Discussion: "From Slave Ship to Sacred Ground: One Man’s Journey, A Church’s Legacy and the History of a Black Community in Chester County"
Early in our country’s history, 135 Africans were rescued from slavery when the newly formed U.S. Navy intercepted two slave ships. The Africans would become members of communities throughout the Philadelphia region, including Chester County. This talk will highlight one of these individuals who built a life working in the iron industry and founded a church in Chester County. The site of the church and burial ground is being preserved and research continues into its history and that of the community that surrounded it. It was one of many Black communities in rural Chester County that had ties to the region’s iron industry and then disappeared at the end of the 19th century. Preservation efforts - past and present - will be discussed.
Join us for a discussion with researcher Dan Flickinger, who's been working to preserve and understand the history of the African Union Church of South Coventry, a historic site in South Coventry Township. Through the non-profit organization Friends of the African Union Church of South Coventry, the site of the church and graveyard has been preserved and maintained. The story of the people who founded the church and who lived in the neighboring community has been researched and shared in order to spread awareness and educate. This research is ongoing and collaborations continue to bring new discoveries.
Dan has spent the last 50 years exploring the open spaces in the Hopewell Big Woods and creating opportunities for people to “get outside” for recreation and to give back to their communities. In 2016, he founded the non-profit Big Woods Running Club which hosts trail races and volunteer work days to provide trail maintenance for local trails including the
Horse-Shoe Trail.
Diversity in Action~Phoenixville's Mission Statement: To transform ourselves and our world by listening, understanding, and valuing all individuals. We do this through the Education, Celebration, and Promotion of Racial and Social Justice.