My Story, My Block
Listen and watch as North Philly elders share the history and heart of their blocks.
Date and time
Location
The AAUF Conference Center
2231 North Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19132About this event
- Event lasts 3 hours
Scribe Video Center in partnership with Jacqueline Wiggins presents “My Story, My Block,” a presentation of oral histories in screening and discussion.
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ABOUT THE PROJECT:
“My Story, My Block” is a series of North Philadelphia “elder” residents being interviewed by block captains, community activists, and youth about life on the block.
Mr. Winfield Thomas (77) Sharswood resident, 47 years; Mr. James Blocker (88), Strawberry Mansion resident, 50 years; Mrs. Barbara Easley-Cox (75+) North Central resident, 40 years; and Mr. Thomas Henderson (79) North Central resident, 47 years. These resident elders have some very special and unique stories to share.
Our interviewers were: Jordan Holbert (Vaux High School, head football coach and community activist); Jayvon Sullivan (TECH Freire Charter School, 2025 graduate); and Gail Loney (Block Captain and community activist).
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ABOUT THE CULTURAL WORKER:
Jacqueline Wiggins is a former long-term resident of North Central Philadelphia and now of Germantown. She is a retired educator who has over 40 years of experience as a classroom teacher of English/language arts and social studies in public, parochial, and charter schools. Also, she is a retired adjunct instructor of English for the Community College of Philadelphia. She has been an administrator at two HBCUs- Historically Black Colleges and Universities, namely, Florida A&M University and Bennett College in institutional advancement/resource development/fundraising. At the University of Massachusetts and Mt. Holyoke College, she worked in residential housing and education. Jacqueline has resource development/fundraising experience working with many non-profit organizations. In 2014 and 2018, Jacqueline became an elected committee person for the 32nd Ward-11th Division in North Central Philadelphia. She is active with a group called Stadium Stompers focused on preventing a 35,000-seat football stadium from being built in a residential neighborhood by Temple University. As a docent/tour guide, she gives tours of the Johnson House Historic Site (An Underground Railroad National Historic Landmark). She is the founder of her enrichment program called Underground Railroad Camps for Children, Youth, and Families, and her history tourism business, Wiggins Tours N More, LLC.
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ABOUT THE FESTIVAL:
The North Philadelphia History Festival (NPHF) is a cultural celebration of the African American and Puerto Rican communities in North Philadelphia. Across four days, historic sites along Ridge Avenue, North Broad Street, and other locales will be transformed into living exhibits created by artists, historians, curators, and other cultural workers. These multimedia projects and events explore the emergence and impact of these communities in the 19th and 20th centuries.
All events will be free and open to the public. Visit Scribe’s website to learn more here.
Lead support for the North Philadelphia History Festival is provided by the William Penn Foundation.
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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
RSVP & Entry:
The event is free and open to the public. RSVP does not guarantee admission if the venue is at capacity. We encourage attendees to arrive promptly at the start time.
Accessibility Information:
The venue has wheelchair accessibility for entrances, exits, and common areas. The approach to the venue is on solid ground, and there is step-free access throughout the venue.
Parking:
During the scheduled event time (2 p.m. - 5 p.m.), metered parking is available across the street on the west side of Broad Street; free parking is on Susquehanna Ave. and Dauphin St.; No parking between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the east side of Broad St. during rush-hour.
Restrooms:
Two restrooms are available in the venue.
Public Transportation:
Inclement Weather / Rain Date:
N/A
Photography/Videography:
By attending this event, you consent to be photographed and/or filmed and authorize the use of your image in event-related materials. If you do not wish to be photographed, please notify event staff.