NEWS AND EVENTS
American Women's Heritage Society Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary September 9, 2006 At Convention Center
Kicking Off a $5.5 Million Capital Campaign
CONTACT: Eva P. Grant, Publicity
Tel# 215-224- 8014 | FAX 215-843-4783
PHILADELPHIA, PA (August 9, 2006) -- The American Women's Heritage Society (AWHS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a gala in the Grand Ballroom of the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday evening, September 9, 2006. The event will honor the Society's work to restore and preserve Fairmount Park's historic Belmont Mansion and the many people who have supported those efforts. Governor Ed Rendell and Mayor John F. Street are Honorary Co-Chairs of the event.
"Twenty years ago, a group of African American women forged an alliance to protect and preserve the Belmont Mansion, a site with significant relevance to the history of Philadelphia and its African American legacy," said Audrey R. Thornton, president and founder of AWHS. "This has been a journey of love and discovery, as we learned more about the mansion, its role in American history and as a Freedom Station on the Underground Railroad leading American slaves to freedom." All of this extraordinary history will come to life during the magnificent program that we have planned for the evening of September 9th. Parts of the Convention Center will be transformed into a simulation of the Underground Railroad. As they enter the Grand Ballroom, guests will be greeted by hosts and hostesses dressed in slave clothing and colonial garb and given a "passport to freedom." "Our program will include the Freedom Choir, appearances by numerous special guests and dignitaries, including Dr. Carl Westmoreland, and Naomi Nelson, representatives of the Underground Railroad Center in Cincinnati, Ohio."
Situated on a plateau in Fairmount Park, overlooking the City of Philadelphia and steeped in the history of the City of Brotherly Love, The Belmont Mansion is a symbol of the city's contribution to America and the abolition of slavery. The mansion is one of the first Palladian style structures developed in America. It had one of the most extensive and earliest ornamental gardens, and served as a country retreat for the Founding Fathers including George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Its owner, Judge Richard Peters, actively supported the abolition of slavery.
With breathtaking vistas from its brick patio, The Belmont Mansion was designated one of Fairmount Park's 10 structures most at risk. Based on The Belmont Mansion Historical Structures Report, its restoration became the first major project of the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust in 1994. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center of Cincinnati, Ohio, established The Belmont Mansion as one of the first Freedom Stations on the Underground Railroad, the route north taken by African Americans to escape slavery in the South.
Current renovations at Belmont Mansion will transform the Mansion into a house museum highlighting the story of the Peters family, original owners and anti-slavery abolitionists. When renovations are finished, the Belmont House Museum will have state-of-the-art exhibits about early colonization and the importance of the Mansion as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Completion is scheduled for December 2006 with the official opening in January 2007.
The AWHS 20th Anniversary Celebration kicks off a $5.5 Million Capital Campaign to create an endowment that will assure continued maintenance and improvements to the Belmont Mansion for decades to come. To participate in the celebration, please contact the American Women's Heritage Society at 215-878-8844 or email Mrs. Thornton at BThorn1653@aol.com. Individual donations for the event are $75.00, with $750.00 requested for a table of ten.
The American Women's Heritage Society, founded in 1986, is leading efforts to restore and maintain The Belmont Mansion, one of the most historic buildings in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Belmont Mansion is located at 2000 Belmont Mansion Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19131. For more information about The Belmont Mansion and AWHS restoration efforts, please call 215-878-8844 or email bthorn1653@aol.com.
