More Cranky Family pictures from Philadelphia -this one is at the Municipal Services Building, Thomas Paine Square, right next to city hall, where the plaza is covered in game pieces like bingo chips, Monopoly pieces (wheelbarrow, top hat, iron), chess pieces, dominoes, and pawn from what looks like the game Sorry! I think they’re collectively called the “Your Move” sculpture game pieces.
With the Cranky Family in Philly last week, naturally we went to the Liberty Bell, and its supremely neat and tidy visitor center. The center had a great exhibit featuring the history and meaning of the Underground Railroad. It really brought me back to my junior year in college, where some friends were taking African-American history with Professor Bracey of the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies. Their assignment was to write a first-person narrative assuming the identity of a runaway slave trying to head north to freedom. Essays were due the next day, and some of the gals were reading their essays aloud to get feedback from the rest. One gal began reading her essay, and it started something like this:
“I slipped through the woods silently, looking for the proper tree stump – there! I had found it; I flipped open the stump and climbed below where I heard the whooo whoooooo of the incoming train….”
We were hysterical laughing, only she wasn’t joking. Her essay was dead serious, and she was stunned. Had she been to a single class this semester? Her version was kind of like Hogan’s Heroes, in a reckless, insulting way. We were shocked that she was prepared to submit this to Professor Bracey, who would probably implode in shock and disbelief at reading this one. It would have made all the major newspapers, too. So when I saw this part of the exhibit, Cranky Daddy and I busted out laughing, recalling the story.
To put the glaring ignorance in perspective, my 7-year old has already studied the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman at school. In first grade, the children are encouraged to draw a picture to supplement their writing, and my son generally did not put any people in any of his pictures (his therapist will figure out why in about 15 years), but he came home with this gem:
My son had finally drawn people in his picture! Here, Harriet Tubman is holding a gun to the head of an escaped slave using the Underground Railroad who claims to want to go back to the south. He had learned that Harriet Tubman carried a pistol because she threatened to shoot anyone that changed their mind, lest they put the whole escape operation at risk. I don’t know how historically accurate this version of a giant, pony-tailed, one-handed Harriet Tubman is, but the pistol-packing is what my son retained from the story. Good times.
These murals are all over the city (Philadelphia), you know, in random parking lots and buildings - next time I’m going to take the tour to see them all. They’re really amazing.
Posted in Art, Family Fun
Tagged Art, Family Vacation, Murals, Parking Lots, Philadelphia
This sign was right around the corner from an adult bookstore and movie theater (which featured both booth and theater viewing). I’m not a bad parent; it was on the way to a museum for goodness sakes, give me a break! Looks like they’re working on legalizing marijuana in Philadelphia. What else could it possibly be? My kids didn’t notice the sign, but I’m sure they would have an opinion on its meaning.
The Cranky Family was in Philadelphia this week, seeing the sights and enjoying the city. One of the things I love about the city is how clean it was, and how much art can be found all over in the form of sculpture or murals. This is a statue right near our hotel. My younger son said “that man is helping those pretty ladies up”, and my younger son added “and they’re bare!”.
Posted in Art, Family Fun
Tagged Art, Family Vacation, Philadelphia, Statues, Vacation
