alt_text

Dr. Charles Blockson tours Centre Theater's Charles L. Blockson Exhibition for the first time on June 15, 2022.

CHARLES L. BLOCKSON MEMORIAL FUND

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Dr. Charles L. Blockson. Dr. Blockson spent his 89 years as one of the world’s most fervent collectors and ardent supporters of Black history. Dr. Blockson's life was dedicated to the collection and preservation of important pieces of history, and with your help, we can — in some small part — pick up this mantle in his name and continue his important work.



 
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY
EXHIBIT HOURS
MON—WED: PRIVATE* | THURS—SUN: 10AM-5PM


Admission is $10 for Adults (ages 13 and up), $5 for Children (ages 3 - 12), $5 for Students (a valid school ID is required), and $0 for Babies (ages 0 - 2).
*Private tours intended for groups/schools/corporate tours, please contact Development Director Jennifer Conti at visit@thecentretheater.com
alt_text
The Charles L. Blockson Exhibition and Elmwood Park Zoo’s Arts and Culture Membership supports individuals and families by providing a free yearly admission and membership benefits for both of these organizations. Elmwood Park Zoo and the Centre Theater are committed to offering new and equal opportunities to better serve our guests who receive government assistance through state SNAP and ACCESS programs.

 
Born in Norristown in 1933, Charles L. Blockson is world renowned for his expertise in Black genealogy and the Underground Railroad. His collection (featuring rare books, current periodicals, letters, photographs, artifacts and memorabilia) was amassed throughout his life-spanning career as a historian, bibliophile and author. The Charles L. Blockson Exhibition focuses on his life’s work in documenting the global Black experience through history. The exhibition at the Centre Theater is made possible by Mr. Blockson, Curator Emeritus, and The Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, Temple University.


 

alt_text
CHARLES L. BLOCKSON EXHIBITION



From his early childhood in Norristown, Charles Blockson accumulated an incredible collection of rare materials documenting the story of African Americans. The historian and scholar is the author of 13 books, a Philadelphia Award recipient, and a leading expert on the Underground Railroad.

The Charles L. Blockson exhibition is a celebration of his life's work and features, among others:

  • Manuscripts from music artist Tupac Shakur
  • Memorabilia from Mr. Blockson’s youth
  • Images and rare books available at the Blockson Collection including The Underground Railroad by William Still
  • Photos by John W. Mosley, a self-taught Philadelphian photographer who chronicled black life in and around Philadelphia from the late 1930s to the late 1960s
  • An expansive timeline of Dr. Blockson's life and achievements.

Excerpt from a WPSU Penn State original production, this short-form documentary tells the story of Charles L. Blockson’s lifelong journey to unearth and preserve the history, culture, and contributions of people of African descent.
alt_text
"It is a special honor to have this exhibition in Norristown because it not only represents my life but the life of people of African descent, and the agony of enslavement and the ecstasy of freedom"
— Charles Blockson
 

alt_text
JOHN W. MOSLEY CHICKEN BONE BEACH COLLECTION

ON EXHIBIT AT THE BLOCKSON EXHIBITION MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH LABOR DAY 2023

The Charles Blockson Exhibition is proud to present a traveling collection of photographic history. The historic, once-segregated Atlantic City beach, Chicken Bone Beach — a colloquial nod to the popular picnic-basket leftover — was a locus of mid-20th-century African American life. This traveling exhibition features photos and interpretations from beach-bathers taken by world famous photographer John Mosley.

alt_text
Running the gamut from candid photos of everyday beach goers to portraits of the famous, like the above photo of Sammy Davis Jr., the Chicken Bone Beach collection features hundreds of photos capturing mid-20th-century African American zeitgeist
 

alt_text
PRESENTED BY
alt_text
SUPPORTED BY
alt_text
BLAM! BLACK LIVES ALWAYS MATTERED!

ON EXHIBIT AT THE BLOCKSON EXHIBITION NOVEMBER 2023 THROUGH APRIL 2024



African American history has produced countless exceptional heroes, leaders, and role models. Produced by the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection with the support of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, the graphic novel BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered! tells the inspiring stories of 14 important Black Philadelphians.

Featuring comic book adaptations of the lives of these important Philadelphian figures, BLAM! portrays history through a new medium as a way to engage with a new audience. BLAM! will encourage those who visit the Exhibition to become inspired to read, create, and learn.

The Charles L. Blockson Exhibition in the Centre Theater will host BLAM! from November 2023 to April 2024. Promoting “meet the artist” events and art activities, community members will learn through engagement about the influential members of our community who helped to inspire change.

alt_text
alt_text
You can see some of the amazing collection that waill be coming to Centre Theater through Temple University Library's Virtual Exhibit
 

PARTNERS & SPONSORS
alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text alt_text
alt_text