Affirmative Actions The Racial Politics of Celebration in Philadelphia’s Public Sphere. Annis Whitlow, MCP Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT.

Hypothesis: Communities use public celebrations to assert and affirm new public political identities and roles. Case: Philadelphia: Racial identity politics –Mummers Parade (white political identity) –Odunde Festival (Pan-African political identity) Overview

Two Festivals, Two ‘Philadelphian’s Mummers (Masqueraders), 1 st of January, Broad (or Market) Street, Philadelphia Odunde! (Happy New Year!), 2 nd Sunday in June, West South Street, Philadelphia W H I T E B L A C K

Background : Philadelphia Population: approx. 1.5 million (has been decreasing since the 1950s. Neighborhoods: Center City (original city boundaries), North Philadelphia (Temple University), West Philadelphia (University City), South Philadelphia (Mummers and Odunde). Demographics: 45% white, 43% black. Immigration: Limited flow of immigrants into the region. Gentrification: Has become an issue for populations living in and around Center City.

Background: Demographics North Philadelphia West Philadel- phia South Philadelphia Center City

Background: Immigration More than 10% Foreign Born Less than 5% Foreign Born Percent Foreign Born Philadelphia Region Less than 10% of the population in the Philadelphia region is foreign-born. The city has not experienced the influx of immigrants common to many other urban areas.

Background: Gentrification Blocks around South Street and the Delaware River have shown an increase in residential sale price of 27% to 4964%. In the southwest, which is predominantly African American, these blocks are adjacent to blocks where housing value is falling precipitously.

Background : Philadelphia Pre-1854 City Boundary: Area currently known as Center City.

Background : Philadelphia Pre-1854 City Boundary: Area currently known as Center City. Axes: Broad Street

Background : Philadelphia Pre-1854 City Boundary: Area currently known as Center City. Axes: Broad Street, Market Street

Background : Philadelphia Pre-1854 City Boundary: Area currently known as Center City. Axes: Broad Street, Market Street Boundaries: South Street

Background : Philadelphia Pre-1854 City Boundary: Area currently known as Center City. Axes: Broad Street, Market Street Boundaries: South Street, Vine Street Expressway.

Background : Philadelphia Pre-1854 City Boundary: Area currently known as Center City. Axes: Broad Street, Market Street Boundaries: South Street, Vine Street Expressway. City Hall is located at the intersection of Broad and Market.

Mummers – Odunde Timeline Prior to the 20 th Century, power in Philadelphia was concentrated in the Anglo-Protestant upper class in Center City. Blacks and working class immigrants formed Philadelphia’s underclass. Early 19 th c.: Immigrant Population Growth –Violence and tension to the South and North After Civil War: The Great Migration –Consolidation, rule of law 1901: Millennium Philadelphia –European immigrants racialized as White, gain power.

Mummers – Odunde Timeline 1964: Mummers Blackface Controversy –Blacks protest Mummers’ use of blackface 1975: Oshun (Odunde!) Festival Begins –Street Festival started by Lois Fernandez 1990s: Philadelphia Revitalization –Mummers moved to Market Street –Tourism in Center City promoted –Gentrification threatens Odunde Ethnic whites increased control over city politics in the 20 th century. Civil Rights era was an opportunity for blacks to create a new political identity.

Mummers Parade Ethnicity and Racialization –Anglo vs. Other –“White” vs. Other Political Connections –Department of Recreation –Mayoral Support Spatial Politics –Route

Mummers Parade ETHNICITY AND RACIALIZATION Anglo vs. “Other” –During the 18 th and 19 th century, ethnic Yule celebrations reviled by Philadelphian Quakers –Rioting against Irish Catholics. “White” vs. “Other” –Late 19 th and 20 th century cultural practices (boosterism, minstrelsy, Mummers parade) tie Philadelphia’s European immigrant communities to its Anglo community.

Mummers Parade POLITICAL CONNECTIONS Department of Recreation –Mummers have a organizational structure within the Philadelphia Department of Recreation Mayoral Support –Mummers Parade enjoyed its greatest support from Mayor Frank Rizzo, a South Philadelphia generally considered racist by the African American community.

Mummers Parade POLITICAL CONNECTIONS Philadelphia New Years Shooters and Mummers Association

Mummers Parade SPATIAL POLITICS Route: –Visually and physically connects immigrant South Philly to Center City and City Hall

Mummers Parade SPATIAL POLITICS Route: –Routinely adjusted according to demographic shifts Proportion of Blacks in Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Mummers Parade SPATIAL POLITICS Route: –Routinely adjusted according to demographic shifts Proportion of Blacks in Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Mummers Parade SPATIAL POLITICS Route: –Routinely adjusted according to demographic shifts Proportion of Blacks in Philadelphia Neighborhoods

Mummers Parade SPATIAL POLITICS Route: –Routinely adjusted according to demographic shifts –Outcry against moving the Parade to Market Street in 1990s. –Parade moves “back to South Philly” Moved to Market Street in the 1990s

Odunde Festival Race and Ethnicity –Black vs. White –Black vs. African Political Connections –Mayoral Support Spatial Politics –Route

Odunde Festival RACE AND ETHNICITY Black vs. White: –Racial identity is inherently political –Blacks continue to be marginalized in Philadelphia Black vs. African –Ethnic identity implies cultural ties –Pan-African identity unites Philadelphian blacks.

Odunde Festival POLITICAL CONNECTIONS Mayoral Support –Mayor Street is the first mayor to participate in the procession –As City Council President, Street fought for the festival

Odunde Festival SPATIAL POLITICS Route –Procession starts at Gray’s Ferry Heart of African American South Philly –Follows South Street to the River Gentrified, “European- American” Area

Odunde Festival SPATIAL POLITICS Route –No direct view to Center City –Articulated as a response to gentrification and demographic changes. –Street vendors extend as down South and Gray’s Ferry.

Two Festivals, Two ‘Philadelphian’s Attendance: Odunde: –up to 300,000+ –Predominantly African American street presence Mummers: –has been 300,000; now closer to 100,000 or less –South Philadelphia street presence: Smaller, more diverse –Center City: Larger, predominantly white

Other Issues INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION Information on African American historical perspectives in Philadelphia is less widely available than that on European American perspectives. E.g: Blackface Controversy: –White/Mummers Perspective Recorded in 1 book, 4 dissertations Book available from 146 libraries worldwide (in 32 states and Canada) –Black Perspective Recorded in 1 book Book available in 13 libraries worldwide (in 7 states).

THANK YOU. Information in this presentation has been compiled in my Masters Thesis: The Racial Politics of Urban Celebrations: A Comparative Study of Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade and Odunde Festival