Want to honor Black history this month near Pittsburgh? Whether you’re looking for an escape to nature, to browse art at a museum, or to spend a day out on the town, plenty of historic landmarks, sites, and buildings are scattered around Pennsylvania. Many of them are within decent driving distance from the city, paying homage to signficant figures and the influential impact of Black Americans.
Black History Month is here, and this year’s theme centers around Black Health and Wellness to commemorate medical scholars and health care providers. It’s critical to understand the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on BIPOC communities.
Pennsylvania played an important role in the Civil Rights movement. The Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League was one of the earliest civil rights conventions that formed to advance the political rights of Black Americans in 1864.
To honor the strides and struggles of African Americans, consider celebrating Black History month with these historic buildings, landmarks, and sites in Pennsylvania.
August Wilson African American Cultural Center
See state-of-the-art installations at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Check out an array of exhibitions and educational spaces that showcase Black art, history, culture, and the African diaspora. Early this year, it’ll debut its first-ever permanent exhibit, The Writer’s Landscape, a tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, August Wilson.
The center, located at 980 Liberty Ave., opened its doors in 2009 and is free and open to the public but always accepts donations.
Daisy Lampkin House
As one of the most famous leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Daisy Lampkin played an essential role in Black history. Lampkin became a household name among Black Americans during the Second World War, thanks to her involvement in NAACP as the organization’s secretary and the first woman elected to the board. Lampkin was a part of the women’s suffrage movement, an avid motivational speaker, and an advocate for racial justice and gender equality. In addition, she became a major stockholder after investing in the Pittsburgh Courier, a weekly African American newspaper that stopped its circulation after Real Times Media purchased it in 1966 and renamed it New Pittsburgh Courier.
Located at 2519 Webster Ave., Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, Lampkin’s red brick home became a historical marker in 1983, shortly after her passing in 1965.
African American Museum in Philadelphia
The African American Museum in Philadelphia was founded in 1976 as “the first institution funded and built by a major municipality to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans.” Today, the space is home to four exhibitions and an auditorium.
The museum is located at 701 Arch St. General admission tickets range from $14 for adults to $10 for youth, students, and senior citizens.
The Old Eighth Ward
Take a walk around the Old Eighth Ward neighborhoods, now Harrisburg, to commemorate the 19th century diaspora of African, Jewish, and immigrant communities. Visit the old Tanner’s Alley, a former station during the Underground Railroad, currently the Irvis Office Building. Or soak in the sun through the vibrant mosaic stained glass at the historic Bethel AME Church.
This neighborhood was gentrified into Capitol Park, but you can commemorate its historical significance by paying a visit.
African American Heritage Trail
Spanned across Erie, it’s convenient to take a car while touring the African American Heritage Trail. This area played a crucial role in the Black community in Philadelphia. See over 20 murals, historic sites, and local businesses that influenced the African American community in this area that’s largely adapted by Sarah S. Thompson’s book, Journey from Jerusalem: An Illustrated Introduction to Erie’s African American History, 1795-1995
Use the Hello Erie trip planning app to get started on the route.
Pennsylvania Wilds
The Pennsylvania Wilds is one of the largest green expanses between New York City and Chicago, taking up 2.1 million acres of public land, the Allegheny National Forest, hiking trails, and rich heritage. It also carries a significant history of the Underground Railroad. It includes the Lock Haven home of Maria Molson, who sheltered many enslaved people seeking freedom. Others in the area helped escaped enslaved people with essential food, transportation, medical treatment, and clothing. Many of these enslaved Africans settled in Hickory Hill, and today cemeteries like Gaines and the Schmoke rest escaped enslaved people and their descendants.
Pennsylvania is rich with Black history, culture, and arts. Honor the month of February by checking out historic spots near Pittsburgh that celebrate Black pride and resilience!