imagine the lived reality of the 316 African descendants he held in bondage. If NPS believes “autonomy” applies to human beings in chains, then it fundamentally misunderstands the brutality of slavery.

From his first breath at Pope’s Creek to his last breath at Mount Vernon, Washington was surrounded by enslaved people. Throughout his life, he was involved with the institution of slavery. While his views on slavery changed over time, Washington’s private musings are trumped by his public actions.

Fact is, Washington did not emancipate an enslaved person during his lifetime.

Washington “owned” outright 123 Black people. His personal servant, William “Billy” Lee, was the only one given “immediate freedom” upon Washington’s death. The remaining 122 enslaved people were to be freed after Martha Washington’s death.

Washington owned, bought, sold, rented and bargained for Black people. He pursued those who dared to seek their freedom. From 1771 to his death in 1799, he pursued freedom seekers including Harry, Hercules Posey and Ona Judge.

I am nominating President Washington’s enslaved chief cook, Hercules Posey, for a Pennsylvania historical marker. I will submit the nomination on May 15, 2026 in commemoration of the 214th anniversary of his death.

On Saturday, May 16, 2026, I will lead a walking tour of people, places and events in Hercules Posey’s Philadelphia. To join us, send your name and email address to phillyjazzapp@gmail.com.

Advocacy, Hercules Posey, The President's House, Walking Tour

Women’s History Month: Hannah Archer Till

The fight to save the President’s House has brought renewed interest in the nine Africans enslaved by President George Washington in the shadow of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

Washington’s enslaved cook, Hercules Posey, the nation’s first celebrity chef, managed the kitchen at the President’s House. He became an ancestor on May 15, 1812. To honor his memory, I will submit my nomination of Hercules for a Pennsylvania historical marker on May 15, 2026.

Before Hercules, there was Hannah Archer Hill (1721-1826). Born into slavery, Hannah was General George Washington’s enslaved cook during the grueling winter at the Valley Forge encampment.

Hannah and her husband, Isaac, purchased their freedom in December 1778. She continued to work for General Washington as a salaried cook through all of his campaigns for the next six and a half years. For six months, her services were lent to the Marquis de Lafayette, who led troops under the command of General Washington.

The position of personal cook to the Commander-in-Chief required culinary skills as well as unwavering loyalty due to the threat of assassination by poisoning.

Following the Revolutionary War, Hannah and Issac made their home in Philadelphia where she lived until her death at age 105.

In 2015, Hannah was honored for her contributions during the Revolutionary War. She was recognized as a Patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). A plaque was installed on her headstone in Historic Eden Cemetery. A DAR chapter was named in her honor.

During his triumphal tour of America, the Marquis de Lafayette stopped in Philadelphia in September 1824. Lafayette’s whirlwind of events included a three-mile-long welcoming parade, a temporary arch, and a Grand Ball where Francis “Frank” Johnson, a forefather of jazz, performed his composition, General La Fayette Bugle Waltz.

Lafayette made time to visit Hannah. When he learned that “Aunt Hannah” was behind on her ground rent, Lafayette sent her money to pay off her debt. The site of Hannah’s residence is a stop on my walking tour, Hercules Posey’s Philadelphia.

To be added to the mailing list for the walking tour, send your name and email address to andersonatlarge@gmail.com.

Advocacy, Billie Holiday, Walking Tour

Billie Holiday’s Philadelphia Walking Tour

Authoritarian regimes throughout history have targeted artists and cultural institutions. Early in his administration, President Trump issued an executive order that targeted the Smithsonian Institution.

Trump has taken over federal arts agencies and installed himself as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He threatens to withhold federal funding from organizations that do not bend the knee.

Nina Simone said an artist’s duty is to reflect the times and the situations in which they find themselves.

Today, we find ourselves in a situation in which Trump wants to control the narrative.

Fall of Freedom issued an urgent call to artists, creators and cultural workers to stand united against the assault on our constitutional rights and authoritarian control. Fall of Freedom is a celebration of art, courage, and free expression.

No artist reflected the times more courageously than Billie Holiday whose recording of “Strange Fruit” was named Song of the Century by Time magazine in 1999 and included in the National Recording Registry in 2002.

Join All That Philly Jazz and Scribe Video Center on November 22, 2025 for this nationwide wave of creative resistance.

The walking tour will be guided by All That Philly Jazz Director Faye Anderson whose advocacy led to Billie’s induction into the Philadelphia Walk of Fame. We will visit the venues where Billie sang, the hotels where she stayed, and the site of the jazz club immortalized in the Tony Award®-winning “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.”

Along the way, we will stop at places connected to Nina Simone and Paul Robeson, artists who, like Billie, used their voices to speak truth to power.

The event is free and open to all, but registration is required. To reserve your spot, scan the QR code or go here.

Art matters. Courage is contagious. We are the resistance.

Advocacy, Cultural Heritage Preservation, Moses Williams, Walking Tour

Moses Williams’ Philadelphia Walking Tour

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October is National Arts and Humanities Month. All That Philly Jazz Director Faye Anderson will lead a walking tour of the people, places and events in Moses Williams’ Philadelphia.

The first Black museum professional and master silhouette artist, Moses Williams was born into slavery in August 1776 in the household of Charles Willson Peale, “Portrait Painter of the Revolution.”

Faye successfully nominated Moses Williams (1776-1830) for a Pennsylvania historical marker. The marker will be dedicated in 2026, the 250th anniversary of his birth.

The walk and talk will start at 3rd and Lombard streets, near the site of the home of Charles Willson Peale, and end at Philosophical Hall, near the proposed location for installation of Moses Williams’ historical marker (.06 mile).

Points of interest along the way include:

  • Site of the home of entrepreneur and abolitionist James Forten;
  • Charles Willson Peale’s gravesite;
  • Church where George Washington and Absalom Jones worshipped;
  • Site of the home of Francis Johnson, the forefather of jazz;
  • Site of the first Black Episcopal church in the United States;
  • Locations of Peale’s Museum; and
  • Organization founded by Benjamin Franklin that has a collection of Moses Williams’ silhouettes.

The walking tour will be held on select Saturdays in 2026. To be added to the mailing list, send your name and email address to phillyjazzapp@gmail.com.

Billie Holiday, Walking Tour

Happy Birthday, Lady Day

Born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915 at Philadelphia General Hospital, Billie Holiday has long been the “Lady” in my life. At one point, I started my day by putting “Good Morning Heartache” on repeat.

Decades later while walking along Lombard Street, I came across Billie’s historical marker. The marker raised more questions than it answered. My curiosity about Lady Day’s time in Philadelphia led me to go beyond the marker and All That Philly Jazz was launched.

A new 13-part series narrated by jazz broadcaster Rhonda Hamilton, No Regrets: The Music & Spirit of Billie Holiday, explores Lady Day’s journey from Baltimore to the world stage.

The series features interviews with musicians and scholars, including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, Casandra Wilson, Angela Davis, Farah Jasmine Griffin and Robert O’Meally.

The audio series kicked off this weekend and runs for the next 12 weeks. No Regrets: The Music & Spirit of Billie Holiday airs Saturdays (7am) and Sundays (7pm) on WBGO 88.3 FM, WBGO.org and WBGO mobile app.

Green Book, Walking Tour

Black History Month: Victor H. Green

I am closing out Black History Month with Victor Hugo Green, the visionary publisher of “The Negro Motorist Green Book.”

Green was a postal worker who lived in Harlem and had routes in New Jersey. The Green Book was a crowdsourced travel guide to help African Americans navigate Jim Crow laws in the South and racial segregation in the North.

Green identified businesses through his own travel and a network of postal workers. The travel guide directed Black travelers to nondiscriminatory lodging, dining, entertainment and other services. The Green Book was published from 1936 to 1966.

It’s been nearly 60 years since the last edition of the travel guide was published, but the Green Book is still in the news.

All That Philly Director Faye Anderson leads a walking tour of Green Book sites in Philadelphia. For updates, send contact info to greenbookphl@gmail.com.

Advocacy, Cultural Heritage, Lee Morgan, Walking Tour

Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy

The first annual Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy will be held September 27 through October 5, 2024. Organized by Race Forward and Americans for the Arts, the initiative will harness the transformative power of arts and culture to spark dialogue, inspire action, and build community.

All That Philly Jazz’s walking tour, West Philly’s Main Street: A Walk Through Time, is one of the inaugural projects. We will stroll the historic 52nd Street corridor and uncover lost and hidden history. For event details and tickets, please go here.

The walking tour culminates at the former site of the Red Rooster, the jazz club where John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner first crossed paths. Today, the building is home to Steve’s Sports Lounge but the history lives on.

Immediately after the Red Rooster stop, we will gather at the Painted Bride Art Center for a community conversation, Telling Our Stories from “Back in the Day”: A Voices of 52nd Street Memory Salon.

The afternoon will be filled with joy, remembering, and light refreshments. The Memory Salon is free and open to the public. Space is limited so be sure to reserve your spot.

Jazz Venues, Walking Tour

Benny The Bum’s

Benjamin Fogelman opened the original Benny The Bum’s (“Where the famous gather”) on the ground floor of the Regency Ballroom circa 1936.

On the second floor of the Regency Ballroom, internationally acclaimed African American artist Dox Thrash developed his influential carborundum printmaking technique while working at the Philadelphia Fine Print Workshop. The jobs for visual artists program was funded by the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration.

At some point under the ownership of Alvin Fogelman, Benny The Bum’s moved to West Philly. The nightspot had jazz on the weekends.

The space was previously the home of the Red Rooster Café, the jazz club where John Coltrane met McCoy Tyner in 1957. The building is still there. It’s a bonus stop on All That Philly Jazz walking tour, Stroll Along the Strip.

Cultural Heritage, Green Book, Walking Tour

Billie Holiday’s Philadelphia

Billie Holiday, née Eleanora Fagan, was born on April 7, 1915 at Philadelphia General Hospital. “Looking for Lady Day,” hosted and written by news anchor Tamala Edwards, is a fact-based portrait of the iconic singer who changed the game on and off stage.

All That Philly Jazz Director Faye Anderson leads a walking tour, “Billie Holiday’s Philadelphia.” Follow in Billie’s footsteps starting at the Bessie Smith Walk of Fame plaque. During an appearance on “Eddie Condon Floor Show Live” in 1949, Condon told Billie, “You’re the best Bessie I’ve seen since Bessie.”

The walking tour ends at the Attucks Hotel (distance: 0.7 miles).

The stops include the Academy of Music, Billie Holiday Walk of Fame plaque, and sites of the Fantasy Lounge and South Broad USO.

We also stop at hotels where Lady Day stayed, including the hotel where she and her husband, Louis McKay, were arrested. The arrest is depicted in the biopic United States vs. Billie Holiday.

Our next-to-last stop is the Green Book site where Billie Holiday performed four months before her death. Emerson’s is the setting for the Broadway play, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.” Audra McDonald won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play.

To schedule a presentation or to be added to the mailing list, contact Faye Anderson at phillyjazzapp@gmail.com.

Cultural Heritage Preservation, Green Book, Historic Preservation, Walking Tour

Green Book Walking Tour

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What’s old is new again. The Negro Motorist Green Book published by Victor H. Green, a postal worker in Harlem, is all the rage. Access to the Green Book in the New York Public Library Digital Collections and the “Green Book” movie sparked interest in the crowdsourced travel guide that was published from 1936 to 1966.

#GreenBookPHL Collage

The Green Book empowered African Americans to “vacation without aggravation.” The guide helped travelers, including musicians, athletes and businesspeople, navigate Jim Crow laws in the South and racial segregation in the North. “Your Rights, Briefly Speaking!” is a precursor to the current mantra to “know your rights.”

Your Rights, Briefly Speaking (1963-1964)

A network of postal workers scouted out advertisers for the travel guide. Green Book listings included hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, theaters, barber shops and beauty parlors. Green envisioned a time when his publication would no longer be necessary:

There will be a day sometime in the near future when this guide will not have to be published. That is when we as a race will have equal opportunities and privileges in the United States. It will be a great day for us to suspend this publication for then we can go wherever we please, and without embarrassment. But until that time comes we shall continue to publish this information for your convenience each year.

That day did not come until July 2, 1964. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in public accommodations.

Over the course of 30 years, there were dozens of Philadelphia listings. Some businesses advertised every year; others for one or multiple years. Green Book listings were sites of sanctuary. They were also sites of resistance.

The Green Book Walking Tour stops at sites in Center City and South Philly.

Douglass Hotel Bus Depot

The walking tour starts at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel (now the Bellevue Philadelphia) and ends at the repurposed Attucks Hotel (distance: 0.7 miles).

#GreenBookPHL Begin-End - Feature

Stops include:

  • National Historic Landmark where John Coltrane first heard Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker perform in person;
  • Site of the supper club that was a hangout for the producers and musicians who created “The Sound of Philadelphia”;
  • Hotel that welcomed jazz, blues and R&B luminaries to its jazz space from the 1940s to the 1970s, and where Coltrane and Grover Washington Jr. recorded live albums;
  • Hotels where Billie Holiday stayed and was arrested;
  • Site of the legendary club where jazz and blues greats performed on the inside and tap dancers busked on the outside;
  • Jazz club that paid homage to postal workers and the U.S. Postal Service; and
  • Site of the jazz club that was the setting for the Broadway play “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.”

The Green Book Walking Tour is led by All That Philly Jazz Director Faye Anderson, a storyteller who is passionate about uncovering hidden and forgotten stories.

Airbnb - Faye Anderson - Philadelphia International Records

For more information, contact Faye at phillyjazzapp@gmail.com.