Founding Footsteps Trolley is Hosting a Special Black History Tour With All Proceeds Benefiting Mother Bethel AME
Founding Footsteps is known for their curated tours especially their themed holiday tours. However, this weekend founder Tim McAleer has decided to produce a special tour dedicated to Philly’s rich Black History. The special Philly Black History Tour will take place Saturday February February 24th and proceeds from the tour will go to a great cause.
The tour will make stops along points of interest including Mother Bethel AME, William Still’s House, Philadelphia Museum of Art and City Hall’s Octavius Valentine Statue. Along the way Tim will point out key facts about historical Black figures as well as little known facts about their lives and mission for equality.
“The idea for this tour started over 10 years ago during my final year of teaching. I challenged the kids to find ways to get involved in community service. A dozen older students took me up on it and spent their recess each day reading to my first graders. On the last day of school, those same students issued me a similar challenge and so the following summer, I started a literacy and mentoring program in West Philly. It lasted for five summers and in the final year, I worked with 15 inner city students to research, write and learn how to present a Black history tour. The goal was to launch in the spring of 2020 but Covid derailed those plans. I’ve been trying to find a way since to bring it to fruition and when I saw the news about the senseless vandalism of Mother Bethel, it felt like a good way to get involved,” Tim explained.
The tour will take off from The Bourse at 1 pm and will be approximately 90 minutes. A second tour from 4 pm-5:45 pm will also be available. Tickets will be $30 with all proceeds benefitting Mother Bethel AME. Bookings can me made on FoundingFootsteps.com.
“For me, Philly should be considered the Mecca of Black History in America. The city was a pioneer in the abolitionist movement and a beacon of hope for black Americans. The goal of this tour is to help shine that light towards anyone who might be looking for it,” Tim added
