Uncovering Underground Railroad and Important Black History Locations
The 1838 Black Metropolis project focuses on reviving the memory of the Black histories of Antebellum Philadelphia. As the Philadelphia grid has stayed relatively stable, and due to historical preservation efforts, many of the homes of Black Philadelphians of the era that are mentioned in primary historical documents and archives remain standing. This includes William and Letitia Still’s home, leaders of the Underground Railroad. This talk will discuss how we have used the primary sources such as history books, newspapers, estate papers, wills, city directories and minute books from historical archives to pinpoint houses that served as Underground Railroad sites and the location Beneficial Hall, which was burned down in a mob attack.
Morgan Lloyd is a public historian, genealogist, artist, co-founder, and President of 1838 Black Metropolis. A proud descendant of the Nanticoke-Lenni Lenape tribe, her work explores the nuances of Black and Brown histories through art, space, and identity. She is the recipient of numerous civic awards and fellowships from institutions, including Montclair University, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and a Mellon curatorial fellowship at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She also serves as Programming Coordinator at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, where she educates visitors through curated events, workshops, and tours.
Michiko Quinones is a public educator and public historian in Philadelphia. She is the co-founder and Director of Public History and Education of the 1838 Black Metropolis. She has been a docent for over a decade at both the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the Rosenbach museum. She holds a BA in African American Studies/Government from University of Maryland-College Park, and a Masters in Museum Studies from Harvard University. Her true love and focus of study is the Black community of the antebellum in Philadelphia. In this vein she has been resurfacing the achievements of this community through various formats; walking tours, online exhibitions, blogs, papers, lesson plans, conference presentations, public talks.
