This morning we took the bus to Philadelphia for our first field trip this week. We got dropped off at Independence Hall, where we started our walking tour by the Black Journey with our tour guides Mijuel and Alfonso. We learned about Philadelphia’s Black history, including the fight for freedom, while walking around Old City. We visited numerous significant landmarks, like Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where Harriet Tubman (also known as “Moses”) once spoke, the foundations of the first White House, and Independence Hall. Mother Bethel AME Church is one of the oldest predominantly African American churches and the oldest church property to be continuously owned by African Americans. We also visited Washington Square Park, also known as Congo Square, with the Eternal Flame and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. An interesting fact we learned is that about 5000-7000 people are buried underneath the park’s surface ground, and 1500 of them were soldiers. We also learned how these landmarks are deeply connected to the ancestry of African Americans in Philadelphia and learned about important Black figures such as William Still and Octavius V. Catto.
After the tour, we walked to the Reading Terminal Market for lunch. We got all kinds of food, including crepes, sandwiches, mac and cheese, cookies, pretzels, ice cream, and more. We had a great time exploring all the different cuisines and trying new foods. We also saw some trinkets and unique goods at the many shops at the market, some being handmade in Morocco.