Committee chair(s)
Linda D. Evans
Get Involved
Monthly Meetings
This Committee meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 7 pm. Currently, these meetings are being held on Zoom. Anyone can join using the link below. List the link information and Passcode. (Tenative)
Mission
The Preservation Committee's mission is to watch over issues that impact quality of life for residents, to protect historic treasures of this community and to provide design guidelines for renovation and new construction. The Preservation Committee has two subcommittees: historic district and neighborhood conversation overlay. Last, the Preservation Committee's other interests include developing walking tours and compiling oral history of residents, past and current.
Our History
In 2021, The Preservation Committee was formed in response to 9 historical homes, each over 100 years old, over three years being demolished and replaced with roof deck, multiple units in this South Philadelphia Street. In a few cases, neighbors' adjacent homes were damaged as a result of demolishing these historical homes. It was evident that developers and other real estate interests had targeted this South Philadelphia main street for drastic transformation from the traditional landscape of single-family homes. As a result, neighbors in this South Philadelphia Community, SOSNA executive director, Councilman Kenyatta Johnson joined efforts with the Preservation Alliance to launch a one-year campaign (2021-2022) to secure a historic district status from the Philadelphia Historical Commission to preserve and to protect the African-American history in this South Philadelphia Community for present and future generations. Finally, the Philadelphia Historical Commission voted unanimously Friday, July 8, 2022 to create the Christian Street Black Doctors Row Historic District. What's more, Congressman Dwight Evans, State Representative Jordan Harris and State Senator lent their voice to support the historic district. You are encouraged to read the Philadelphia Historical Commission's Nomination Document for Christian Street. See link below.
Current Initiatives
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Plan activities that educate the public about the African American History in this South Philadelphia neighborhood.
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Recruit, educate and involve youth in the movement to protect the African American History in this South Philadelphia neighborhood.
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Watch over and care for the African American historical treasurers.
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Continue the work on the proposed Neighborhood Conversation Overlay Plan.
Press and Awards
PRESS
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CLICK THE LINK ABOVE TO LEARN MORE
The Christian St. YMCA
AWARDS
2023 John Andrew Gallery Community Action Award
The Board of Directors of the Preservation Alliance honors SOSNA and residents from diverse neighborhoods for their collective efforts in establishing the Christian Street Black Doctors Row Historic District.
1st row Samara Johnson, Linda D Evans, Claudia Sherrod
2nd row Cheryl A Mobley Stimpson, Nicole Koedyker, Keisha Usher Martin
3rd row Richard Gilnick, Murray Spencer and Tim Kerner