Black History Month is upon us. And there’s no shortage of it in a historically Black neighborhood that keeps adding to its legacy daily.

This year, the Germantown Info Hub honors the month of observance by uplifting 24 Black neighbors who heighten our imaginations and help create change across four themes: mentorship, arts & culture, organizers, and entrepreneurs. 

Every Monday throughout February, we’ll drop six names per theme. 

“Neighbors,” to us, are defined as folks with a direct connection to the neighborhood. Think natives who may no longer reside here, business owners, workers and laborers, longtime transplants, former residents who were transplants, and more.

This week, we uplift our organizers throughout Germantown, who dedicate their time to building the community through their own passion projects and broader advocacy.

Cornelia Swinson

• Title: Executive Director

• Affiliation: Johnson House Historic Site & Center for Social Advocacy

• Why we chose her: Swinson has lived in Germantown for over 35 years. But along with being a neighbor, she leads the historic Johnson House. Swinson has been instrumental in helping to establish the Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival in Germantown as a hub of commerce, culture, and community, making it one of the biggest events in Germantown – and Philly – every year. Her dedication to educating the community about Germantown’s role in history extends beyond just the festival itself, as she always brings workshops, panels, and other interactive experiences to the neighborhood. 

• On the horizon: Launch of Compositions of Black Joy, Legacies of Civic Engagement: A Historical Overview of Movements that Shaped Our Communities, the 19th Annual Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival, and more!

Darnell “Speedy” Artis

• Title: Founder

• Affiliation: Lonnie Young Summer League

• Why we chose him: Artis has always dreamed of organizing a summer basketball league that brings together collegiate players, pros, and athletes from all kinds of basketball backgrounds — all with roots in Philly. He made that vision real at the Lonnie Young Recreation Center. On some nights, the energy is electric, with games under the lights drawing hundreds of spectators, all locked in on the high-level talent and fierce competition. As a pro, who played in both high school and college divisions, Artis sees this league as his way of giving back and keeping Germantown connected through the game he loves.

• On the horizon: Of course, when summer isn’t in session, ‘Speedy’ is doing his thing around the world with the other Harlem Globetrotters.

Debbie Fortune

• Title: Advisory Council Vice President

• Affiliation: Lonnie Young Recreation Center

• Why we chose her: “Miss Debbie,” as we call her at GIH, has an unmatched dedication to the neighborhood youth, using the Lonnie Young Recreation Center as an anchor. Between putting together programming for the youth or resource fairs for the entire community, Miss Debbie stays at the center of it. Alongside her duties at the recreation center, Miss Debbie is also a block captain, connecting her neighbors with the information they need to survive and thrive.

• On the horizon: More activities for the youth and more emphasis on activities for seniors, including some intergenerational opportunities. As she says, “It takes a village.”

Douglas Rucker

• Title: Executive Director

• Affiliation: Chew & Chelten Community Development Corporation (CDC)

• Why we chose him: Douglas Rucker is a man who keeps the east side of Germantown as the core of his work. Rucker commonly speaks up and out about any disturbances along the Chew & Chelten corridor, whether it be nuisance businesses or unfair restrictions on neighborhood practices. But Rucker also has many skills, including playwriting, which he blends with his experiences to create the “Yo! Put The Gun Down” hip-hop symphony. The play addresses gun violence through performance art and debuted at La Salle University last year.

• On the horizon: Brave Young Black Men’s Summit, the Spring Clean-Up in April, raising more funds for the Laron LJ Williams Youth Center, and taking Yo, Put The Gun Down to full production at a major downtown Philly theatre in the fall of this year.

Marie Monique Marthol

• Title: Steering Committee member

• Affiliation: Germantown Residents for Economic Alternatives Together (GREAT)

• Why we chose her: While gentle and always leading with kindness, Marthol’s passion for housing justice is as fierce as a lion’s roar. This Queens, NY native came to Germantown some years ago and began using her experiences with gentrification to help inform the work that GREAT does around housing in the neighborhood. Most notable among her work is her involvement in the yearly MLK conversations that help neighbors understand what a “beloved community” is — and give them the tools to imagine and fight for one.

Maplewood Collective

• Members: Shirley Wardlaw, Kiki Bufford, Rashida Baldwin, Margo Wells, Janice Mathews, Candice, Starla Smith, and Nicholas Teatz. 

• Why we chose him: The Maplewood Collective launched in 2023 to help revive the corridor and help it thrive as a central hub of commerce and community connection that neighbors remember it as. The collective, primarily comprised of Black women-owned businesses on the strip, often organizes and hosts events and offerings to enact Germantown pride. Most notably, they hosted the first-ever Germantown Night Market last year, which was a huge success, as neighbors tell it!

• On the horizon: FREE Easter Egg Hunt, TWO Germantown Night Markets, and a fun and safe trick-or-treating experience on the mall later in the year. They’re also teaming up with Jabali Farmers Market for something unique. But be on the lookout for much more!