Cultural Months

Black History Month Sock Drive 2022

Thanks to our incredible Rad Onc team members, we collected over 400 socks, 600 granola bars and many, many other food and toiletry items during the month of February 2022. Items were donated to Philly Unknown to be distributed to those in need in the Philadelphia community in March 2022.

   AAPI Month Quiz winners!

May was Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843, during the beginning of the California Gold Rush. It also marks the anniversary of the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. Most of the workers who laid the tracks that connected the frontier to the rest of the country were Chinese immigrants.

Learn more about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 

• National Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
• Support Asian-owned Philly restaurants: Asian-Owned Restaurants to Check Out in Philadelphia
• Recommended Reading: Pen Libraries Collections Exhibits: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
• Featured Books: Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month

2024 Celebration:

USAG- Humphreys, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Hello RadOnc!
Greetings from the Community Engagement Committee!

Looking for more information and ways to celebrate Juneteenth?

Please take a look at this brief history and suggested movies and books to enjoy as you commemorate this special day!

The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth

Mrs. Charles Stephenson (Grace Murray), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Emancipation Day celebration, June 19, 1900 held in "East Woods" on East 24th Street in Austin. Credit: Austin History Center.

On the night of December 31, 1862, known as “Freedom’s Eve,” the first Watch Night services were held. Enslaved and free African Americans gathered in churches and homes nationwide, waiting for the news that the Emancipation Proclamation had taken effect. At midnight, their prayers were answered when it was announced that all enslaved people in Confederate States were legally free. Union soldiers, including many black soldiers, marched to plantations and cities in the South, distributing copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and spreading the news of freedom. However, it was the Thirteenth Amendment that ultimately ended slavery throughout the United States.

However, not everyone in Confederate territory was immediately freed. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation taking effect in 1863, it couldn't be enforced in areas still under Confederate control. Consequently, in Texas, the westernmost Confederate state, enslaved people remained in bondage until much later. Freedom finally arrived on June 19, 1865, when around 2,000 Union troops reached Galveston Bay, Texas. The army announced that over 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were free by executive decree. This day became known as "Juneteenth" among the newly freed people in Texas.

The period following emancipation, known as Reconstruction (1865-1877), was an era of immense hope, uncertainty, and struggle for the entire nation. Formerly enslaved individuals quickly took steps to reunite families, establish schools, run for political office, advocate for radical legislation, and even sue former slaveholders for compensation. Considering the over 200 years of enslavement, these changes were extraordinary. Within a generation of being freed, African Americans were motivated and empowered to transform their lives and their country.

The path to a national holiday

In 1980, Texas became the first state to designate Juneteenth as a holiday. Today, all 50 states and the District of Columbia recognize the day in some form. Following the nationwide protests against police brutality in 2020, the push for federal recognition of Juneteenth gained significant momentum. Congress swiftly passed legislation in the summer of 2021.

Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. This made Juneteenth the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established in 1983.

Known as the "longest-running African-American holiday," Juneteenth has also been referred to as "America's second Independence Day." Celebrated on June 19, it is often observed on the third Saturday in June. Historian Mitch Kachun believes that celebrations of the end of slavery serve three purposes: "to celebrate, to educate, and to agitate."

References

[National Museum of African American History and Culture – Smithsonian]

https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juneteenth

https://www.nytimes.com/article/juneteenth-day-celebration.html

VCU Libraries, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Emancipation Day celebration in Richmond, Virginia, 1905.

uiren2022, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Movies:

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)

Delve into the life of Miss Jane Pittman, a former slave whose story spans from the 1850s to the 1960s. this powerful examination of racial disparities stars Cicely Tyson as Jane Pittman, recounting her harrowing journey to freedom. Based on the novel of the same name, the film provides an all-encompassing portrayal of true Black experiences.

Miss Jane Pittman was a former slave, whose story spans from the 1850s to the 1960s. Based on the novel, this film is a powerful examination of racial disparities as Jane Pittman recounts her harrowing journey to freedom.

 The Color Purple ( 1985)

Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel brings life to the struggles faced by a young Black woman in the South, Celie Harris. Enduring childhood patriarchal abuse and racial discrimination, Celie finds comfort and self-worth through the support of her two closest friends.

Harriet (2019)

Born into slavery, Harriet Tubman escaped to freedom. However, she chose to put herself in danger by returning to lead scores of others to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Kasi Lemmons’ Harriet is a movie about freedom and what you are willing to sacrifice for it.                          

A Ballerina’s Tale (2015) – The story of the first African American ballerina soloist.

Loving ( 2016) – Biographical story of interracial couple, and the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision to invalidate state laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson ( 2017) – Chronicles gay liberation and transgender rights movement in NY City from the 1960s.

Crip Camp – Summer camp in NY for teens with disabilities, turns into activism for the disability rights movement.

Summer of Soul – Documentary examination of the 1969 Harlem cultural Festival and its critique of the media’s lack of coverage of civil rights activism.

Books:

On Juneteenth

By Annette Forgon-Reed
Texas native Gordon-Reed weaves together her American and family
history into a historian’s view of the country’s long road to Juneteenth,
from its origins in Texas to Reconstruction, through Jim Crow and beyond.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS
(Originally Published 1881)
By Frederick Douglass
Raised as a plantation slave, Douglass went on to become a writer, orator,
and major participant in the struggle for African American freedom and
equality. In this engrossing narrative he recounts early years of abuse,
his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom, abolitionist
campaigns, and his crusade for full civil rights for former slaves.

Four Hundred Souls: a Community History of African Americ, 1619 - 2019

Edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha Blain

An anthology of essays, commentaries, personal reflections, short stories, and poetry. The book concerns African-American history and collects works written by ninety Black writers.

Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery

By Deborah Willis and Barbar Krauthamer

A photographic display of the seismic impact of emancipation on African Americans, providing a perspective on freedom and slavery.

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration

By Isabel Wilkerson

A historical study of the Great Migration of African Americans in the Jim Crow South to the West and North.

More Beautiful and More Terrible: The Embrace and Transcendence of Racial Inequality in the United States

By Imani Perry

An examination of how racial inequality is perpetuated. Perry argues that racism in America has moved into a new phase- post-intentional. For a nation that often claims to be post-racial, we are still mired in practices of racial inequality that plays out in law, policy, and in our local communities.

How to Be an Antiracist

By Ibram X. Kendi

An essential work taking readers through a widening circle of antiracist ideas that will help readers see all forms of racism clearly, understand their poisonous consequences, and work to oppose them in our systems and in ourselves.

In 2022....

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865 as the day that slavery was effectively ended in the United States.  The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 declared the freedom of all those enslaved in the United State. However, this decree wasn’t enforced in the most western Confederate state of Texas until June 19, 1865 when  Union troops arrived in its city of Galveston Bay. 

Join with us in honoring this important day in United States history. 

This past year we celebrated by:

2022 JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL Join us in Germantown for 16th Annual Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival Saturday, June 18, 2022, 12pm – 5pm Celebrate and commemorate the 158th Anniversary of Juneteenth – the end of slavery in the United States

Some of our past celebrations:

2023

Happy June, let’s take the opportunity to celebrate Pride month by supporting local businesses that are giving back to the LGBTQ+ community. There are many places here in Philadelphia to show your support as well as national chains that give back to volunteer based organizations.  The attachment also highlights Pride history that includes connections to Philadelphia, as well as ongoing events, community centers, and local businesses that are celebrating this Pride Month.

 Links –

•       Pride Month at Penn Medicine

•       Events for Philly Pride Month '23 – festivals, shows, art, poetry, beers on tap & more

•       Essential Guide to LGBTQ+ Philadelphia

•       LGBTQ+ Owned Eats & Stays for Your PA Bucket List

Penn Organizations serving the Pride Community with support & safe spaces –

•       The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center @UPenn; Mon-Fri 10-5PM

•       LGBTQ Health Program

Finally, come out for some fun: Philly Events

•      This Saturday-> June 3^rd - Philadelphia Union Soccer Pride Night with the wellness committee & ACES

•      This Sunday-> June 4^th - Philly Pride March & Festival

•       June 18^th- Pride in the Park: Parks on Tap is scheduled to return from 12- 6PM. Come out and enjoy a lively day of music, cocktails, and camaraderie benefiting LGBTQ+ non-profit organizations

•       Learn more about Allyship!  Find tips on how to be a good Ally on our Listen Deeply Educational Resource on Aspiring Allyship

2021

June is LGBTQ pride month!

Pride Day is celebrated on June 28. The day marks the date in history when the first pride march was held in New York City in 1970.

Philadelphia is home to some of the oldest events associated with LGBTQ pride in the United States. One of those events is Pride Day, which takes place on the second weekend of June. It encourages guests to share their own stories and experiences about coming out and to help others in need. The Philly Pride Festival usually takes place from Friday to Sunday every year, and always promises a colorful scene.

Let's take a moment to recognize and celebrate the amazing contributions of individuals to LGBTQ equity and inclusion... view a slideshow.

 This month recognizes the contributions of the American Latino community to American history and culture. Instituted in 1968 as Spanish Heritage Week and expanded in 1988 to Spanish Heritage month, September 15^th marks the beginning of this event because of its significance as the anniversary of independence for Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. 

Together with the Rad Onc DEI Committees, ACES and the Wellness Committee, join us in recognizing National Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month. Consider the following ways to celebrate this month: Try- reading books by Hispanic and Latinx authors, cooking a few Latin inspired dishes, and support the Art, Culture, and Latinx-owned business by getting out for activities in our own city! 

From our 2022 celebration: 

Check out ongoing events in celebration throughout the city as well as places to visit, eat and shop in celebration of Philadelphia’s Hispanic Culture

For more information and resources, please visit: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/

The Penn Native Community Council (PNCC), along with our friends from the Penn Libraries Collections Department, are scheduling our annual program that highlights native/indigenous writers and artist with a Book-DVD display at Van Pelt.  This month-long event will highlight the culture and the important contributions that Native people have made to this country.  This exhibit displays a selection of books and DVDs , featuring the unique challenges Native peoples have faced both historically and, in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

The display is open and runs though the month of November.  This display is located on the first floor of the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center next to the New Books section.