WURD Radio’s ‘Freedom Journeys’ recognizes 250 Black Philadelphians for their historic impact on the city

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WURD Radio LLC is commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by recognizing 250 black Philadelphians who have made a historic impact through a yearlong initiative called “Freedom Journeys.”

“This is our effort to really amplify the black contributions to Philadelphia,” said Sara Lomax, president and CEO of WURD Radio.

Lomax said this project takes a focused look at historical and contemporary black trailblazers who have significantly contributed to the foundation of the city and country from 1776 to 2026.

The project began as the brainchild of Renee Chenault-Fattah, the executive director of the city’s Commission on Human Relations. She created a list of various individuals, reaching out to Lomax and WURD to be involved as a media partner.

When Chenault-Fattah started her role with Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration in 2025, she gave full production control to WURD to bring the idea to life. WURD then partnered with Love Now Media to take point for the video and audio production elements for the project.

The ever-building list of prominent Philadelphians began from Chenault-Fattah’s initial list of roughly 100 to 150 people. Building on that, WURD and Love Now Media continued to research, searching for the impactful individuals, while also involving the community.

Through their website, people are welcome to nominate people who they believe qualify for being featured in the project. WURD also established an advisory committee for the project to maintain the integrity of the subjects.

Freedom Journeys has featured many prominent Black figures:

• Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joanna McClinton;
• President of The Philadelphia Tribune Robert Bogle;
• Radio DJ and Rapper Lady B; and
• Attorney Michael Coard, among others.

For figures who have died but made impacts on the city’s history, like Richard Allen and Nina Simone, they are represented by a family member, descendant or scholar who has extensively studied that person and their work.

The project also includes people who were inspired by a figure’s life work, such as artists or other professionals who carry on that work themselves. Carol Riddick, a songstress from Philadelphia, was interviewed in the Freedom Journeys excerpt for Nina Simone. Riddick spoke about how her research into Simone gave her a deeper understanding of her through her art, influencing how she practices her craft as well.

“We are able to spotlight the stories of people who are currently impacting the fabric of Philadelphia by telling the stories of these notable historical figures who had this historical imprint and impact on the city,” Lomax said.

Freedom Journeys was announced during WURD’s Founder’s Day Gala event last October and began production and distribution in January. Throughout the year, WURD has incorporated the series into their ongoing events and live broadcasts to bring awareness to the project.

The project is ongoing through the rest of the year and WURD plans to continue featuring it at events and broadcasts throughout 2026. Freedom Journeys can be viewed on WURD’s website, on YouTube and on the station’s social media pages.