Located in the city’s historic Germantown area, Uncle Bobbie’s has all of the warm aesthetic qualities of a quaint coffee shop and bookstore, but a quick look at its shelves reveals a deeper purpose. Among its selections, the shop carries fresh copies of titles like “Malcolm X: Socialism and Black Nationalism,” Aimé Césaire’s “Discourse on
MoreBy the time the Continental Army and its French allies crushed British forces at Yorktown, Virginia, in October 1781, enslaved Black women in Philadelphia had long begged Jesus to make them as free as their white neighbors. In Old City these days, you can “meet” two Black women who likely said such prayers—and had them
MoreWinter cycling isn’t as popular, or comfortable, as in other seasons. Snow in the bike lane, ice on your brakes and icicles in your hair—it’s all going to happen if you ride in the winter. But as an urban adventurer determined to ride all year, I’ve gathered tips to make my winters less terrible, because even
MoreThe Free Library adds nature strolls and challenging play terrains to cultivate young learnersby Bernard BrownApproximately 16 parents and children gather on a June morning for a stroll to the shore. That might conjure images of a summer day at the beach, but in this case, the closest thing to the crashing of waves is
MoreIt was right around this time of year, a little over ten years ago, when I bought what I consider to be my best Christmas present. Earlier in the year, I had fallen in love with the woman who is now my wife, and I was feeling...expansive. When my future mother-in-law mentioned that she had
MoreWhen I was as old as my son is now, back in 1986, the warnings of climate change first hit the news. In the following years, climate science became conclusive. We know the impacts will be severe and widespread. Yet, even for me—an environmentalist to the core—our climate crisis did not feel truly personal
MoreWhile we don’t subscribe to mainstream notions of “retail therapy,” we do have some holiday advice: give freely. The gifts of your time, your energy and your funds to causes you believe in all count. To give is, unmistakably, to open yourself up, to allow for an exchange with others, and to take a chance
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