Street in Philadelphia now officially known as ‘Black Doctors Row’ – NBC10 Philadelphia

Philadelphia’s first African-American historic district now has a lasting reminder of its past.

On Friday, Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and community leaders hosted an event in the 1500 block of Christian Street to officially ceremonially rename Christian Street, from Broad to 20th Street, as “Black Doctors Row.”

Joining Kenyatta at the event were community organizers Dr. Linda Evans and Mrs. Cheryl Mobley-Stimpson, Richard Gliniak of the South of South Neighborhood Association, Dr. Denina Helm of the Black Doctors Consortium, Executive Director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia Paul Steinke and Dr. Delana Wardlaw, one of the biological sister doctors who founded “The Twin Sister Docs”.

In 2022, the Philadelphia Historical Commission unanimously approved a special designation for the Christian Street/Black Doctors Row Historic District, an area of ​​more than 150 properties now known as the Graduate Hospital section of South Philadelphia.

In the 19th century, officials said prominent black Philadelphians settled in that area. It was home to black preachers, doctors, teachers, architects, politicians, pharmacists, small business owners, a funeral director and postal workers.

According to officials, those living on Black Doctors Row included the late Julian Francis Abele, a prominent black American architect who helped design more than 400 buildings, and the late Charles Albert Tindley, the influential pastor of Tindley Temple United Methodist. Church and Lydia White, a Quaker from Philadelphia who opened what may well be the world’s first brick-and-mortar social enterprise in Old City in 1930.

And one of the properties included in the Black Doctors Row Historic District is the Christian Street YMCA – a popular meeting place for members of the black community – which originally opened in 1889 before moving to its current location in 1914.

The street name honors the legacy of all Black professionals who have overcome great challenges and made invaluable contributions to the city.