First African Presbyterian Church

Philadelphia, PA · est. 1991

Born enslaved in 1795, Stephen Smith purchased his own freedom and went on to become one of the wealthiest African Americans of his era, amassing a fortune in coal, lumber, and real estate. He poured his means and influence into the abolitionist cause and philanthropy, most notably as the principal benefactor of the Stephen Smith Home for the Aged, which stood on this site. His life bridged the worlds of business, activism, and charity in the decades surrounding the Civil War.

Philadelphia, PA · est. 1998

For more than eight decades, Black baseball thrived in Philadelphia, from the Pythians and Excelsiors of 1867 to the great professional clubs of the twentieth century. The Philadelphia Giants claimed early championships, the Hilldale club won the 1925 Colored World Series, and the Philadelphia Stars competed in the Negro National League. These teams built a proud institution while the major leagues remained closed to Black players.

Philadelphia, PA · est. 2016

This building was Pennsylvania's first Nation of Islam house of worship and the heart of Philadelphia's African American Muslim community through the 1950s and 60s. Under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad, it drew notable teachers and administrators—including Malcolm X and Wallace D. Muhammad—during a pivotal period in Black religious and political life. The temple served as a gathering place for faith, education, and community organizing.

Philadelphia, PA · est. 1992

Laura Wheeler Waring built her career as a portrait painter in an era when few Black women found a place in the American art world. Trained in Philadelphia and in France, she captured the faces of leading African Americans and led the art department at Cheyney State College, shaping generations of students. Her portraits now hang in the National Portrait Gallery and other major collections.