By Adriane M. Mc Cray
Exactly, what is Philadelphia to a Black Penn Student?
Do we, as Black Penn students, ever identify as intellectuals of the city of Philadelphia? Or perhaps as Philadelphians by way of Houston, Detroit, or Cleveland (insert your own hometown here)?
When questioned about resistance to leaving campus and exploring the city, students speak of cost and effort as factors in their decision. Some reported that the attraction to the city was not high enough to compel them. For student hailing from New York, Chicago, L.A, and other large urban cities, biases in favor of their own hometown might be their biggest struggle in adapting culturally to the Philadelphia.
Cities occupy a unique place in history generally and for Black America, in particular. Philadelphia’s history is politically, artistically, and intellectually rich with the stories of Blacks in the past centuries.
From a historical perspective, in choosing to attend the University of Pennsylvania, we have become students on the founding soil of this democratic nation. As the first capital of the United States, Philadelphia—specifically Old City—is decorated with our country’s birthmarks. Although the tales of minorities in America are never given adequate justice in mainstream history, Philadelphia claims this nation’s first African-American museum. The Freedom Theatre and the Declaration House are also sites of our Black cultural history in Philadelphia.
Many of us have longstanding connections with Philly, through the music scene—some favorites ranging from Musiq Soulchild to The Roots. Often forgotten are the rich blends that have collected over the decades from the historical musical innovators that got their start in Philly—like the soul of the O’Jays, local Jazz legend, John Coltrane, and the esteemed Patti LaBelle.
How often do we put down our IPods and MP3 players to explore the Philadelphia music scene live by visiting the Electric Factory, Warmdaddy’s, or the concert series and ethnic festivals at Penn’s Landing? An off campus visit could be a rediscovery to the threaded origins making up the musical fabric on which Philadelphia rests.
Finally, Penn seems to be the educational hub that houses our intellectual thought as Black college students. Some students claim it as one of few places students can interact with other young Blacks intellectually. Yet Philadelphia is uniquely situated as a college town for several universities. Schools such as Drexel, Temple, St. Joes, and La Salle, all stake claim to Philadelphia as their college hometown.
Only a train ride away, it seems probable that we “social ivy leaguers” might spark a connection with fellow Black collegians in the area. Some students complain that the small size of Philadelphia decreases its appeal. Arguably, this response might differ if the Black community we chose to associate with at Penn was widened to include the Black students of all universities in the area. A “Philadelphia Black Student Association” or “Black Philadelphia Student Convention” could be in our near future, beginning with the simple exploration of a few Penn students at other Universities.
If we choose not to claim Philadelphia as our temporary home, what is our advantage in receiving a high quality education in this diverse an urban location? How could we distinguish Penn over other rural and suburban campuses that offer a similar level of academic rigor and prestige?
If discovery is a key facet in a well-rounded education, then engagement with the community is a necessary part of our undergraduate years.
Make Black Philadelphia your own.
