Ivan Henderson & Kamau Ware

As the birthplace of a new nation, Philadelphia sees independence not just as a single day, but a full season that bridges the celebrations of Juneteenth and July 4th. The guests on this episode of Love + Grit have devoted their careers to centering the stories of African Americans and the African Diaspora. Ivan Henderson is the vice president of programming at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, who has curated Juneteenth events that will join the City of Philadelphia’s 2021 Wawa Welcome America Festival. The expansion of events will explore the historical significance of the two holidays and their themes of freedom and liberty. Kamau Ware brings the Black Gotham multimedia project to Philly, joining a series of walking tours, events and art collections that aim to celebrate the history and culture of African American and Black communities in Philadelphia.