"Philadelphia Voices of Freedom-Liberty" Debuts on visitphilly.com

As the birthplace of the U.S., Philadelphia views independence not as a single-day celebration, but as a full season that bridges Juneteenth, the annual commemoration of the end of slavery in America in 1865, and the Fourth of July. To highlight the city’s historic connection to these major summer holidays, VISIT PHILADELPHIA^® is debuting a series of videos, entitled “Philadelphia Voices of Freedom – Liberty,” to explore what Freedom – Liberty means to some of the region’s most prolific Black artists, poets, historians and legacy keepers.

Beginning today, the video series, created with filmmaker and artist Rashid Zakat, will air on VISIT PHILADELPHIA’s social media pages, as well as on partner social channels, including NBC10 and the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP). All videos are also available on visitphilly.com.

From June 17 through July 3, 2021, AAMP is partnering with Wawa Welcome America and VISIT PHILADELPHIA to commemorate Juneteenth through a series of compelling, educational events titled Freedom – Liberty. The initiative spotlights the historical significance and thematic ties between the two holidays and acknowledges the nuanced history of the Unites States’ independence.

Featured in the videos are:

Poems:

• Yolanda Wisher, “Leave My Name”
• Ursula Rucker, “Free Them”
• Quentin the Poet, “Be Freedom”
• Chef Omar Tate, “Hot Links and Red Drinks”

Interviews:

• On Freedom-Liberty video
  • Adrienne Whaley, Museum of the American Revolution
  • Brittany Webb, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
  • Ivan Henderson, African American Museum in Philadelphia
  • Rosalyn McPherson, The ROZ Group

VISIT PHILADELPHIA^® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call the Independence Visitor Center for additional information. 599 Market Street, (800) 537-7676

Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos and high-definition B-roll of Greater Philadelphia, visit the Photos & Video section of visitphilly.com/mediacenter.