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Africana Studies

Historic preservation of Black Philadelphia
Woman in a fur coat sings before several microphones; one says 'NBC'

Martin Luther King, Jr. was in attendance at Marian Anderson's Lincoln Memorial performance on Easter Sunday, 1939. This location served as the inspiration for King's March on Washington address, says Jillian Patricia Pirtle, CEO of the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society. (Image: University of Pennsylvania/Marian Anderson Collection of Photographs)

Historic preservation of Black Philadelphia

Preserving Black history in Philadelphia is an evolving dynamic of the city’s legacy.

Kristina García

Penn Museum series highlights ‘Black History Untold: Revolution’
A woman with braids stands in an empty communal office space with books and computers on the desks

Sofiya Ballin is an independent journalist and the creator of the Black History Untold project. 

Penn Museum series highlights ‘Black History Untold: Revolution’

With “Black History Untold: Revolution,” the Penn Museum’s virtual programming offers a different perspective.

Kristina García

Cornel West headlines the 20th annual MLK Lecture in Social Justice
Banner reads: "MLK Lecture in Social Justice. Cornel West in conversation with Margo Crawford" with images of King and the speakers to the right.

In the 20th annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture in Social Justice, Cornel West invoked African American intellectualism and musical history to discuss King’s legacy and place in the rich tradition of Black artists and thinkers.

Cornel West headlines the 20th annual MLK Lecture in Social Justice

In the 20th annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture in Social Justice, Cornel West invoked African American intellectualism and musical history to discuss King’s legacy and place in the rich tradition of Black artists and thinkers.

Kristina García

26th annual MLK symposium goes online
Woman cups a candle with a gloved hand. She is standing in a circle with other candle-holders in the snow.

The candlelight vigil “was always powerful and will continue to be” as it offers a moment to reflect on the man and his legacy, says Toliver. Here, the Penn community gathers in 2007 to commemorate. 

26th annual MLK symposium goes online

Virtual events over three weeks offer opportunities to reflect, engage, and celebrate with family, colleagues, and friends.

Kristina García

Exacerbating the health care divide
Large rendering of the healthcare cross symbol with people standing both on top of and below the symbol against a background featuring the coronavirus germ floating nearby.

Exacerbating the health care divide

With rates of diagnoses and death disproportionately affecting racial minorities and low-income workers, experts from the School of Arts & Sciences address how COVID-19 has further exposed already dire health outcome inequalities.

From Omnia

‘Then and Now: Black-Jewish Relations in the Civil Rights Movement’
Historical mugshots of 15 people wearing signs around their necks that say, "Police Dept. Jackson, Miss., 7.2.61" along with prison identification numbers

Entire busloads of Freedom Riders were arrested when they reached southern states (here, Jackson Mississippi). Interfaith collaboration was a vital part of the Civil Rights Movement, Butler said.

‘Then and Now: Black-Jewish Relations in the Civil Rights Movement’

Professor of religious studies Anthea Butler gave an overview of shared history and discussed next steps in “Then and Now: Black-Jewish Relations in the Civil Rights Movement,” an event hosted by the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies.

Kristina García

How the Africana Studies Summer Institute went virtual
Student with "What's one thing we wish we were told as freshman" in text across a Zoom screen

Niko Simpkins (above) and Camille Charles (top right) were among those featured in the Institute's final video presentation.

How the Africana Studies Summer Institute went virtual

The 2020 Africana Summer Institute adopted a new vision, working to prepare freshmen for a virtual life at Penn.

Kristina García

Mary Frances Berry, a ‘woman of the century’
portrait of woman with cropped hair and glasses

Mary Frances Berry, Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and a professor of history and Africana studies. (Image: Jim Abbott)

Mary Frances Berry, a ‘woman of the century’

In a profile, the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History discusses her history as an adviser on education and civil rights, and today’s protest movements.

From Penn IUR

Takeaways from the vice presidential debate
Kamala Harris waving and smiling at left, Vice President Mike Pence at a podium on the right

Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence

Takeaways from the vice presidential debate

Historian Barbara D. Savage shares her thoughts on the first vice presidential debate in history featuring a Black woman.

Kristen de Groot