Defined Independence: African Americans in 18th and 19th Century Philadelphia (Online)

In this 6 week lecture series we will be discussing the lives, accomplishments and pathways towards independence of 6 African Americans: Ona Judge, the entrepreneurship of The Pepper Pot Women Street Vendors, writer and activist Francis E. W. Harper, silhouette artist and gallerist Moses Williams and baker and community leader Cyrus Bustill. Each person has carved out and defined their own way to independence, autonomy, personhood and economics during a time in Philadelphia where barriers and bias for African Americans were many, despite being one of the first states to abolish slavery and being a northern state. This lecture series is perfect for those interested in learning more about the narratives of African Americans in Philadelphia that have embodied the essence of what Independence means as we come into our 250 Anniversary of the United States and especially in Philadelphia.