The city of Philadelphia funds historical research into itself

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Philadelphia is funding historical research into the city’s lesser-known stories.

On Friday, Councilmember Isaiah Thomas ceremoniously presented $150,000 from the city’s 2023 budget to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania for its new Summer Academy. Twelve selected students from area colleges and universities will spend a week digging through HSP’s archives to see what they can find. That week begins Sunday.

“This type of investment makes it so that there can be more opportunities, more events and more narratives told that put young Philadelphians in a position to know their history,” said Thomas.

The city will fully support the Summer Academy for two years, anticipating the year 2026, when the nation’s 250th anniversary and the World Cup games will be coming to Philadelphia. Tourism is expected to be high, with history on many people’s minds.

Francesca Lombardo, a junior at Rowan University, will research city government leaders with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) backgrounds and track their impact on Philadelphia.

“Look at the policies that have been implemented throughout the years that have targeted underrepresented communities, and see how they’re doing today,” she said. “If they worked, if they’ve not, just see what’s going on with that.”

Geralynn Razo, a Temple University junior, plans to examine how educational disparities impact particular neighborhoods. Jasir Fosset, also of Temple, intends to investigate racist city policies such as real estate redlining in West Philadelphia.

“I want to look at how that impacts neighborhoods in Philly,” Fosset said. “I’ve noticed that Philadelphia is very segregated even still.”

The students applied last spring with their proposed areas of study. HSP director David Brigham said the twelve were selected out of about 100 applications. He said the Summer Academy is designed to show pathways into history careers.

Brigham said HSP, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, wants to foster more youthful and inclusive historical perspectives.

“We have established, in our case, two centuries of ways of doing things. So what fresh voices and fresh perspectives can they bring to the story?” he said. “They’re here not simply to learn from us. They’re here to teach us.”

After their full-time week of research, the participants will present their findings in a manner that is yet to be determined. One will be able to continue for a one-year fellowship, selected through an additional application process.

“By helping these young people who are still in college to be prepared for careers when they graduate in a year or two, they will be poised to participate in the work of 2026,” Brigham said.