Philly
Philadelphia in Color
Before the Fresh Prince left to rule Bel Air, he called the City of Brotherly Love home. And though one little fight might’ve sent him to California, we’ve got a million reasons why you should visit Philadelphia.
We run the regional African-American Chamber of Commerce for PA, NJ & DE. In that position, we work with Black businesses across the Delaware Valley. This puts our businesses at the perfect intersection of arts, entertainment, and food. And with that expertise, it makes it easy for us to recommend some of the best places and spaces to enjoy a fantastic ByBlack time in Philly.
The rich tapestry of politics, history, and culture has cemented our hometown as one of the most important cities in America for Black people. The Pennsylvania commonwealth was created as a refuge for the deeply abolitionist Quakers. The first protest in America against slavery started in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Germantown in 1688. Many of the best surviving examples of Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad stops still exist here. We recommend touring the Johnson House and the Lest We Forget Slavery Museum to see that history come alive with the artifacts and experts to match.
But the history of this city isn't just dusty books and bygone eras. On Sundays, you can find churchgoers in wide brim hats at Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church—the nation's first Black church, established in 1794. The city has a stellar African American museum with exhibits that capture Black history through a Philadelphia lens. And even as you visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you're reminded that it was designed by a Black architect: Julian Francis Abele.
This demonstrates that we cannot forget that Black people are the historical and cultural foundation of this city's artistic heritage. Though it isn't some coastal metropolis, Philly truly is an arts town. The sheer number of murals, statues, and public displays is unmatched. Philadelphia has the nation’s largest public arts program, adding as many as 100 works to the city each year.
And it isn’t just the visual arts that draw crowds. People celebrate with folks like Jay Z and Roc Nation for the annual Made in America concert. If partying is your thing, then the diasporic ODUNDE street festival is a must-try during the summer months. Philly is the city where you can buy Black, get a cheesesteak, order some water ice, and make some unforgettable memories from our Juneteenth and Mummers Parades. We promise anything is possible in this town, except having a bad time. But it's up to you to find that out for yourself.
