Name: In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America
Start: 2026-06-19T19:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-06-19T20:30:00-04:00
Location: Byberry Friends (Quaker) Meeting House

In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America

Film + conversation examining how Philadelphia’s past and present continue to shape the American story.
About this Event

Celebrate Juneteenth at Byberry Friends Meeting House with an evening of history, reflection, and community on Friday, June 19. As part of the City’s Semiquincentennial celebrations, this special event is connected to Northeast 250: Threads of History, a series highlighting the rich history of Northeast Philadelphia and the local organizations preserving its stories for future generations.

The evening will feature hands-on artmaking activities centered on personal expression through flags and commemorative keepsakes, followed by a 7:00 PM screening of In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America – Episode 4: Common Ground (1790–1838). The episode explores the rise of Philadelphia’s free Black community, the abolition movement, and the fight for civil rights, themes deeply connected to the legacy of Byberry Meeting House and its historic role in anti-slavery efforts.

Visit Northeast 250: Threads of History Event Series for the full list of events, and learn more about Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History.

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Episode 4 Overview: Common Ground (1790–1838)

Episode 4 of In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America examines Philadelphia as the young nation’s capital, where the ideals of self-government are tested in everyday life. As political divisions deepen and crises like the Yellow Fever epidemic strain the city, free Black Philadelphians build institutions and assert their rights, with leaders like Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and James Forten shaping a growing movement for equality and reform.

The episode then follows the rise of abolitionism and public education, as Black and white reformers work together to expand opportunity and challenge injustice. Yet these efforts provoke fierce resistance, culminating in mob violence, the destruction of Pennsylvania Hall, and the stripping of Black men’s voting rights.

In a city striving to create shared civic space, this program asks a central question: how can common ground be sustained when democracy itself remains unequal?