The late, legendary trumpeter Miles Davis contributed to the pioneering emergence of 20th-century modern jazz. This 1969 photo from the now-defunct New York Jazz Museum’s archives is part of an exhibit on Black history and culture in the U.S. at the New York Public Library’s Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture. Next week marks the 100th birthday of the late Davis, and WXPN public radio will pay tribute with 24 hours of Davis’ music.
“For me, music and life are all about style.”
― Miles Davis (1926-1991).
This week’s events column celebrates Black liberation, dance, the 100th birthday of jazz musician Miles Davis, the fashion and life of Marian Anderson, the artwork of students, and the creatives “on the inside” behind bars. Join the celebration by checking out these entertaining and educational activities, as May eases towards its last call.
Students Exhibit Artistic Talent
Thursday, May 21, 2026. Global Philadelphia Association (GPA) and the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill will host a children’s gallery opening during World Heritage Month in May. World Heritage Month is a celebration of Philadelphia’s World Heritage City designation. It spotlights Philly’s global profile and multicultural communities.
The Woodmere Children’s Art Exhibit will feature artwork from six Philadelphia schools, including an art project of students in grades 3 to 8. With the theme “I Dream a World” by poet Langston Hughes, the project aligns with the city’s 250th anniversary and is designed to inspire students to explore creativity, identity, and community. The exhibit will open with a reception and program introducing the students’ artwork, which will be on public view through the summer.
The program will include City Councilmember Cindy Bass; State Rep. Jared Solomo; Philadelphia’s 2026–2028 Poet Laureate Dr. Raina Leon; Jabari Jones, President, West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative, and Gary Wooten, GPA’s Events and Community Manager. The schools participating will be Esperanza Academy Charter High School, J.S. Jenks School, Alexander K. McClure School, Shawmont School, Solomon Solis-Cohen School, and Saint Genevieve School.
Free but pre-register; 5 p.m. EST,6 p.m. EST. Helen Millard Children’s Gallery at Smith Hall, 9201 Germantown Ave. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/woodmere-art-museum-childrens-gallery-opening-whm-tickets-1987649487122?aff=oddtdtcreator
The late dancer and educator Judith Jamison will be one of the women recognized in a dance celebration connected to a future dance mural dedication.
A Day To Celebrate ‘Black Dance Legacy’
Saturday, May 23, 2026. Check out a celebration of Black dance and dancers hosted by the Black Dance Collab. Dancers and choreographers will be honored, as artistic movement is recognized. Known as the Dance Collab Talk #2, enjoy performances by West Philadelphia School Dance Ensemble and a conversation with dance educators Dara Meredith, Paulette Poole-Phillips, and South Philadelphia resident Victoria Fernandez, who owns the wall where a “Black Dance Legacy” outdoor mural by Mural Arts Philadelphia will be dedicated on June 27.
The mural will highlight the images and contributions of Judith Jamison and Philadelphia’s Black dance educators Essie Marie Dorsey, Marion Cuyjet, Sydney King and Joan Myers Brown. These remarkable women provided dance education opportunities for Black youth. Jamison, who died in 2024, was a legendary dancer and choreographer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, where she later became the company’s artistic director. Officials from the City of Philadelphia and Mural Arts Philadelphia will participate in the community event.
No registration required; free; 2 p.m. EST to 4 p.m. EST. Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St. Email: jovidahill@comcast.net
Celebrate Marian Anderson’s Style & Legacy
Saturday, May 23, 2026. Celebrate the fashion, life, and legacy of South Philadelphia’s legendary contralto, Marian Anderson, at Marian: A Story in Style: Celebrating Women in Leadership Luncheon. The community event is hosted by Mother Bethel AME Church, the Marian Anderson Museum, and the Historical Society. See an “Historic Fashion Showcase” of Anderson’s rare artifacts, stage gowns, and personal accessories from the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society. Enjoy a program inspired by Anderson’s career and civil rights activism, saluting visionary female leaders in the Philadelphia area. The event will include a buffet reception and “Fancy Fashion Hat Auction.”
$25 (kids up to age 12) & $50 per ticket. Noon to 2 p.m. EST. Mother Bethel, 419 S. 6th St. Email: motherbethelnews@gmail.com, 215-925-0616or https://motherbethel.org/events/marian-a-story-in-style/ or https://motherbethel.org
Artist Keith Andrew’s “Hoop Dreams” on view at the Morton Contemporary.
A View From Inside
Through Monday, May 25, 2026. Keith Andrews, co-curator and featured artist of the Morton Contemporary presents The Weight of Time, says his art exhibit with fellow inmates represents works that “ask what time takes, and what time leaves behind from the perspective of men like myself serving a life sentence.” The Weight of Time features the poignant art of Andrews and nine other incarcerated men at SCI Phoenix, a maximum-security facility in Collegeville, Pa.
The 48 pieces tell a deep story of hope and reality through images of life inside prison and civilian life of freedom outside. The artists offer a daily reflection on serving time and facing the test of time while growing old behind bars. One of Andrew’s pieces is Hoop Dreams, acrylic and collage on a parachute cloth, which depicts a young starry-eyed baller posing in front of neighborhood murals. Andrews, 45, has been serving a life sentence since he was 18. His art is emotional and inspired by his work advocating for social justice reform. Andrews, the art director at SCI Phoenix, is known for his contributions to the Mural Arts Philadelphia Restorative Justice program.
Free admission; Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays: 10 a.m. EST to 8 p.m., Saturdays: 11 a.m. EST to 8 p.m. EST; Tuesdays & Wednesdays by appointment. The art is on view and on sale at Morton Contemporary, 115 S. 13th St. 215-735-2800 or https://mortoncontemporarygallery.com/collections/the-weight-of-time?page=1
A Day To Honor African Culture & Heritage
Monday, May 25, 2026. The African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA) will host the African Liberation Day Celebration in Philadelphia. The occasion is observed in Africa and worldwide. African Liberation Day was created in 1963 by the Organization of African Unity and is now celebrated annually on May 25th. Locally, political and community leaders will come together to celebrate with a festive program and reception. The event will include scholar Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, professor of the Department of Africology and African American Studies at Temple University, and an art exhibit by a renowned multimedia artist, Kayode Malomo.
Free but pre-register; 2 p.m. EST. to 5:30 p.m. EST. ACANA, 5530 Chester Ave. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/african-liberation-day-celebration-2026-tickets-1988736904617 or www.globalphiladelphia.org
Miles Hits a Big Note At 100
Tuesday, May 26, 2026. It’s hard to believe that Miles Davis would have been 100 this year, on May 26th. To celebrate his centenarian milestone, WRTI public radio will present Miles at 100, a 24-hour marathon of Davis’ music. Listen to live and studio album playbacks, and hour-long features of his greatest bands. Submit your own requests: wrti.org/requests.
Free. Tune in from midnight to 6 a.m. EST on FM / HD-1; 6 a.m. EST to 6 p.m. EST on HD-2; 6 p.m. EST to midnight on FM / HD-1. All programming can be heard worldwide at wrti.org or on the WRTI mobile app.
