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John,
I always use Black History Month as a time to remember that Black history isn’t just an important part of Philadelphia’s past, it’s crucial to our present and future.
Philadelphia’s Black history is rich, complex, and storied. Our City has given rise to some of the most prominent “firsts” in America, like Guion S. Bluford (first Black astronaut in space) and Marian Anderson (first Black person to perform at the Metropolitan Opera). Some of the most successful Black professional athletes — Wilt Chamberlain, Dawn Staley, Joe Frazier — came out of Philadelphia. Contemporaries like Patti LaBelle, Lee Daniels, and Quinta Brunson have made their mark on pop culture forever.
But, of course, Black history is not just about being first or being famous. For more than 250 years, Philadelphia has been an intellectual, cultural, and social hub for Black excellence. We’ve started successful businesses, founded churches, established schools, created artistic networks, organized around civil rights, and resisted systems meant to hold us back. Philadelphia has always been and continues to be a City America looks to for Black leadership.
And we all know there is much more work to do. From public safety to voter suppression, Black lives continue to be put at risk and devalued in our current systems. That’s why racial equity is always at the heart of my work in this City. I know we can and will do better — we must.
Today, Black mayors lead four of the largest cities in America. John, we have the opportunity to add Philadelphia to that list, and continue to fight for representation that looks more like us.
Join me this Black History Month in celebrating our past by working towards a more just and equitable future.
— Derek
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