Historic Fair Hill

Historic Fair Hill is a peace-making green space and a neighborhood revitalization organization in North Philadelphia. This historic Quaker cemetery and resting place of great human rights activists (abolitionists/early women’s rights advocates) has been restored and reimagined to carry forward their work for justice and peace through greening, school partnerships, and community events.

In partnership with Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program, six murals have been added to the neighborhood, celebrating historical figures of note and contemporary activists and causes. These murals foster pride in the community and encourage residents to follow the example of their most revered forebears and activist neighbors. 

As a center for community gardens and greening, they teach young people the skills of growing food and partner in seven gardens and street tree planting. Vegetables are given away to people in the neighborhood including residents of a senior housing facility. Children and youth are mentored into peaceful relationships with the earth and with one another through gardening and the distribution of food to those who live with food insecurity.

As a community partner for literacy, they support local elementary schools with libraries. Historic Fair Hill has created libraries in schools that have been without libraries for decades. They have collected and donated thousands of books, and recruited volunteers to staff the libraries, tutor and mentor students, and provide opportunities for parent education.

As a gathering and educational center, they host field trips, a summer festival, and other family friendly events for their neighbors and the larger community.

Historic Fair Hill has integrated itself into its neighborhood, becoming a key partner in its transformation from a haven for drug dealers, violence, and trash into a cohesive community, a green oasis fostering peace, compassion, and generosity.