A new multi-year project was recently unveiled at the Independence Seaport Museum called “Breaking Uncommon Ground on the Delaware River,” writes Rayna Reid Rayford for Essence.

The project is an innovative oral history that collects the personal stories of Black Philadelphians who worked or lived along the Delaware River waterfront.

With the new exhibition, museumgoers can listen to the powerful stories of the Black men and women who lived along the Delaware River before being displaced by Interstate 95 construction. 

Among the topics addressed include perspectives on organized labor, the impact of highway construction on waterfront neighborhoods, and the role of Black women in waterfront culture and work. 

According to Professor Darwin T. Turner, oral history has great significance within the Black community.

“Recalling memorable events that will never be inscribed in history books, it reminds us that history is the story of the lives of human beings—not merely the record of great battles, changes of authority, and momentous discoveries,” he said. 

Paul D. Best, artist teacher and Penn Museum’s resident storyteller, spearheads this initiative, which highlights the countless Black men and women whose everyday contributions to America are not recorded or told.

“The Independence Seaport Museum acknowledges these gaps in our history,” said Best.

Read more about the “Breaking Uncommon Ground” exhibition at Essence.

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