America's 250th Birthday - The Black 4th in Philadelphia

1838 Black Metropolis is honored to host guest blogger Meredith Edlow

The week of The United States' 250th Birthday always takes Philadelphia back to it's colonial roots but in 2026 a set of like-minded, forward thinkers in Philadelphia came together to take the city back through time from the 17th century to the 21st century, from the east to the west of the city, highlighting people from North and South Philly, on a necessary trip through the American story rooted in a truer history of the country - via Philadelphia.

The "Annual Independence Day Gathering, Freedom Truth and Remembrance" Photo: M. Edlow

Michelle Flamer, 1838 Board Chair, lawyer and President's House Coalition supporter at the "Annual Independence Day Gathering, Freedom Truth and Remembrance" Photo: M. Edlow

For several months in 2026, prior to the country's Semiquincentennial, Americans witnessed the Federal government's effort to erase important, historic, facts from several historic sites across the country. In Philadelphia at The President's House site on Independence Mall panels of information that informed visitors about who was enslaved at the site, the country's history with slavery and a memorial to those enslaved were removed. A federal court fight ensued and on the 250th Birthday of the US, the city of Philadelphia remained locked in a legal battle over what to do about the historic property. On July 4th, Philadelphians and visitors to Independence Mall commemorated the 9 enslaved at an event at The President's House, led by Avenging The Ancestors Coalition and The President's House Coalition, preserving Black history in the face of the attempted erasure of it.

(L to R) Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, Philadelphia City Council member Rue Landau, 53rd Pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church Reverend Carolyn C. Cavaness, City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and City Council member Nina Ahmad at the "Annual Independence Day Gathering, Freedom Truth and Remembrance" Photo: M. Edlow

Philadelphia City Council President, Kenyatta Johnson, at the "Annual Independence Day Gathering, Freedom Truth and Remembrance" Photo: M. Edlow

During the city's annual July 4th festival an event was held on Independence Mall with Nikole Hannah-Jones, author of the New York Times 1619 Project. In a conversation hosted by Lorene Cary, Jones delivered several packages of facts about Black culture and history, putting into perspective why erasing history would be so important to an authoritarian government, to a diverse and captivated crowd.

Lorene Cary and Nikole Hannah-Jones. Photo: M. Edlow

Attendees to the conversation with Nikole Hannah-Jones posing with journalist/author/professor. Photo: M. Edlow

At the Arch St. Meeting House in Old City the Quaker's history with slavery was examined with an exhibition of an anti-slavery document signed in 1688 by Quaker settlers in Germantown who challenged the institution being utilized by their community.

For almost twenty years the Rocky statue, based on the likeness of the beloved fictional boxing character from the series of "Rocky" films, held a prime, visible location just off of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and steps from the Philadelphia Museum of Art where the character made his climactic run up the stairs that would take his name. The Rocky statue now sits on top of those famous steps and on June 29, 2026, the week of the Semiquincentennial, a statue of the legendary boxer, Joe Frazier, whose gym was located in North Philly, moved into Rocky's former place. Frazier's family, including his daughter Judge Jacqui Frazier Lyde, a host of Philly elites, North Philly neighborhood friends, elected officials and the who's who from Philly's boxing world came out for the unveiling of the statue in it's new home. The statue previously stood in South Philadelphia near the cluster of sports stadiums.

The crowd of attendees at the Joe Frazier statue unveiling. Photo: M. Edlow

Philly boxer, Bernard Hopkins, at the Joe Frazier statue unveiling. Photo: M. Edlow

Judge Jacqui Frazier Lyde, Joe Frazier's daughter, at the Joe Frazier statue unveiling. Photo: M. Edlow

The week of July 4th in Philadelphia always brings parades and fireworks displays and, in an evolved moment in Philly history, a drone light show commenced above the National Constitution Center entertaining visitors to The Mall. On the same night floats for what ultimately was a canceled parade, due to an extraordinary heat wave, lined the Mall waiting for their journey down Market St. Noticeable was the inclusion of native American imagery, a hard lean into Black civil rights leaders and a float led by Harriet Tubman. On the same night as the drone light show, visitors to Independence Mall were seen taking in the information that remained on the President's House.

A float for the "Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade" Photo: M. Edlow

A float for the "Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade" Photo: M. Edlow

A float for the "Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade" Photo by M. Edlow

An image from the "Independence Illumination Drone Show" Photo by M. Edlow

A visitor to The President's House looks on a information added to a wall that once included information about the enslaved at the site. Photo: M. Edlow

Ending the day on July 4, 2026 Philadelphia held a star-studded concert that included internationally known acts from Philadelphia and across the country. Wanda Sykes hosted the evening with a musical line up of Jill Scott, Tierra Whack, The Roots, Kathy Sledge, State Property- Freeway & Beanie Sigel, Meek Mill and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The full list of musical acts included Christina Aguilera, Seal, Adam Blackstone, Jordan Davis and Infinity Song.