tides of freedom

Tides of Freedom: African Presence on the Delaware River

Bear witness to a story central to Philadelphia and American history.

Conceived by a committee of leading African American scholars and curated by the Lasry Family Professor of Race Relations at the University of Pennsylvania Dr. Tukufu Zuberi, Tides of Freedom let visitors explore the concept of freedom through the lens of the African experience along the Delaware.

Featuring artifacts from the Museum’s collection and gripping first-person accounts, there is no limit on opportunities for discovery and communication. By using four critical moments in Philadelphia’s history representing the themes of Enslavement, Emancipation, Jim Crow, and Civil Rights, Tides of Freedom urges visitors both to bear witness to a story central to Philadelphia and American history and to think about the meaning of “freedom” both historically and in today’s world.

For videos on the exhibit and other topics related to African-American History, please click here and here.

Tides of Freedom: African Presence on the Delaware River won in 2014 the American Alliance of Museum’s Excellence in Label Writing.

Exhibit Highlights

Suggestions for Further Reading

Adults

Kids

visit the seaport museum

Immerse yourself in award-winning exhibitions and climb aboard the Olympia, a nineteenth-century cruiser, and the Becuna, a World War II-era submarine.