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From Old City to Germantown, Black history is integral to the story of Philadelphia. Whether its the country’s first African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, stops on the Underground Railroad, or monuments that highlight critical contributions African Americans made to the city, interesting sites are everywhere.
Black activists, artists, religious leaders, and formerly enslaved people in search of basic freedoms have passed through Philadelphia and helped make the city what it is. See the landmarks around Philadelphia that are dedicated to sharing their stories.
Mother Bethel AME
It’s impossible to know if Bishop Richard Allen dreamed it could endure for centuries when he founded Mother Bethel AME Church in 1794, but it does. Rev. Allen, who was born into slavery, wanted a congregation where Black Philadelphians could worship without segregation or judgement by white church members, so he brought that place to life.
As the mother church of the first Black denomination in America, visiting the beautiful building is a top thing to do for history lovers. Mother Bethel was a stop on the Underground Railroad and welcomed abolitionists like Frederick Douglass and Lucretia Mott. We visited to admire the beautiful stained-glass windows and to explore the museum, which tells the powerful story of a church that helped shape early African American history.
National Constitution Center
Don’t let the name fool you—the National Constitution Center is about much more than the Constitution itself. The museum explores major moments in American history, including the achievements of African Americans and the long fight for equal rights.
Displays focus on pivotal Supreme Court cases–including Brown v. Board of Education and Dred Scott v. Sandford–and Constitutional amendments that helped establish civil rights. You can also see a rare copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln and a copy of “A More Perfect Union,” a speech Barack Obama delivered here when he was a senator.
Christ Church
Christ Church has welcomed its share of notable names, including Presidents, signers of the Declaration of Independence, and other well-known figures, but that’s only part of the story. When we visited, we learned the stories of other parishioners whom history often leaves out, including the enslaved people and the free people of color who worshiped and were baptized at the church. One of the more powerful stories is Absalom Jones‘s. Enslaved when he first attended the congregation, Jones later bought his freedom and was ordained by Christ Church as the first Black priest of the Episcopal Church.
Cliveden
Cliveden is most well-known for its role as part of the Battle of Germantown which raged around the estate in 1777. A tour of the home goes well beyond the American Revolution and deep into the stories of the Chew family who owned Cliveden for seven generations and the enslaved people and indentured servants who built the family’s fortune. The themes of the tours change periodically and cover topics like women who lived at the house and the lives of African Americans who lived on the Chews’ properties around the Mid-Atlantic.
African American Museum in Philadelphia
The African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first museum in a major US city focused on the heritage and culture of Black Americans. Exhibits cover everything from the contributions of African Americans in the early history of the US to civil rights, the Negro baseball league, and art.
In addition to its sizable permanent collection of tools, household items, and ceremonial objects, the African American Museum features the Jack T. Franklin Photography Collection. With over 500,000 negatives and photographs, the Collection chronicles events and milestones in Philadelphia’s African American community.
Fair Hill Burial Ground
At over 300 years old, Fair Hill Burial Ground is one of the most historical sites in Philadelphia. It was founded by Quakers who were active in anti-slavery activities dating back to the late 1600s, so it’s no surprise that Fair Hill is the final resting place for many who held strong abolitionist views.
Among the most famous abolitionists buried here are Lucretia Mott and Robert Purvis who were both well-known speakers and activists. Mott, the founder of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, helped runaway slaves from Maryland and Delaware who had reached Philadelphia. Purvis, a free man of mixed race, was part of the American Anti-Slavery Society and helped numerous people seeking freedom, which ultimately earned him the title of President of the Underground Railroad. Their graves are part of the Second Saturday tours, which focus on the area’s history and the significance of the people buried there.
Johnson House Historic Site
The Johnson House Historic Site is one of the most fascinating Black history sites in the city. The stone home, which looks much as it did in colonial times, was owned by devout Quakers who offered their home as a station along the Underground Railroad. It was a pivotal spot for formerly enslaved people making their way further north to stations in Montgomery County, Bucks County, and beyond.
Tours of the Johnson House include information about the family, the Quakers and anti-slavery movement, those who sought freedom, and the people who risked their lives to help. Expect a vivid account of what those escaping from slavery endured while fleeing north as you explore the historic home.
Black history murals
With thousands of murals and public artworks, the city has lots of pieces dedicated to famous and influential African Americans that are worth seeing.
In North Philly, on the side of the recreation center bearing his name, a mural honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shows his march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama. Not far away near Fair Hill burial ground, Harriett Tubman, Rev. Richard Allen, and others who were active in the Underground Railroad are memorialized for their important work. At 22nd Street and N. College Ave., you’ll find a mural dedicated to the Cecil B. Moore Freedom Fighters who fought for the desegregation of Girard College.
Musicians like The Roots (512 S. Broad Street), John Coltrane (29th and Diamond), and Marian Anderson (740 S. 17th) are also honored with murals for their musical and cultural contributions locally and on a national scale. From boxing great Joe Frazier at 1302 W. Allegheny Ave. to baseball legend Jackie Robinson at 2803 N. Broad Street, athletes are also among the many people acknowledged on the city’s walls.
Octavius V. Catto Memorial
One of the most influential African Americans in Philadelphia in the 19th century, Octavius V. Catto was a teacher, athlete, and civil rights activist who fought for voting rights and the desegregation of streetcars. On October 10, 1871—the first election day after the 15th Amendment was passed, guaranteeing Black men the right to vote—Catto was assassinated near his home on South Street.
The Octavius V. Catto memorial on the south side of Philadelphia City Hall depicts Catto in a powerful stride toward the ballot box. The pillars behind him represent a streetcar and illustrate his accomplishments and contributions to the city. The powerful statue always makes me stop and stare when I pass by.
President’s House
The President’s House site was occupied by George Washington and John Adams during their terms of office while Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the United States. For over a decade, the exhibit here focused on the house and the people who lived there, exploring the contradiction between the founding fathers fighting for freedom for some while owning other people in the shackles of slavery. It included the nine enslaved people Washington kept in the city and his efforts to evade local anti-slavery laws.
In January 2026, the Trump administration had the panels about slavery removed. Since then, visitors have put up a huge variety of signs every day (the National Parks Service removes them nightly). They often focus on civil rights, the importance of knowing about slavery, and democracy. Many are critical of the administration and the decision to destroy the exhibit. At the time of this article, Philadelphia is suing the administration.