Extraordinary Ordinary: Black People in Northern Liberties before 1860

Scribe Video Center in partnership with 1838 Black Metropolis presents “Extraordinary Ordinary: Black People in Northern Liberties before 1860,” a Walking Tour and Paschall’s Alley Poetry Takeover.

ABOUT THE PROJECT:

Paschall’s Alley was once a major Underground Railroad site, tucked quietly into the fabric of everyday life in Northern Liberties. This upcoming experience from 1838 Black Metropolis uncovers how ordinary Black residents helped build this area of safety and resistance in the 1830s and 1840s, shaping a vibrant community rooted in faith, family, and freedom.

We begin with a walking tour of the neighborhood, visiting Zoar and Union Churches, and the unassuming rowhomes, still standing today, that were owned by Black families whose stories have been hidden in plain sight. Along the way, we’ll explore the people and institutions that made this neighborhood a foundation for future generations.

The tour culminates in a poetry takeover of Paschall’s Alley, honoring the legacy of Jessie Redmon Fauset, whose father grew up here. We’ll install works by Harlem Renaissance poets she championed, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, and invite contemporary poets to improvise in real time, drawing inspiration from the lives, spaces, and spirit of the past. In the very alley where freedom was built, we’ll speak their names and celebrate their legacy through poetry and performance.

Please note: Initial meeting point for the walking tour will be emailed to registrants one week before the tour. Please ensure you use an active email address to register. If you resgister and can no longer attend, please reach out to Scribe Video Center.

EVENT FLOW:

10:00 AM Meet at Starting Location

10:00 – 11:30 PM Walking tour – See the path here

11:30 – 12:00 PM Paschall’s Alley Poetry Takeover

ABOUT THE CULTURAL WORKERS:

Michiko Quinones is the co-founder of 1838 Black Metropolis, a public history nonprofit dedicated to restoring lost or marveled Black narratives in Philadelphia. Through deep historical research and public engagement, 1838 Black Metropolis examines the impact of early Black civil rights movements, particularly the 1838 right-to-vote movement, and works to uncover extant 19th-century Black Underground Railroad sites, patterns of Black homeownership and spatial concentration, and critical social spaces such as Beneficial hall and Black churches. The organization is also engaged in detailed investigations of the 1834 and 1842 mob attacks against Black communities, shedding light on how these events shaped the city’s Black resistance strategies and communal resilience.

In addition to her public history work, Michiko has had a 20-year career in IT enterprise consulting, advising Fortune 100 companies and the public sector on complex technology initiatives. Prior to that, in the 1990s, she conducted early research on Information Campaigns in UN peacekeeping, visiting the UN mission in Haiti twice and spent time in Zimbabwe in 1990 researching race dynamics as part of her undergraduate studies.

A public educator and historian, she was a docent for over a decade at both the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the Rosenbach Museum. She holds a BA in African American Studies and Government from the University of Maryland-College Park (1992), an MS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University (1999), and an ALM (MA) in Museum Studies from Harvard University (2024). Her work at 1838 Black Metropolis is part of a broader movement to reclaim historical narratives through Black social museums, which center memory and heritage as a foundation for reinterpreting the past. As part of this effort, she is studying how Black social museums worldwide are engaging in similar work to own and rewrite their historical narratives, ensuring that Black history is told with accuracy, depth, and community-driven insight.

Morgan Lloyd is an Afro-Indigenous public historian and cultural worker committed to a joyful and holistic recentering of Black, Brown, and American Indigenous histories, with a focus on the 18th and 19th centuries.

She is the Co-founder and President of 1838 Black Metropolis, a research-driven nonprofit and National Park extension that explores the lives of the 18,768 free people of color living in Philadelphia when Harriet Tubman was just 16. Through storytelling, education, and public programming, the organization reclaims and reanimates forgotten histories from the region.

Morgan’s work has earned wide recognition, including the Young Friends of the Preservation Alliance 2024 Award, the Pennsylvania Abolition Society’s 2024 Award, The Library Company’s 2023 Biennial Innovation Award, and the Black Hero in Health Equity Award from Penn’s Pair Center. She’s held fellowships at institutions such as the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Her mission is to create spaces, programs, and art that connect Black and Brown communities with their pasts—and with expansive visions of the future.

She currently serves on the Public Programming team at the African American Museum in Philadelphia.

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ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:

The North Philadelphia History Festival (NPHF) is a cultural celebration of the African American and Puerto Rican communities in North Philadelphia. Historic sites along Ridge Avenue, North Broad Street, and other locales were transformed into living exhibits created by artists, historians, curators, and other cultural workers. These multimedia projects and events explore the emergence and impact of these communities in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Lead support for the North Philadelphia History Festival is provided by the William Penn Foundation.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

RSVP & Entry:

To ensure organizers can provide an enjoyable experience, an RSVP is required for this experience, and registration will be checked upon arrival. Meeting point for the tour will be emailed to registrants approximately one week before the tour.

Accessibility Information:

The walking tour will be on sidewalks and cobblestone streets.

Restrooms:

The tour is outside. Restrooms will not be available.

Parking:

Limited street parking is available around the neighborhood.

Transportation:

To Be Announced Via Email

Photography/Videography:

By attending this event, you consent to be photographed and/or filmed and authorize the use of your image in event-related materials. If you do not wish to be photographed, please notify event staff.