The Greater Philadelphia Roundtable:  Join in a discussion of Philadelphia history and issues, and help to shape the project to create The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia!  During 2011-12, our theme is “Phrasing Philadelphia,” as we take a look behind the slogans for the history and ideas that unite and sometimes divide us.

City of Neighborhoods, City of Homes

Philadelphia’s strong tradition of neighborhood distinctiveness has lasting power and deep roots.  In this culmination of the series, we look at the foundations of community experience. How do neighborhood ties unite and sometimes divide us? Across neighborhood boundaries, how do we form the common bonds of civic life?  This panel will be moderated by Carolyn Adams of Temple University with panelists including Linn Washington of Temple University, Domenic Vitiello of the University of Pennsylvania, and Thoai Nguyen of SEAMAAC.

Everyone who attends will have the opportunity to offer suggestions for The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, a digital information project currently in its planning stages.  To prime this discussion, watch for Linn Washington’s essay on the City of Neighborhoods, City of Homes in the Currents section of The Philadelphia Inquirer and on philly.com on Sunday, March 25, followed by posting and discussion on Newsworks.org and The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia website.

Directions and parking information

Link to the essay, "City of Neighborhoods," by Linn Washington Jr.

This is an expanded version of the essay published in the Inquirer and on Newsworks.

The Greater Philadelphia Roundtable is a partnership of The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, with the cooperation of many civic partners.  This program has been supported in part by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities’ We the People initiative on American history.

Series co-sponsors: Young Involved Philadelphia, WHYY, the Friends of Independence, the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Philadelphia Media Network, Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent, Neighborhood Interfaith Movement, and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities.

Program co-sponsors include the Philadelphia History Museum and SEAMAAC.