Philadelphia, PA

All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers & Sailors
DESCRIPTION: An 18 foot column of 12 life-size figures honors three centuries of African American veterans; in 1994, it was moved from Fairmont Park to this more visible location in Center City

DAYS & HOURS: 24/7 public access

ADDRESS: Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 20th Street  MAP

PARKING: limited street parking nearby

TRANSIT: 19th Street & Market SEPTA Station is 5 blocks south, 1 block east

African American Museum of Philadelphia
DESCRIPTION: Founded 1976, it one of the oldest and best African American museums whose emphasis is both history and art; AAMP boasts of four large galleries on three floors; throughout the year it hosts many innovative programs and visiting exhibits from renown educators and artists; with over 400,000 photographic negatives from Jack Franklin, the museum can boast of having one the finest collections covering African American life in Philadelphia from 1940s-60s; you can also book a tour of Afrocentric sites within the city; the museum store is a must shop and the museum has barrier free access

ADMISSION: $8 adults, $6 all others

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Sat 10a-5p, Sun 10a-6p

ADDRESS: 7th and Arch Streets  MAP

PARKING: Parkway Parking Lot, located directly behind the Museum on Arch Street

TRANSIT: 8th & Market Street PATCO Station is 1 block west and 2 blocks south;  Chinatown SEPTA station is 1 block west and 2 blocks north

PHONE: 215-574-0380

WEBSITE: http://www.aampmuseum.org

Philadelphia International Records
DESCRIPTION: Though the relationship between Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff began in the 1960s, the record company began releasing albums in the 1970s; the musical legacy of this great institution, now called Gamble-Huff Music, prevails at this location -- see The Sound Of Philadelphia

ADMISSION: by appt only

DAYS & HOURS: no tours

ADDRESS: 309 South Broad Street  MAP

PARKING: Paid lots nearby

TRANSIT: Lombard-South SEPTA Station

PHONE: 215-985-0900

WEBSITE: http://www.gamble-huffmusic.com

Philadelphia Walk of Fame
DESCRIPTION: Stroll the city’s walk of musical legends and see bronze plaques of native and immigrant Philadelphians who composed, sang or produced Jazz, Blues, R&B, Rock, Classical, Opera, Hip-Hop, Country, Big Band, and Gospel music; the honoree list currently includes: Marian Anderson, Pearl Bailey, Thom Bell, Boyz II Men, Solomon Burke, Chubby Checker, John Coltrane, The Delphonics, Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff, Phyllis Hyman, Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergras, Bessie Smith, The Stylistics, McCoy Tyner, Grover Washington, Jr, and Ethel Waters

DAYS & HOURS: 24/7 public access

ADDRESS: South Broad Street between Walnut & Spruce Streets  MAP

PARKING: Paid lots nearby

TRANSIT: Walnut-Locust SEPTA Station

WEBSITE: http://www.philadelphiamusicalliance.com
 
Blue Horizon Boxing Club
DESCRIPTION: Founded by Veronica Michael the Black female boxing promoter; One of the great boxing clubs in the nation; legendary prize-fighters like Joe Frazier have trained here before some of their biggest paydays; call or check their calendar for boxing events; voted by Ring Magazine to be the nation's #1 boxing venue; also hosts wedding receptions, parties and caberets

ADMISSION: event dependent

DAYS & HOURS: event dependent

ADDRESS: 1312-16 North Broad Street  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: Girard SEPTA Station is 2 blocks south

PHONE: 215-763-0500

WEBSITE: http://www.legendarybluehorizon.com

Freedom Theatre
DESCRIPTION: Founded 1966 by John E Allen, Jr. and Robert E Leslie; originally a three floor mansion, this distinguished venue has trained thousands of actors and presented several hundred plays, including the Lorraine Hansberry standard, A Raisin in the Sun

ADMISSION: start at $25

DAYS & HOURS: shows typically start at 8p

ADDRESS: 1346 North Broad Street  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: Girard SEPTA Station is 2 blocks south

PHONE: 215-765-2793

WEBSITE: http://www.freedomtheatre.org

Kappa Alpha Psi International Headquarters
DESCRIPTION: Founded 1911 at Indiana University; the fraternity’s world headquarters has been located in this building since 1991

ADMISSION: by appt

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri

ADDRESS: 2322 North Broad Street  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: Susquehanna-Dauphin SEPTA Station is 1.5 blocks south

PHONE: 215-228-7184

WEBSITE: http://www.kappaalphapsi1911.com

Charles Blockson Afro-American Collection
DESCRIPTION: Contains over 40,000 African American history documents and artifacts; the collection features books, slave narratives, photographs, sheet music and original recordings

ADMISSION: free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri 9a-5p

ADDRESS: 1330 W Berks Street, Sullivan Hall at Temple University  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: Cecil Moore SEPTA Station is 1 block east and 2 blocks south

PHONE: 215-204-6632 

WEBSITE: http://www.library.temple.edu

Philadanco
DESCRIPTION: Founded by Executive & Artistic Director Joan Myers Brown in 1970, this  widely acclaimed dance troupe known for dramatic innovation and thrilling dancer training; this professional troupe travels internationally and nation about 40 dates in the year, so check their calendar; they perform locally at the Kimmel Performing Arts Center

ADMISSION: varies by performance

DAYS & HOURS: typically at 7:30 or 8p at Kimmel Arts Center

ADDRESS: 9 North Preston Street office  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: 40th Street SEPTA Station is 1 block east on Market Street

PHONE: 215-387-8200

WEBSITE: http://www.philadanco.org

Bushfire Theater of Performing Arts
DESCRIPTION: This beloved theater produces local and national plays; youth and adult acting classes available; notice the Walk Of Fame in front which has plaque tributes to Black actors from stage, cinema and TV such as Dorothy Dandridge, Paul Robeson, Ira Aldridge and John Amos

ADMISSION: varies by play or workshop

DAYS & HOURS: varies by play or workshop

ADDRESS: 52nd and Locust Streets  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: 52nd Street SEPTA Station is 6 short blocks north

PHONE: 215-747-9230

WEBSITE: http://www.bushfiretheatre.org

Balch Institution for Ethnic Studies
DESCRIPTION: A multicultural library, archives, museum, and education center with an extensive collection of manuscripts, documents and artifacts relating to African-American history

ADMISSION: small fee and Free on Saturdays 10a-Noon

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Sat 10a-4p

ADDRESS: 18 South 7th Street  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: 8th and Market Street SEPTA Station

PHONE: 215-925-8090

WEBSITE: http://www.balchinstitute.org

Philadelphia Mural Arts Program
DESCRIPTION: Having over 2,100 murals, Philadelphia is the undisputed mural capital of America; the city is filled with portraits of national and community heroes, including Grover Washington and 4 African American Heavyweight Boxing champions;  to schedule a 2-hour tour, visit Thomas Eakins House

ADMISSION: $25 adults, $23 age 65+, $15 ages 3-10, FREE for age 2 or less

DAYS & HOURS: Saturday & Sunday Apr-Nov 12:30p, Wednesday May-Nov 10a

ADDRESS: 1729 Mount Vernon Street  MAP

PARKING: on street

TRANSIT: Spring Garden SEPTA Stationis 3.5 blocks east & 3 short blocs south

PHONE: 215-685-0750

WEBSITE: http://www.muralarts.org

Rennie Harris - Puremovement
DESCRIPTION: An hip-hop dance company founded in 1992 by Rennie Harris; this acclaimed dance troupe tours nationally and internationally as they present popping, locking, stepping, break, house and other electrifying dance styles that represent the true essence and spirit of hip-hop

ADMISSION: event dependent

DAYS & HOURS: event dependent

ADDRESS: 1500 Market Street  MAP

PARKING: garages nearby

TRANSIT: 15th Street SEPTA Station and Suburban Station are 1 block away

PHONE: 215-382-8191

WEBSITE: http://www.rhpm.org

Lincoln, PA

Lincoln University
DESCRIPTION: One of the oldest HBCUs, it was founded in 1854 and first called Ashmun Institute; located 45 miles southwest of Philadelphia, distinguished alumni include Thurgood Marshall, Kwame Nkrumah, Roscoe Lee Brown and Langston Hughes; The University admitted women students in 1952, and formally associated with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1972 as a state-related university; during its first 100 years, Lincoln graduated 20% of the Black physicians and more than 10% of the Black attorneys in the United States. Its alumni have headed over 35 colleges and universities and scores of prominent churchesenrolls approximately 2,000 students

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri call to schedule at visit

ADDRESS: 1570 Baltimore Pike  MAP

PARKING: on premises

TRANSIT: N.A.

PHONE: 484-365-8000

WEBSITE: http://www.lincoln.edu

Cheyney, PA

Cheyney University
DESCRIPTION: Founded in 1837, it is the oldest historically Black college and located 24 miles outside Philadelphia; At its founding, the university was named the African Institute. However, the name was changed several weeks later to the Institute for Colored Youth (ICY); in subsequent years, the university was renamed Cheyney Training School for Teachers (1914), Cheyney State Teacher’s College (1951), Cheyney State College (1959), and now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (1983); today the school has ~1,319 undergraduate and 117 graduate students

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Fri tours by schedule available at 10a and 1p

ADDRESS: Cheyney Road at Creek Road  MAP

PARKING: on premises

TRANSIT: take the Media-Elwyn suburban train line to Elwyn, transfer to a SEPTA Bus Route take bus to campus (call SEPTA at 215-580-7800)

PHONE: 610-399-2275

WEBSITE: http://www.cheyney.edu