(L-R) Dr. Eric Nzeribe, Publisher, FunTimes Magazine, Hon. Oliver St Clair Franklin, Historian/Narrator -Becoming American, Rhett Workman, Managing Director, American Airlines, Kelly Richards, President and CEO of Free Library of Philadelphia.
As Philadelphia prepares for the global spotlight of 2026, the city’s cobblestones are often polished to tell a singular story – one of powdered wigs and parchment. But for the African and Caribbean Diaspora, those same stones tell a different tale: one of labor, of resistance, and of a “New World” forged in the shadows of Independence Hall.
The upcoming screening of “Becoming American: Philadelphia’s Story” at the historic Mother Bethel AME Church is a seismic reclamation of our place in the American sun on Friday, March 27, 2026, starting at 5:00 PM EST with museum tours.
RSVP click here.
The Voice of the Bridge
The narrative is anchored by the resonant, sophisticated guidance of Hon. Oliver St Clair Franklin. As a man who sits at the intersection of international diplomacy and deep-rooted Philadelphia heritage, Franklin serves as more than a narrator, he is a bridge. Through his lens, we are invited to look past the red-brick facades of the 18th century to see the “invisible” architects.
Franklin’s narration challenges the sanitized version of 1776. He forces us to reconcile the rhetoric of liberty with the reality of a city where the Haitian Revolution was a heartbeat that pulsed through the docks of the Delaware River, inspiring free and enslaved Black Philadelphians alike.
The Citadel of Resistance
There is a profound, almost electric power in screening this film within the walls of Mother Bethel. This is the ground where Richard Allen and the Free African Society turned a blacksmith shop into a citadel of Black autonomy. To watch the story of “Becoming American” while sitting in the pews of the church that birthed the first independent Black denomination is to engage in a visceral dialogue with our ancestors.
The film reveals that the Diaspora didn’t just “contribute” to the nation; we defined its moral boundaries. When the early republic stumbled during the 1793 Yellow Fever epidemic, it was the Black community that stood as the city’s caretakers, later writing the first civic defense of Black character in American history. These are the “hot” sparks of the film, the moments where the Diaspora stops being a footnote and starts being the protagonist.
A Moment of Reckoning
We are in a national moment where the definition of “American” is once again being contested. By centering the Black and Caribbean experience, this documentary offers a new identity for the Diaspora, one that is not based on assimilation, but on inheritance.
As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, the importance of this story cannot be overstated. It provides a roadmap for the community to walk into the festivities of 2026 not as guests, but as owners.
“Becoming American” at Mother Bethel is a call to witness. It is an evocative reminder that while others may have written the laws, we helped write the soul. For the FunTimes community, this is our story, told in our sanctuary, honoring a lineage that refused to be forgotten.
Dr. Eric John Nzeribe is the Publisher of FunTimes Magazine and has a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry since 1992. His interests include using data to understand and solve social issues, narrative stories, digital marketing, community engagement, and online/print journalism features. Dr. Nzeribe is a social media and communication professional with certificates in Digital Media for Social Impact from the University of Pennsylvania, Digital Strategies for Business: Leading the Next-Generation Enterprise from Columbia University, and a Master of Science (MS) in Publication Management from Drexel University and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Temple University.
