Patti LaBelle helping Philadelphia celebrate Black History Month with new social media campaign
Philadelphia is marking Black History Month with a familiar voice and face.
Philly native and global icon Patti LaBelle is leading Visit Philadelphia's newest social media campaign, "We Are the Fabric. We Are the Thread."
The spot highlights some of the city's most significant Black historic landmarks, connecting Philadelphia's past to its present through LaBelle's voice and presence.
The campaign is part of Visit Philadelphia's ongoing "Indivisible" series, which celebrates how different cultures, backgrounds and stories shape the city's shared identity.
This year marks the United States' 250th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the first national observance of Black history, initiated in 1926 by historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History.
Visit Philadelphia says this year's programming is designed to explore the lived experiences that helped build the nation, particularly in a city where so much of American history was written.
To coincide with the campaign, Visit Philadelphia partnered with two tour companies — 1838 Black Metropolis and The Black Journey — to offer free, professionally guided walking tours throughout the month.
The tours explore:
- Philadelphia's historic Seventh Ward, once a center of Black cultural, civic and political life
- The city's early free Black community before the Civil War
Organizers say the goal is to bring history to life by walking the same streets where generations of Black Philadelphians lived, organized and shaped the nation.
As of Feb. 12, all four tours are sold out. However, those interested can join a waitlist through each tour company's Eventbrite page.
In a statement on its website, Visit Philadelphia says the "Indivisible" series celebrates the beauty and strength of being both proudly American and proudly diverse.
Not either/or. Never divided. Indivisible.
