Scribe Video Center presents the North Philadelphia History Festival

Light the marquee

Exploring both the emergence and long lasting impact of Black and Puerto Rican communities in Philadelphia, Louis Massiah, director of Scribe, knows the impact of documenting personal histories.

“Scribe was founded in 1982 when most people didn’t have their own camera. This work reminds me that history is power,” Massiah remarks, “Decisions in this country are made using history. When history is suppressed, power is suppressed.”

The Uptown Theater, located at 2240 North Broad Street, will be a central fixture for four nights of Tenants of Lenapehocking in the Age of Magnets. Photos will be projected onto the marquee while speakers on Broad Street play oral histories from Philadelphia residents.

Streets united

Christopher Rogers, co-coordinator of the Friends of the Tanner House, is dedicated to the preservation and growth of the historic cultural wealth of North Philadelphia. “We aim to create platforms for people to engage with,” Rogers explains, “We’re working toward hopefully creating a podcast as well. The photos displayed serve as memories of facets of the neighborhood.”

The national historical landmark, located at 2908 West Diamond Street, will display historical images of the Tanner family on the exterior of the home. As rehabilitation efforts of the structure continue into 2026, the title of the visual installation (Return Home) invokes a feeling of yearning for a place to both rest and build anew.

Dr. Diane Turner is curator of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, a staggering 500,000 plus items relating to the global Black experience, with artifacts originating from 1581 to the present. Partnering with technology specialist Serkaddis Alemayehu, the two are well versed on the topic of tracing history to the source.

“It’s such a rich and beautiful chance to reflect on this community and celebrate it,” Alemayehu says, “People can get a first-hand account of the history.”

Dr. Turner and Alemayehu have produced an immersive screening of oral histories from current and former residents of North Philadelphia. Titled We Remember and We Recall, the event highlights perspectives that Dr. Turner hopes resonate with listeners.

“These stories emphasize that families made a point for their youth to get a good education. The young people had their Saturday chores, scrubbing the stoops and sweeping the street,” Turner says, “One key takeaway is that we as Americans are more alike than unalike.”

Featured image: A photo from a 1940s block party. (Photo courtesy of John W. Mosley Photograph Collection, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University Libraries.)

Image description: Black and white photo of two older Black people dancing together, in a room with other people talking with each other