Welcome to Cooking Through HSP! To many, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania is best known for its Revolutionary War-era documents and extensive genealogy collection. However, the HSP archives holds many more historical gems. This four-part series will focus on American food through history as found in HSP’s collections.  My name is Madison Jordan, and I’m a junior at Simmons University majoring in Information Technology. I spent last summer interning at HSP in the Learnin

A Philadelphia high school student presents their project on "Hidden Figures: Revolutionary Black Women in STEM" to a team of judges at National History Day Philadelphia on March 13. Nearly 200 students from Philadelphia public, private, parochial, and charter schools presented their National History Day projects this past week. Researching a topic around the theme Revolution, Reaction, and Reform , students in grades 6-12 presented their work in a format of their choice - a

By Daphne DeLeon and Natalie Murphy  In the late twentieth century, a series of desegregation laws within the Philadelphia school district were passed and failed due to political and societal pressures. They were often met with resistance from parents and community members who opposed and feared racial integration, oftentimes rooted in ideology surrounding reverse racism. In response to the poor implementation of racial integration measures, Philadelphia student groups organi

As we close out 2025, we reflect on a year of powerful programs and exhibits that honored the beginnings of America’s 250th birthday and the intertwined stories of liberty, abolition, and service. From groundbreaking exhibits to inspiring student achievements, here’s what made this year unforgettable.    Commemorating 250 Years of Freedom’s Fight  On April 14, 1775 —just days before the first shots of the American Revolution—a group of Philadelphians gathered to help Dinah Ne