Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University
Sullivan Hall
1330 W. Berks Street, 1st floor
(215) 204-6632

Accumulated by the eponymous scholar over three decades, the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection has materials on the global black experience in all formats: books, pamphlets, journals, newspapers, posters, busts, and photographs, making it one of the nation's preeminent research facilities emphasizing the history and culture of people of African ancestry. Considered one of the foremost experts on the Underground Railroad, Blockson's private collection specifically includes the first-edition works of Phyllis Wheatley and W.E.B. DuBois; narratives by Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglass; and the assorted correspondence of Haitian Revolutionaries and Paul Robeson's sheet music. Materials are not permitted to circulate.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania
13th & Locust Streets
(215) 732-6200

Conducting genealogical research or simply seeking more information on the African American legacy in Philadelphia? View 18th-century penmanship primers from African American students, plus read the handwritten records of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and the runaways they helped with food, clothing, and even haircuts, at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Located at 13th and Locust streets, the HSP collection of printed materials regarding Pennsylvania and regional history is unmatched, and includes in-depth documentation of the area's ethnic communities. There is an admission fee.

Library Company of Philadelphia
1314 Locust Street
(215) 546-3181

An independent research library, the Library Company of Philadelphia's Afro-Americana collection includes books, periodicals, and graphics documenting the western exploitation of Africa, the rise of slavery in the United States, and the abolitionist movement and its impact on African Americans in the 20th century. The special collection of more than 13,000 titles continues to grow and now includes examples of race in fiction and drama, and the printed materials of African American persons and organizations. Access to the print room is by appointment only.

Nearby Historic Marker:

While you're in the area, head over to 244 South 12th Street, and see where Underground Railroad agent William Still lived. After his father purchased Still's freedom, he began a coal stove business which blossomed, making him one of the city's most successful African American businessmen. Among his abolitionist activities, Still penned The Underground Railroad, a record of fugitive slaves who passed through Philadelphia. His documentation of runaways would help relatives to reunite with them later.

The National Archives Mid-Atlantic Region
900 Market Street (entrance on Chestnut Street, between 9th & 10th Streets)
(215) 606-0100

Explore history using interactive kiosks and access federal census records to enhance your historical research at the National Archives Mid-Atlantic Region. Its archives cover Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. Besides helping you start your family tree, the staff routinely coordinates specialized workshops to address research challenges unique to African Americans, including how to interpret military records, slave and non-population schedules, records of the Freedmen's Bureau, and courtroom transcripts, all available in the Robert Nix Federal Building, named in honor of the first African American from Pennsylvania to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Nix was also a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Visitors entering the National Archives must present valid photo ID at entrance. Closed Sundays and federal holidays.

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