Preserving the Cultural Heritage of West Philadelphia High School: A Community-Driven Participatory Action Research Approach

• In Event: "It’s a West Philly Thing": Conversations With Intergenerational Community-Driven Civic Action Research Collectives Pursuing Justice

Abstract

Black Education holds significant historical and cultural importance within Black communities, symbolizing their rich heritage and identity (Caswell et al., 2016). However, many such communities, including a public high school in West Philadelphia, face rapid demographic and structural changes due to urban revitalization efforts, disrupting the fabric of their communities (Alcalá, 2019; Betancur, 2011). This community-driven participatory action research (CPAR) (Fine & Torre, 2021) project seeks to document, preserve, and digitally make accessible this school's oral histories and archives. Through Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Intergenerational Responsible Leadership Theory (IRL) frameworks, we emphasize the importance of storytelling and intergenerational connectedness to empower communities to preserve their historical archives and shape their future narratives (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995; Puaschunder, 2017).

The historically Black high school in West Philadelphia has a legacy deeply entwined with the city's racial history (Author, 2019). With a Black student population and a tight-knit community, it has been a pillar of its urban neighborhood for a century; however, recent gentrification and land dispossession threatened the community's fabric and heritage, highlighting the need for community-driven efforts to preserve their cultural wealth (Author, 2020). The utilization of CRT within this project underscores storytelling's significance in challenging single-stream narratives about Black and their experiences (Brown & Jackson, 2013). By documenting oral histories from alums, students, teachers, and community members, the project disrupts and confronts the traumatic effects of gentrification on Black education (Author, 2020; Author, 2022). Storytelling empowers individuals to shape their narratives, reclaim their histories, and challenge dominant narratives perpetuating systemic inequalities (Ladson-Billings, 1998). IRL provides the foundation for intergenerational connectedness within the project (Puaschunder, 2017). The diverse twelve-person, intergenerational team, aged seventeen to seventy, reflects the commitment to fostering collaborative university-school-community partnerships (Author, 2022). This approach engages youth and older adults in participatory heritage archival skills and qualitative research methods, encouraging cross-generational knowledge transmission and mutual learning.

The CPAR project engages with the school's students and alum association and utilizes new media and digital technologies for preservation efforts. The team collects oral histories, digitizes artifacts, and stores the alum association's archive of yearbooks dating back to 1912 (Author, 2019). By integrating modern technology, the project creates an accessible and dynamic digital platform to amplify the school's Black legacy and cultural wealth (Author, 2022). Beyond the preservation efforts, the project highlights the significance of intergenerational participation and collaboration in heritage projects. It fosters agency and resilience in the face of gentrification and displacement by empowering communities to take ownership of their historical archives and narratives (Author, 2019; Author, 2020).

The community-driven participatory heritage project stands as an exemplary initiative combining CRT principles and Intergenerational Responsible Leadership Theory by amplifying Black legacy and empowering the community through storytelling and intergenerational connectedness. The project serves as a model for preserving cultural wealth and fostering positive change in the face of gentrification and social transformation. Our collective will share the project's methodologies, outcomes, and the transformative potential of participatory heritage initiatives that center marginalized voices and promote community agency.

Author

• Jahyonna Brown, Drexel University