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Philadelphia has very few statues of African Americans. There's only one public statue of a single, named African American: 19th century civil rights leader Octavius V. Catto, assassinated on the first election day on which African Americans had the right to vote in PA. (1/)
Beyond that? John Chaney, at Temple's Liacouras Center, himself certainly a civil rights activist. (2/)
Three athletes have statues by the stadiums -- Dr. J, Wilt Chamberlain, and Joe Frazier (yes, we finally erected one for a *real* boxer, not just a fictional one.)
Beyond that, the African American statues are anonymous - a Negro Leagues player, a soldier, a slave, etc. (3/)
Beyond that, the African American statues are anonymous - a Negro Leagues player, a soldier, a slave, etc. (3/)
Now, murals? Oh, boy, do we have murals of African Americans. My favorite is W.E.B. Du Bois, a few blocks from my house. (4/)
A gorgeous one of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Actually , forgot one statute: Bishop Richard Allen, founder of the A.M.E. Church. Also nearby.
Coltrane in Philly.
60 Minutes legend Ed Bradley.
Malcolm X, Ella Baker, MLK, Frederick Douglass in Philly
Or more recent activists, like Dr. Shawn "AirSmooth" White, a community activist, HIV educator, and music collaborator.
And in West Philadelphia, born and raised.
6 stories tall, towering over Center City.
People liked seeing my tour of Philadelphia public art honoring Black legends yesterday, so here's a few more. Jazz great Grover Washington Jr.
Roxanne Jones, PA's first Black female state senator
Patti LaBelle, over in Mantua
Marian Anderson, in massive crochet https://www.muralarts.org/artworks/love-across-usa/
