Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Arch Street Meeting House

Interview with Sean Connolly, Executive Director of Arch Street Meeting House

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Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust preserves, operates and interprets the meetinghouse and grounds which will serve to increase public understanding of the impact and continued relevance of Quakers and Quaker history. Executive Director, Sean Connolly talks to us about his work at the historic Meeting House.

You’re new to this leadership role as educator, museum curator, historian and the manager of an important tourist site; what first drew you to this job at historic Arch Street Meeting House?

Sean Connolly

I’ve been at a real crossroads in my career for several years. I’ve been looking for an organization to lead that fits with my morals, an institution that is on the cusp of expansion and a historic site that is quintessentially Philadelphian. Finding the opportunity to work at Historic Arch Street Meeting House has been remarkable because it met all of those personal goals.

I also already had a deep history with the Arch Street Meeting House. For years I had been working with the guides at Arch Street to help facilitate tours from Historic Philadelphia. Returning to Arch Street in this new capacity gives me the opportunity to continue to make those connections with other historic sites in Philadelphia and help bring Arch Street Meeting House to life.

Everyone says there are remarkable stories and important Philadelphia and Quaker history at Arch Street. Tell us what most surprised you when you started.

Luckily, I already knew a lot of the basic history of Arch Street Meeting House. But it’s finding the small stories that relate to Arch Street that are the most surprising and exciting. I’ve been privileged to be able to interview several people about the more contemporary history of Arch Street Meeting House over the past several months.

Certainly, one of the most memorable moments has been interviewing Councilperson Curtis Jones for some background information on our upcoming exhibits. Our conversation quickly went down a long and fascinating rabbit hole relating to his experiences with Quakers in the 70s.

He told me about coming to Arch Street and meeting Quakers who helped him evaluate his choices and get involved in politics. For a young Black man growing up in Philadelphia at that time, the acceptance he experienced from Quakers was really important for him.

Hearing his personal testimony was special and helps remind me how important places like Arch Street can be, not just for Quakers, but for people all over the country.

You’re coming up on six months in your new role. In reflecting on this time what have been some of your challenges and what do you see as successes?

Sean Connolly at Arch Street Meeting House

These past six months have certainly shown me how quickly time flies. One of the biggest challenges has of course been the pandemic.

Arch Street is such an important stop for school groups and seeing those tours disappear has certainly been challenging for the site, but also personally for the staff. So much of what the staff has done in the past has been about helping to facilitate in-person field trips. However, I am so proud of how the staff quickly pivoted and we have had some big successes in the past few months as a result of this pivot.

By reimagining several grants and donations we are putting the final touches on a Virtual Field Trip for students. This will give us a lasting asset for engaging students from around the country and the world.

We’ve also been successful in bringing in some key staffing grants which allowed us to stabilize staffing during the pandemic and actually expand, we’re about to hire a new staff member later this month.

Four years from now, how do you see Historic Arch Street Meetinghouse ‘coming into its own’?

Historic Arch Street Meetinghouse has been poised to position itself as one of the must-see sites in Philadelphia. As we wrap up our Exhibit Area Design Plan this will propel us into a new era at Arch Street. Easy wayfinding and outdoor exhibits will open up the site for visitors to explore. This in turn will drive visitorship inside and increase field trip opportunities.

My hope is that with more regular hours, a more informed visitor experience, and an expansion of events Historic Arch Street Meeting House will become a staple for all visitors to Philadelphia.

The pandemic has impacted all of us, with Covid 19 in mind what programs and projects can people expect from Arch Street in the next year and how will visitors be learning about Arch Street from a distance?

The pandemic will certainly continue to affect Arch Street in the short term, but it’s not slowing us down. We have regularly scheduled virtual programs every few weeks and we will open again to the public Thursday-Sunday starting the first week of March.

This hybrid model allows us to continue to offer virtual programming while also facilitating socially distanced tours of the grounds and Meeting House. We will also start offering exclusive programming, both in person and virtually, over the next year to those who receive our e-newsletter.

The largest project people can expect to see from us in the next year is for work to begin on the Phase One of the Exhibit Area Design Plan. This will introduce new outdoor exhibits so that people can learn about Arch Street even when we are closed. Signage will introduce the site to curious passersby who might have lived in Old City for years but never wandered in.

Most Executive Directors have to wait years to begin moving forward with bold, new plans like this, so it’s thrilling to be able to move them forward so soon!

Where should people go if they want to learn more about supporting this interesting work?

We have a website (https://www.historicasmh.org/) and there are ways to engage there. Or contact me directly at SConnolly@HistoricASMH.org.

Learn more about the Phase One of the Exhibit Area Design Plan in our follow up story in two weeks!

Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust Welcomes Sean Connolly as Executive Director

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The Board of Trustees of Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Connolly as its new Executive Director, beginning June 9, 2020.

Sean comes to the Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust from Pennsbury Manor, where he oversaw the Education Department. Formerly, he was the Assistant Director for Historic Philadelphia Inc.’s Once Upon A Nation program and the Executive Director of the Manayunk Theatre Company. He has also taught in the Department of History at Drexel University. [Read more…] about Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust Welcomes Sean Connolly as Executive Director

Dedication of Historical Marker at Arch Street Meeting House

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On July 27, during the Democratic National Convention, a ceremony was held at the Arch Street Meeting House to dedicate a historic marker that has since been installed along Arch Street, east of Fourth Street. It is the first such marker issued by the City of Philadelphia, and reads:

PHILADELPHIA
CONFERENCE

On February 23-25, 1979, about 300 activists from across the nation met at the Arch Street Meeting House to plan the seminal National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. Here, leaders organized a march on October 11, 1979, that with 100,000 demonstrations helped define and propel a national civil rights movement.

Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of the Equality Forum, related that “[i]n 1979, when this conference was held, we were ‘toxic.’ There was no other meeting place,” Lazin said. “The Philadelphia Quakers were the only ones who embraced the LGBT rights activists.”

In his welcoming remarks, the clerk of the Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust, Wally Evans, recognized that years ago the LGBT community “at a critical time in history, needed and deserved Friends’ ‘understanding compassion’ and support.”

The Society of Friends have often been noted for their opposition to discrimination and have actively led or participated in numerous civil rights and reform movements in the United States, including: the equality of women, Native American rights, prison reform, the abolition of slavery, the Underground Railway, and woman’s suffrage. In the 1970s, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting focused on LGBTQ equality.

In 1972, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting appointed a Committee on Homosexuality under the Meeting for Social Concerns to work for the assurance of gay civil rights. A year later, the Yearly Meeting went on record as opposing discrimination based on sexual orientation, stating:

“We should be aware that there is a great diversity in the relationships that people develop with one another. The same standards under the law which we apply to heterosexual activities should also be applied to homosexual activities. As persons who engage in homosexual activities suffer serious discrimination in employment, housing and the right to worship, we believe that civil rights laws should protect them. In particular we advocate the revision of all legislation imposing disabilities and penalties upon homosexual activities.”

In conclusion, Evans related that “Friends are uncomfortable in seeking acknowledgment or validation of our social activism. But this is a marker that praises your historic accomplishment; and we take pride that we were able to provide a stage for you thirty-seven years ago. Congratulations for the progress that we have been privileged to witness since 1979 and the anticipated strides that will move us forward.”

The ceremony concluded with the Keynote Speaker, Dustin Lance Black. An American screenwriter, director, film and television producer (Milk, J. Edgar, When We Rise) and LGBT rights activist, Black provided an emotional recounting of personal struggles during his youth as a “closeted student”, a life changing visit to Philadelphia where he learned of the LGBT movement in the city, and his vision of raised awareness of civil rights in the LGBT community He was truly inspiring.

Photo (l. to r.): Wally Evans, ASMHPT; Paul Steinke, Preservation Alliance; Malcolm Lazin; Richard Burns, original attendee of the 1979 conference; Keynote Speaker Dustin Lance Black; and Philadelphia City Councilman Mark Squilla.

Ministry of Tourism: Arch Street Meeting House featured in Friends Journal

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I try to put myself in their shoes to see the meetinghouse with new eyes. Is there adequate signage out front? Do people know what the word “meetinghouse” means? Is it clear that the meetinghouse is built on a burial ground? Do they think it is a sacred place? A great place to walk their dog? Just another old building? Are they looking for a spiritual experience or to hear about the Underground Railroad?

One of many special PYM landmarks was recently featured in Friends Journal, in an article called “Ministry of Tourism” by Lynne Calamia, Director of Arch Street Meeting House. In this story, Lynne explores the unique role that Arch Street Meeting House plays in the Old City Philadelphia tourism circuit, and what it’s been like for her to have the opportunity to share about Quaker history and beliefs with the general public. She also highlights a bit of what’s in store for the future through Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust.

Arch Street Meeting House attracts more than 25,000 visitors come to from all around the world. Read the whole article on Friends Journal to learn more.

Philadelphia Tribune Reports on New Historical Marker Honoring Anthony Benezet

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On Saturday, June 4, 2016, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission unveiled a new historical marker honoring Anthony Benezet (1713–1784). Benezet is remembered as a Quaker abolitionist and advocate for the education of women and African Americans. The Philadelphia Tribune published a news story covering the dedication ceremony that commemorated his life and work:

“The dedication event organized by the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia was held on Saturday. The ceremony was held the park across the street from the new historic marker, which has been placed at the site of his former home, 325 Chestnut St.

“‘This marker draws deserved attention to Anthony Benezet, an unsung hero who had a great impact on the lives of the African Americans of Philadelphia and beyond,’ said Lynne Calamia, director of Arch Street Meeting House.”

Read the full article here: http://www.phillytrib.com/historical-marker-to-honor-quaker-abolitionist-unveiled/article_200e9d63-4d95-52ea-a5e3-086f784ce04c.html

Quaker Abolitionist Anthony Benezet To Be Honored With State Historic Marker

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The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is unveiling an historical marker to commemorate the life and work of Anthony Benezet (1713-1784), a Quaker abolitionist and pioneer in the education of women and African Americans.  The dedication event organized by the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia will be held on Saturday, June 4 at 11:00AM.   The ceremony is free and open to the public and will be held in the park across the street from the new historic marker, which has been placed at the site of his former home, 325 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.

“This marker draws deserved attention to Anthony Benezet, an unsung hero who had a great impact on the lives of the African Americans of Philadelphia and beyond,” Lynne Calamia, director of Arch Street Meeting House, said.  He was tireless and unwavering in his opposition to slavery, writing numerous pamphlets and correspondence on the subject.  Benezet is credited with convincing many, including Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush, to promote abolition. He also provided free education for African American boys in his home and started the first public girls’ secondary school. He is buried at Arch Street Meeting House burial ground located at 320 Arch Street, Philadelphia PA 19106.  Attendees do not need to RSVP for this event.  For more information contact archtreasurer@gmail.com or call 215-605-3660.

About the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia

The Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia is a vibrant Quaker congregation located in Old City, Philadelphia. Throughout history, Quakers have been guided to a commitment to work for peace and non-violence, to live simply with integrity, and to treat each person with respect.

For more information, visit archstreetfriends.org.

About the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is the official history agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Created in 1945, they are responsible for the collection, conservation, and interpretation of Pennsylvania’s historic heritage.

About Arch Street Meeting House

Arch Street Meeting House is an historic Quaker house of worship and National Historic Landmark located in the heart of Old City Philadelphia.  Built in 1804 atop Philadelphia’s first burial ground on land deeded to Quakers by William Penn in 1701, Arch Street Meeting House welcomes thousands of visitors from all around the world each year to learn more about the impact Quakers have had on the United States. For more information, visit archstreetmeetinghouse.org.