In a moving tribute to local history and grassroots activism, community members, family, and local leaders gathered yesterday along Market Street to celebrate the ceremonial renaming of its 3600 block as “Walt Palmer-Black Bottom Way.”

Organized to honor the life, activism, and enduring legacy of Dr. Walter Palmer, the street renaming recognizes both an individual who spent decades fighting for civil rights and the historic Black Bottom neighborhood that was largely erased by 20th-century urban development.

During the ceremony, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier presented Dr. Palmer with an official City Council resolution formally recognizing “Black Bottom” as the original and historical name for this section of West Philadelphia.

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This August, West Philadelphia will honor a vital piece of local civil rights history as Freedom Now Fest returns to Lancaster Avenue. The festival commemorates the 61st anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic Freedom Now Rally speech, delivered at 40th and Lancaster in 1965.

On Sunday afternoon, Lancaster Avenue will transform into a lively block festival connecting Dr. King’s enduring legacy with neighborhood culture and community empowerment. This free event will feature:

• Live Performances & Art: Live music, spoken word, public art installations, and wellness experiences.
• Family & Youth Activities: Interactive programming including the Dream Builders Kids Zone.
• Film & Tradition: The return of the popular “King on the Avenue” film screening alongside the Lancaster Avenue Living Legacy Bell, featured as part of the statewide America250PA initiative.
• Local Economy & Culture: Food vendors, local artists, community organizations, and Black-owned businesses lining the corridor.

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The Free Library of Philadelphia has launched a new club focused on black genealogy, part of The Legacy Lab series. Club events will be held at the Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek Library and the Kingsessing Library and are timed with the nation’s 250th anniversary. The series offers community members opportunities to research, document, and celebrate their own family histories.

“The Legacy Lab demonstrates how libraries can expand access to powerful tools and for learning and discovery,” said Kelly Richards, President and Director, the Free Library of Philadelphia. “By offering free resources, guidance, and welcoming spaces, we are helping ensure that Black families explore their family histories, reclaim their narratives, and pass the knowledge on to future generations.”

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On Sunday, Aug. 3, the Black Bottom community will host a day of remembrance, celebration, and neighborhood activation to mark the 60th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1965 visit to the neighborhood. Themed “Honoring Rev. Dr. King’s Legacy in the Black Bottom—60 Years Later,” the event will center on community engagement, cultural storytelling, and the preservation of neighborhood history.

Planned in partnership with community leaders, institutions, area businesses, and grassroots organizations, this commemorative event will take place at 40th and Haverford and surrounding areas in the Black Bottom. A rich lineup of programming between 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. will include live performances, spoken word, storytelling, wellness services, free classes, food trucks, and a historical guide along Dr. King’s 1965 route through the neighborhood.

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City officials, community members, and organizations are honoring MOVE bombing victims on the 40th anniversary of the tragic event.

Eleven people, including five children ages 9-14, were killed on May 13, 1985 when the Philadelphia Police Department dropped a military-grade bomb on the residence of the MOVE organization, a Black liberation group, at 6221 Osage Ave. The resulting explosion caused a devastating fire that destroyed dozens of homes in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood – two full city blocks were burned to the ground, destroying 61 houses.

In 2020, the Philadelphia City Council formally apologized for the bombing and passed a resolution to establish the MOVE bombing day, May 13, as an annual day of “observation, reflection and recommitment.” The first Day of Remembrance of the MOVE bombing, which included a march to Malcolm X. Park, was held on May 13, 2021.

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Hakim’s Bookstore and its historical marker.

Visit Philadelphia has launched a new series celebrating generational Black-owned businesses ahead of Black History Month. A four-part video series, titled Legacy & Love, celebrates the contributions of Black-owned businesses in Philadelphia that have been passed down through generations or built as a tribute to loved ones. The series features two West Philadelphia-based businesses – Hakim’s Bookstore and Arterial Coffee.

The national theme for Black History Month, “African Americans and Labor,” is explored through the stories of four businesses that highlight the perseverance, legacy and entrepreneurial spirit within the city’s Black community. Here are more details about the West Philly-based businesses featured in the series:

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