Valerie RussWhat I DoI write about history, identity, social justice and communities.(215) 854-5987The Johnston brothers have stories to tell: in art, history, and connecting food to the cityThe brothers, who live and work in Philadelphia, have made their mark in community-oriented projects in different ways.Valerie Russ April 11, 2025Link copied to clipboardNew creative writing series for young people honors Larry Neal, a North Philly writer, poet, and leader of the Black Arts Movement The Any Day Now creative writing series, in honor of Philadelphia poet Larry Neal, starts Saturday. It's a project of the Friends of the Tanner House and the Strawberry Mansion Learning Center.Valerie Russ Feb. 21, 2025Link copied to clipboardA mural at SEPTA’s Independence Hall station misspells another historic name: Charles Willson Peale, an artist of the American RevolutionIn 2021, SEPTA caught flack because a painting at its Fifth Street station misspelled Frederick Douglass' first name. This month, a historian noticed another error in Charles Willson Peale's name.Valerie Russ Jan. 24, 2025Link copied to clipboardTwo killed in New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day shootings in Philadelphia Two men were killed in Philadelphia during New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day shootings. Another man was injured, and a SWAT barricade ended with three arrests.Valerie Russ Jan. 2, 2025Link copied to clipboardA community organization will serve free Thanksgiving Day meals at Philadelphia’s Church of the AdvocateThe Church of the Advocate shuttered its Advocate Cafe soup kitchen in September after 40 years, but a community member is sponsoring free Thanksgiving meals there on Thursday.Valerie Russ Nov. 27, 2024Link copied to clipboardLive jazz welcomed neighbors — and folks from around the city — to ‘The Yard’ on John Coltrane Street in Strawberry Mansion“Maybe it’s a place where people can come together, get to know each other and build unity,” a Strawberry Mansion block captain said.Valerie Russ Nov. 10, 2024Link copied to clipboardGeorge Anthony Morton, artist featured in the HBO film ‘Master of Light,’ leads Philly mural featuring Henry O. Tanner’s ‘The Thankful Poor’George Anthony Morton, an Atlanta-based artist who views Henry Ossawa Tanner as a spiritual mentor, is the artist for a mural of Tanner's The Thankful Poor in Philadelphia.Valerie Russ Oct. 28, 2024Link copied to clipboardPenn student getting a new honor for starting ‘For Love & Buttercup,’ a nonprofit that donates books to sick kidsEmily Bhatnagar has helped donate over 25,000 books to kids in hospitals. Now she's getting a new award for her charitable work.Valerie Russ March 11, 2025Link copied to clipboardAt Mother Bethel, Villanova professor previews ‘Last Seen,’ her book about how Black families searched for relatives sold during slaveryVillanova University history professor Judith Giesberg has written a new book, "Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families."Valerie Russ Feb. 9, 2025Link copied to clipboardResponse to Pan-African Sisterhood Health Initiative pad-making project is ‘overwhelming’ — in a good wayAfter an Inquirer story on P.A.S.H.I., which sews reusable period pads for girls and women in Africa, the group got a boost in donations, volunteers, and a new website.Valerie Russ Jan. 20, 2025Link copied to clipboardDozens of Black women in Philly gather weekly to sew reusable period pads for girls in Africa and beyondA group of retired Black women in Philly, many already skilled quilters and artists, gather weekly to sew period pads for girls in Africa. Along the way, they've also built a community here.Valerie Russ Dec. 28, 2024Link copied to clipboardBefore ‘The Thankful Poor’ mural was dedicated at a Philadelphia church, a child asked: What do the poor have to be thankful for?Mural Arts held a dedication of the completed The Thankful Poor mural, a recreation of the original painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner. Artist George Anthony Morton was curator of the mural.Valerie Russ Nov. 27, 2024Link copied to clipboardPhiladelphia will honor Sadie T. M. Alexander, a pioneering civil rights lawyer and economist, with a statue After a delay due to the pandemic, Philadelphia is planning to move forward on erecting a statue of civil rights lawyer Sadie T.M. Alexander. A public Zoom meeting is set for Nov. 7.Valerie Russ Nov. 4, 2024Link copied to clipboardDeborah Hill Gary, Philadelphia businesswoman, historic preservationist, and board member of the Leon H. Sullivan Charitable Trust, has died at 69Deborah Hill Gary, a Philadelphia businesswoman who founded the Society to Preserve Philadelphia African American Assets and helped launch the Friends of Tanner House, died at 69.Valerie Russ Oct. 21, 2024Link copied to clipboardPhilly-born pottery artist Roberto Lugo has a new show of ‘Greek vases’ at PrincetonRoberto Lugo lived in Kensington and did graffiti. He left due to the violence and studied art. Now his ancient Greek-themed pottery is on exhibit at a Princeton University Art Museum gallery.Valerie Russ March 3, 2025Link copied to clipboardArtist repairs misspelling of Charles Willson Peale’s name in a mural at SEPTA’S Independence Hall stationThe previous spelling of Charles Willson Peale, who is considered the artist of the American Revolution, was missing an "l" in Wilson.Valerie Russ Jan. 28, 2025Link copied to clipboardRegion rings in 2025 with first babies of the New YearThere were a crop of babies arriving in the wee hours of 2025. The first in the Philadelphia area may be Owen Eugene Brewer, a boy, born at midnight at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Easton.Valerie Russ Jan. 2, 2025Link copied to clipboardArtists have until Monday to apply to design the Sadie T.M. Alexander statue for PhillyCreative Philadelphia is reminding artists that the deadline to submit their Phase I qualifications application to create a statue of lawyer and economist Sadie T.M. Alexander is Dec. 30.Valerie Russ Dec. 24, 2024Link copied to clipboardFamilies of recently reburied Colonial-era Philadelphians came from across the country for a Thanksgiving memorial service — 240 years laterService at Mount Moriah Cemetery honored remains of those originally buried at First Baptist Church.Valerie Russ Nov. 26, 2024Link copied to clipboardRev. Mark Kelly Tyler talks of mixed feelings, preparing to give his ‘last sermon,’ and stepping down as pastor at Mother Bethel AME Tyler is now the African Methodist Episcopal Church's historiographer and executive director of the church’s Department of Research and Scholarship.Valerie Russ Nov. 2, 2024Link copied to clipboardSee more stories
The Johnston brothers have stories to tell: in art, history, and connecting food to the cityThe brothers, who live and work in Philadelphia, have made their mark in community-oriented projects in different ways.Valerie Russ April 11, 2025Link copied to clipboard
The Johnston brothers have stories to tell: in art, history, and connecting food to the cityThe brothers, who live and work in Philadelphia, have made their mark in community-oriented projects in different ways.Valerie Russ April 11, 2025Link copied to clipboard
New creative writing series for young people honors Larry Neal, a North Philly writer, poet, and leader of the Black Arts Movement The Any Day Now creative writing series, in honor of Philadelphia poet Larry Neal, starts Saturday. It's a project of the Friends of the Tanner House and the Strawberry Mansion Learning Center.Valerie Russ Feb. 21, 2025Link copied to clipboard
New creative writing series for young people honors Larry Neal, a North Philly writer, poet, and leader of the Black Arts Movement The Any Day Now creative writing series, in honor of Philadelphia poet Larry Neal, starts Saturday. It's a project of the Friends of the Tanner House and the Strawberry Mansion Learning Center.Valerie Russ Feb. 21, 2025Link copied to clipboard
A mural at SEPTA’s Independence Hall station misspells another historic name: Charles Willson Peale, an artist of the American RevolutionIn 2021, SEPTA caught flack because a painting at its Fifth Street station misspelled Frederick Douglass' first name. This month, a historian noticed another error in Charles Willson Peale's name.Valerie Russ Jan. 24, 2025Link copied to clipboard
A mural at SEPTA’s Independence Hall station misspells another historic name: Charles Willson Peale, an artist of the American RevolutionIn 2021, SEPTA caught flack because a painting at its Fifth Street station misspelled Frederick Douglass' first name. This month, a historian noticed another error in Charles Willson Peale's name.Valerie Russ Jan. 24, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Two killed in New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day shootings in Philadelphia Two men were killed in Philadelphia during New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day shootings. Another man was injured, and a SWAT barricade ended with three arrests.Valerie Russ Jan. 2, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Two killed in New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day shootings in Philadelphia Two men were killed in Philadelphia during New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day shootings. Another man was injured, and a SWAT barricade ended with three arrests.Valerie Russ Jan. 2, 2025Link copied to clipboard
A community organization will serve free Thanksgiving Day meals at Philadelphia’s Church of the AdvocateThe Church of the Advocate shuttered its Advocate Cafe soup kitchen in September after 40 years, but a community member is sponsoring free Thanksgiving meals there on Thursday.Valerie Russ Nov. 27, 2024Link copied to clipboard
A community organization will serve free Thanksgiving Day meals at Philadelphia’s Church of the AdvocateThe Church of the Advocate shuttered its Advocate Cafe soup kitchen in September after 40 years, but a community member is sponsoring free Thanksgiving meals there on Thursday.Valerie Russ Nov. 27, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Live jazz welcomed neighbors — and folks from around the city — to ‘The Yard’ on John Coltrane Street in Strawberry Mansion“Maybe it’s a place where people can come together, get to know each other and build unity,” a Strawberry Mansion block captain said.Valerie Russ Nov. 10, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Live jazz welcomed neighbors — and folks from around the city — to ‘The Yard’ on John Coltrane Street in Strawberry Mansion“Maybe it’s a place where people can come together, get to know each other and build unity,” a Strawberry Mansion block captain said.Valerie Russ Nov. 10, 2024Link copied to clipboard
George Anthony Morton, artist featured in the HBO film ‘Master of Light,’ leads Philly mural featuring Henry O. Tanner’s ‘The Thankful Poor’George Anthony Morton, an Atlanta-based artist who views Henry Ossawa Tanner as a spiritual mentor, is the artist for a mural of Tanner's The Thankful Poor in Philadelphia.Valerie Russ Oct. 28, 2024Link copied to clipboard
George Anthony Morton, artist featured in the HBO film ‘Master of Light,’ leads Philly mural featuring Henry O. Tanner’s ‘The Thankful Poor’George Anthony Morton, an Atlanta-based artist who views Henry Ossawa Tanner as a spiritual mentor, is the artist for a mural of Tanner's The Thankful Poor in Philadelphia.Valerie Russ Oct. 28, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Penn student getting a new honor for starting ‘For Love & Buttercup,’ a nonprofit that donates books to sick kidsEmily Bhatnagar has helped donate over 25,000 books to kids in hospitals. Now she's getting a new award for her charitable work.Valerie Russ March 11, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Penn student getting a new honor for starting ‘For Love & Buttercup,’ a nonprofit that donates books to sick kidsEmily Bhatnagar has helped donate over 25,000 books to kids in hospitals. Now she's getting a new award for her charitable work.Valerie Russ March 11, 2025Link copied to clipboard
At Mother Bethel, Villanova professor previews ‘Last Seen,’ her book about how Black families searched for relatives sold during slaveryVillanova University history professor Judith Giesberg has written a new book, "Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families."Valerie Russ Feb. 9, 2025Link copied to clipboard
At Mother Bethel, Villanova professor previews ‘Last Seen,’ her book about how Black families searched for relatives sold during slaveryVillanova University history professor Judith Giesberg has written a new book, "Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families."Valerie Russ Feb. 9, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Response to Pan-African Sisterhood Health Initiative pad-making project is ‘overwhelming’ — in a good wayAfter an Inquirer story on P.A.S.H.I., which sews reusable period pads for girls and women in Africa, the group got a boost in donations, volunteers, and a new website.Valerie Russ Jan. 20, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Response to Pan-African Sisterhood Health Initiative pad-making project is ‘overwhelming’ — in a good wayAfter an Inquirer story on P.A.S.H.I., which sews reusable period pads for girls and women in Africa, the group got a boost in donations, volunteers, and a new website.Valerie Russ Jan. 20, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Dozens of Black women in Philly gather weekly to sew reusable period pads for girls in Africa and beyondA group of retired Black women in Philly, many already skilled quilters and artists, gather weekly to sew period pads for girls in Africa. Along the way, they've also built a community here.Valerie Russ Dec. 28, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Dozens of Black women in Philly gather weekly to sew reusable period pads for girls in Africa and beyondA group of retired Black women in Philly, many already skilled quilters and artists, gather weekly to sew period pads for girls in Africa. Along the way, they've also built a community here.Valerie Russ Dec. 28, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Before ‘The Thankful Poor’ mural was dedicated at a Philadelphia church, a child asked: What do the poor have to be thankful for?Mural Arts held a dedication of the completed The Thankful Poor mural, a recreation of the original painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner. Artist George Anthony Morton was curator of the mural.Valerie Russ Nov. 27, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Before ‘The Thankful Poor’ mural was dedicated at a Philadelphia church, a child asked: What do the poor have to be thankful for?Mural Arts held a dedication of the completed The Thankful Poor mural, a recreation of the original painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner. Artist George Anthony Morton was curator of the mural.Valerie Russ Nov. 27, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Philadelphia will honor Sadie T. M. Alexander, a pioneering civil rights lawyer and economist, with a statue After a delay due to the pandemic, Philadelphia is planning to move forward on erecting a statue of civil rights lawyer Sadie T.M. Alexander. A public Zoom meeting is set for Nov. 7.Valerie Russ Nov. 4, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Philadelphia will honor Sadie T. M. Alexander, a pioneering civil rights lawyer and economist, with a statue After a delay due to the pandemic, Philadelphia is planning to move forward on erecting a statue of civil rights lawyer Sadie T.M. Alexander. A public Zoom meeting is set for Nov. 7.Valerie Russ Nov. 4, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Deborah Hill Gary, Philadelphia businesswoman, historic preservationist, and board member of the Leon H. Sullivan Charitable Trust, has died at 69Deborah Hill Gary, a Philadelphia businesswoman who founded the Society to Preserve Philadelphia African American Assets and helped launch the Friends of Tanner House, died at 69.Valerie Russ Oct. 21, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Deborah Hill Gary, Philadelphia businesswoman, historic preservationist, and board member of the Leon H. Sullivan Charitable Trust, has died at 69Deborah Hill Gary, a Philadelphia businesswoman who founded the Society to Preserve Philadelphia African American Assets and helped launch the Friends of Tanner House, died at 69.Valerie Russ Oct. 21, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Philly-born pottery artist Roberto Lugo has a new show of ‘Greek vases’ at PrincetonRoberto Lugo lived in Kensington and did graffiti. He left due to the violence and studied art. Now his ancient Greek-themed pottery is on exhibit at a Princeton University Art Museum gallery.Valerie Russ March 3, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Philly-born pottery artist Roberto Lugo has a new show of ‘Greek vases’ at PrincetonRoberto Lugo lived in Kensington and did graffiti. He left due to the violence and studied art. Now his ancient Greek-themed pottery is on exhibit at a Princeton University Art Museum gallery.Valerie Russ March 3, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Artist repairs misspelling of Charles Willson Peale’s name in a mural at SEPTA’S Independence Hall stationThe previous spelling of Charles Willson Peale, who is considered the artist of the American Revolution, was missing an "l" in Wilson.Valerie Russ Jan. 28, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Artist repairs misspelling of Charles Willson Peale’s name in a mural at SEPTA’S Independence Hall stationThe previous spelling of Charles Willson Peale, who is considered the artist of the American Revolution, was missing an "l" in Wilson.Valerie Russ Jan. 28, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Region rings in 2025 with first babies of the New YearThere were a crop of babies arriving in the wee hours of 2025. The first in the Philadelphia area may be Owen Eugene Brewer, a boy, born at midnight at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Easton.Valerie Russ Jan. 2, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Region rings in 2025 with first babies of the New YearThere were a crop of babies arriving in the wee hours of 2025. The first in the Philadelphia area may be Owen Eugene Brewer, a boy, born at midnight at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Easton.Valerie Russ Jan. 2, 2025Link copied to clipboard
Artists have until Monday to apply to design the Sadie T.M. Alexander statue for PhillyCreative Philadelphia is reminding artists that the deadline to submit their Phase I qualifications application to create a statue of lawyer and economist Sadie T.M. Alexander is Dec. 30.Valerie Russ Dec. 24, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Artists have until Monday to apply to design the Sadie T.M. Alexander statue for PhillyCreative Philadelphia is reminding artists that the deadline to submit their Phase I qualifications application to create a statue of lawyer and economist Sadie T.M. Alexander is Dec. 30.Valerie Russ Dec. 24, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Families of recently reburied Colonial-era Philadelphians came from across the country for a Thanksgiving memorial service — 240 years laterService at Mount Moriah Cemetery honored remains of those originally buried at First Baptist Church.Valerie Russ Nov. 26, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Families of recently reburied Colonial-era Philadelphians came from across the country for a Thanksgiving memorial service — 240 years laterService at Mount Moriah Cemetery honored remains of those originally buried at First Baptist Church.Valerie Russ Nov. 26, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler talks of mixed feelings, preparing to give his ‘last sermon,’ and stepping down as pastor at Mother Bethel AME Tyler is now the African Methodist Episcopal Church's historiographer and executive director of the church’s Department of Research and Scholarship.Valerie Russ Nov. 2, 2024Link copied to clipboard
Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler talks of mixed feelings, preparing to give his ‘last sermon,’ and stepping down as pastor at Mother Bethel AME Tyler is now the African Methodist Episcopal Church's historiographer and executive director of the church’s Department of Research and Scholarship.Valerie Russ Nov. 2, 2024Link copied to clipboard
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