Skip to content

Library Company of Philadelphia offers treasure trove of black history

The mid-1960s facade of the Library Company of Philadelphia belies the age of what's inside. The company was founded as the nation's first subscription library in 1731 by - surprise! - Benjamin Franklin and members of his intellectual circle. Used as the unofficial Library of Congress during the period when Philadelphia was the nation's capital, its tony beginnings have often linked the collection to a blue-blooded elite.

Published