Church of the Advocate

Philadelphia

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A fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, this 1897 Episcopal church was a center of activism during the Civil Rights movement and the site of the National Conference of Black Power in 1968. However, it's for its series of protest art murals by Walter Edmonds and Richard Watson, created in the early 1970s, that the church is most notable. These amazing, occasionally violently in-your-face images place African American experiences and faces at the forefront.

Note, this is a poor neighborhood and the church runs a soup kitchen as part of its mission. It's best to call ahead to arrange a visit as the building is not generally open to the public.

Transportation

  • subway: Susquehanna-Dauphin

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