A diamond is a girl’s best friend: Mo’ne Davis and her mother Lakeisha pose during a Wawa Welcome America festival women’s history event called HERstory in 2018. Davis received an award for her 2014 accomplishments, as she was the first girl ever to win a Little League World Series baseball game. Davis evened the playing field and exempies the pioneering spirit of Women’s Hisotry Month. Photo by Randy Giancaterino.
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.
– The First President of South Africa Nelson Mandela (1918 to 2013)
With each falling flurry and slushy footstep, spring seems a century away. But March, no matter how fickle, is the month of hope and transition. And it’s blooming on the horizon when it has been said (by the late American writer Lewis Grizzard) that “springtime is the land awakening.” Let us usher in the awakening of spring with these low-cost or free entertaining endeavors.
A Female’s Look At Romeo & Juliet
Thursday, March 5 to Sunday, April 5, 2026. O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo…He’s currently at the Arden Theatre. Shakespeare’s classic, Romeo and Juliet will hit the stage with a fresh interpretation directed by award–winning Amina Robinson. The production offers a bold vision of the classic piece through the eyes of a female. Robinson’s modern production of the iconic ancient-world star-crossed young romance, notes the promotional material, “strips the play to its emotional core, highlighting both the beauty and devastating cost of love born in a divided world.” The production is relevant to today’s societal themes of power, politics, division, and violence. Robinson is the first Black woman to get a Barrymore Award for “Outstanding Direction of a Musical.”
Single tickets: Kids & teens, $37; seniors: $45 & adults: $50; show times: 2 p.m. EST & 7 p.m. EST. Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd St. 215-922-1122 or ardentheatre.org
‘Jazz Jam’ To Celebrate Women’s History Month
Sunday, March 8, 2026. Catch the vibe at the 5th Annual Key of She Jazz Jam in Germantown. Enjoy an open “jazz jam” with workshops for students and adults. Bring instruments and take part in separate collective band performances led by Hailey Brinnel Quartet with Kal Feretti and Ginita y La Orquesta Esa, a New York City-based 10-piece Afro-Latin Mambo ensemble.
WRTI radio host Nicole Sweeney will present a session, “Unsung Heroes: Women in Jazz.” Learn a song with trombonist and singer Ginita and La Orquesta Esa in a workshop before performing with the band. Parents, educators, students, and jazz fans can mix and mingle afterwards.
Free but pre-register, free parking; 1 p.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST (doors open at 12:30 p.m. EST). Settlement Music School Germantown Branch, 6128 Germantown Ave. 215-320-2620 or https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/key-of-she-jazz-jam—2026
The Roots To Be Honored At UNCF Fundraiser
Saturday, March 21, 2026. The Roots will be honored with a special Semiquincentennial Legacy Award to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026 and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The award presentation will be a part of the United Negro College Fund Philadelphia’s 2026 Mayor’s Masked Ball fundraiser and gala. Hosted by UNCF and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, it is UNCF’s signature event that supports life-changing scholarships for students of color. It will be a night to shine.
Five community and corporate difference-makers will receive the 2026 Mayor’s Masked Awards: Cheryl McKissack Daniel, President & CEO of McKissack & McKissack, who will be honored with the Individual Champion Award; the Exelon Corporation will receive the Corporate Champion Award, and The Michael Ann and Saquon Barkley Foundation will be the beneficiaries of the Community Support Champion Award. Joseph Hill, Managing Director of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, will receive the Advancing Young Leadership Award (ATLA), and legendary hip-hop icons Philadelphia’s The Roots will be honored for their music and community accomplishments.
The fun-filled evening will feature a live auction with exclusive items, a silent auction, and a raffle with coveted prizes. Attendees will don their finest fancy masks and formal wear for a night of glitz, glitter, glamour and philanthropy, to support the UNCF’s mission to provide educational opportunities for college students. Be part of this evening of elegance and excitement while making a meaningful impact in the community. Over the years, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to assist more than 550,000 students, paving the way for a promising future.
Inquire about tickets; 7 p.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST (doors open at 6 p.m. EST). Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Center City Hotel, 12th & Market streets. Email: cstarling@uncf.org, 215-422-3373 or https://uncf.org/PhiladelphiaMMB
Photo courtesy of Visit Philadelphia.
Book This Business Tour
Saturday, March 21 & Sunday, March 28, 2026. Get on board, as Starfire hosts Deeply Rooted Trolley Tours by Harriett’s Bookshop, a three-hour, hop-on-hop-off tour of Black female-owned spaces in Philadelphia. Enjoy food, fun, books, and a women’s empowerment experience, all in the name of supporting female businesses.
Tour stops include 10 featured businesses.
$73.34 per ticket; Two days, two times: 11 a.m. EST and 3 p.m. EST (Note: 11 a.m. EST March 21stis sold out). Starting location: Harriett’s Bookshop, 258 East Girard Ave. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-deeply-rooted-trolley-tour-by-harrietts-bookshop-tickets-1980126099467?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
“Counter Narratives – Resistance and Resilience” exhibit includes (left to right): Christina Johnson, Oney (Ona) Judge: A Woman of Substance, mixed media quilt; Barbara McCrowell, America’s First Celebrity Chef (Hercules Posey), quilt; Maisha Sullivan Ongoza, On Our Backs, mixed media installation. Photo courtesy of Creative Philadelphia.
Art Exhibit Honors Black Ancestors & Activists
Through Friday, April 24, 2026. To observe Blacks’ contributions and also America’s 250th anniversary, Creative Philadelphia’s Art In City Hall program is hosting Counter Narratives – Resistance and Resilience. The show has been organized by the Sankofa Artisans Guild (SAG), a group of multimedia fiber artists of African descent. Featured are 24 artists with works that highlight the resilience of African-American culture. They include Philadelphia’s Black founding ancestors and activists.
The exhibit covers well-known abolitionists like Harriet Tubman and William Still; it honors local figures such as Still’s daughter, Caroline, and the formerly enslaved abolitionist Cyrus Bustill, whose family includes generations of community contributors and professionals.
Free, Creative Philadelphia Art Gallery, Rm. 116 and on the 4th Fl. (northeast corner). Gallery hours: Mondays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. EST to 4 p.m. EST & Fridays, noon to 4 p.m. EST. City Hall, Broad and Market sts. 215-686-8446 or https://www.creativephl.org/exhibition/counter-narratives-resistance-and-resilience/
Photo courtesy of Ensemble Arts Philly
Jazz Education Series Links Arts, History & Justice
Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Kids will celebrate jazz as a key part of African-American music at Ensemble Arts Philly’s Jazz for Freedom Education Series. Jazz for Freedom aligns with the Philadelphia School District’s English-language arts and social studies educational programs, combining the arts, culture, geography, history, and civics. More than 5,000 students, from grades 5th to 7th, participate annually. The initiative includes a visit to the Kimmel Center, interactive pre-show workshops led by musicians and skilled teaching artists who visit classrooms.
The promotional material notes: “Students explore the cultural significance of jazz and its role in shaping our collective narrative, learning about elements and instruments in the art form, as well as significant artists like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Langston Hughes, and focus on the Civil Rights Movement and the legacy of Dr. King.” The kids will enjoy music, spoken word, tap dancing, scatting, and commentary on social justice. They will learn about jazz history, from New Orleans to Philadelphia.
Free; 10:30 a.m. EST to 11:30 a.m. EST & noon to 1 p.m. EST. Kimmel Center / Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St. www.EnsembleArtsPhilly.org
