January 29, 2025

Black History Month 2025

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by Black/African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans.

The Foundation is celebrating by highlighting a few events and sharing some history and culture from Delaware County’s Black/African American community.

History

A Winning Baseball Team from Delco

The Hilldale Athletic Club, formerly known as the Darby Daises, was founded in Darby, Delaware County. Many years ago, along MacDade Boulevard, stood Hilldale Park, home to one of the greatest Negro League baseball teams of all time. Today you’ll find a Pennsylvania historical marker there celebrating the legacy.

The team originally started in 1910 as a boy’s squad, but developed over the years into a powerhouse, competing in the first Negro Leagues World Series, between the Hilldale Club of the Eastern Colored League and the Kansas City Monarchs of the National Negro League. While Hilldale didn’t win that series, they did go on to play in and win in 1925 and were dominant in the years that followed.

Learn more about the Hilldale Club

The Underground Railroad was Active in Delaware County

Delaware County played a pivotal role in the Underground Railroad, with many residents offering shelter and aid to enslaved people on their journey to the North. You can follow their journey by exploring the self-guided walking tour that travels through underground railroad sites throughout Delaware County.

Recently, the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom added the Darby Friends Meetinghouse and School site to the program which currently includes over 740 locations in 40 states. The meeting’s history includes the story of Allen Rickets who escaped to his own freedom with other family members from their enslaver near Baltimore when he was 11 years old in the early 1830s. He found refuge within the Darby Friends Meetinghouse and was educated at Darby Friends School. The meeting members later rescued him from a kidnapping attempt.

Read more about the Darby Friends Network to Freedom designation
Read an account of the Underground Railroad in Delaware County

Read

The Delaware County Library system has put together recommendations celebrating Black authors.
Find a Book

Listen

“Making a Homeplace: The Historically Black Neighborhood of Swarthmore (HBNS)”. The HBNS: Making a Homeplace inaugural podcast features three community-curated episodes from various HBNS ethnographic research in 2010, 2020, 2022.

Listen Here

Events

Black History Culture Fair
The Boys & Girls Club of Chester invites you to a free community event honoring Black culture and literature as part of their 95th Anniversary Celebration! Celebrate and support Black authors, shop with local vendors, and connect with the community.

February 22, 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Boys & Girls Club of Chester, 201 E. 7th Street Chester, PA

20 Men Project
The Park Ave Community Center is proud to host a three-day exhibition of the 20 Men Project, a powerful photographic series that celebrates the diversity, humanity, and strength of local Black men as seen through the lens of Photographer Sandrien de Bruijn-Mesman. The exhibition will be on display from Thursday, Feb. 6 through Saturday, Feb. 8.

Opening Ceremony – February 6, 6:30 p.m.
Additional Viewing Times – February 7, 12:00 – 9:00 p.m. and February 8, 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Bishop Richard Allen Wreath Laying
Join members of the AME Community and Friends as they celebrate the life and legacy of Bishop Richard Allen.

February 14, 12:15 p.m.
227 Brook St. Bryn Mawr, PA

Black History Month Lectures at DCCC
Delaware County Community College is hosting Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Ron Tarver who will discuss the enduring heritage of Black cowboys.

February 18, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
DCCC Marple Campus – 901 S. Media Line Road, Media, PA
More info

Delaware County’s Celebration of Black History
A celebration hosted by the County observing Black History Month. More information coming soon!