Date/Time
Date(s) - 12/21/2025
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location
6th and Market streets
Categories
It took the power of the community to create The President’s House/Slavery Memorial, a self-guided outdoor exhibit, near the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia’s historic district. That was more than a decade ago. Now, the home in the shadow of the birth of liberty is under the threat of being closed permanently. Come out to support and celebrate the 15th anniversary of the grand opening of the President’s House/Slavery Memorial hosted by the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, a group leading the fight to save the memorial. The exhibit chronicles the paradox and struggle between slavery and freedom in the newly formed United States after the American Revolution. George Washington’s household was run by occupied indentured individuals who lived and worked on this site during his presidency. Nine Black men, women, and children lived at America’s first “White House.” Some of the enslaved individuals like Oney Judge managed to famously escape to freedom. The house was demolished in 1832 after the White House was moved to Washington, D.C. The accounts of daily life in the original president’s quarters are preserved through videos sharing the perspective of enslaved individuals, and text panels examine topics ranging from visiting tribal delegations to the early work of the executive branch. On display are the vestiges of the home’s embedded foundations. Free, 2 p.m. EST, 6th and Market streets (The free exhibit, with no tickets needed, is open daily, from 7 a.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST.) Email: AvengingTheAncestors@gmail.com, AvengingTheAncestors.com