Past Events

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Past Events

Tuesday, 2/16/16
Exhibit/Display

Surveying more than three centuries of Philadelphia’s music history, Memories & Melodies amplifies the sounds of the city’s past through the records of its famed composers, little-known musicians, and vaunted venues. Free and open to the public during regular business hours.

Tuesday, 1/12/16
Exhibit/Display

Threading together centuries of trends and tastes, Fashion: “The Fastest Moving, Most Fragile, and Fickle Fleeting Business” explores the many ways fashion is marketed and promoted, from French fashion plates to American window displays. Free and open to the public. 

Friday, 12/11/15
Workshop

This event is a unique opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students interested in Public History careers to meet with professionals from the greater Philadelphia area. The day will include a behind-the-scenes tour of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, a presentation from the National Archives, and a panel discussion representing a wide variety of Philadelphia cultural institutions and career paths.

Saturday, 12/5/15
Teacher Workshop

What was William Penn's vision for Pennsylvania? How did he and other early colonist interact with the Lenni Lenape?  These questions will be addressed in this teacher workshop where teachers also see original treaties and maps.

Friday, 12/4/15
Special Event

In many of Philadelphia's ethnic neighborhoods, the Catholic church has served not only as a place of worship - the institution helped keep alive ancestral traditions and connections among newly-arrived immigrants to the United States. In the spirit of the World Meeting of Families, HSP explores this legacy through a holiday Catholic church fair. This holiday season we invite you to share the story of your church and the role it has played in your community.  

Tuesday, 12/1/15
Exhibit/Display

Founded in 1915 as one of the first venues in the U.S. dedicated to the “dissemination, study, production, and collection of works by printmakers, American and foreign," Philadelphia's The Print Center is celebrating its centennial this fall. As the keeper of The Center's historical records, HSP will help tell the story of the organization through a new document display. The prints of pioneering female artist Violet Oakley will also be featured.

Friday, 11/20/15
Special Event

Something wicked this way comes when the Young Friends of HSP let their curiosities get the best of them. Join us for an evening that proves history is stranger (and creepier) than fiction! A one night pop-up display featuring our most ghoulish items, from Victorian photos of the dead to newspaper prints of the Philadelphia Massacre of 1866, will certainly give you goosebumps!  Our resident Supernaturalist Dr. Dan Rolph will be on hand for a beyond the grave excursion into the vaults of HSP. 

Thursday, 11/19/15
Special Event

On November 18, discover one of the pioneers of the LGBT rights movement, Dr. John Fryer of Philadelphia – i.e. “Dr. Anonymous” – in this program combing performance and discussion. 

Playwright Ain Gordon unveils the first excerpt of his upcoming play exploring Fryer's story with a dramatic performance and conversation discussing Gordon's process - creating historical fiction from intensive primary source research - and connecting Fryer's address with the current fight for LGBT rights.

Thursday, 11/12/15
Special Event

Join WHYY, PlanPhilly, and HSP for a peak into Philadelphia’s past and a look forward into the future.

Wednesday, 11/4/15
Teacher Workshop

Cartoons offer the viewer a variety of opinions based on the authors, often satirical, viewpoint. From anti-immigration to anti-slavery, adding visuals to your classroom allows students to make connections and understand the opinions of individuals who lived through the history they are studying.

Sunday, 10/18/15
Conference

As part of the city-wide celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Annual Reminder Demonstrations for gay rights, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the William Way LGBT Center are collaborating on Fighting Back: Defending the LGBT Mind and Body in Pennsylvania, an LGBT health history conference on October 18th & 19th. 

Thursday, 10/15/15
Teacher Workshop

Co-sponsored  by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, this two hour workshop will provide teachers with in-depth background on the rich history of Germantown, as represented by five exceptional historic and cultural museums. It will provide resources (e.g., the Germantown Historical Society, museum educator-consultants, literature lists and websites) for teachers and students to explore this multicultural study of community history throughout the school year.

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