Exhibition: The Voices of Sisterly Affection
Field Teen Center at Parkway Central Library
Philadelphia's motto was officially expanded to "The City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection" by the efforts of the godmother of Black Music Month, Dyana Williams. To continue amplifying the female voice in discussions about our city, SIMBY Presents: The Voices of Sisterly Affection by Kyra Williams is a glance at Philly’s Black music herstory through photography and a labor of love and respect for the Black women who have been the soundtrack to our lives: Billie Holiday, Patti LaBelle, Phyllis Hyman, Left Eye, Eve, Jill Scott, DJ Diamond Kuts, Jazmine Sullivan, and Tierra Whack.
Inspired by moments in their careers, these portraits tell nine stories in our backyard as portrayed by Black women and girls from the Philadelphia area —both in front of and behind the camera— to honor these artists' legacies and origins from The City of Sisterly Affection. This partnership with The Free Library of Philadelphia and The Philadelphia School District’s TV Station (PSTV) expands this work beyond printed images to include a virtual reality experience, artist bios, resource lists, and culturally relevant photo programming with Philadelphia high schools and is on display outside the library's Field Teen Center througSeptember 5, 2025.
This project is supported by Black Music City: WXPN, WRTI, REC Philly, and the William Penn Foundation.
Let's educate our youth on artists who share their roots while motivating them as the next generation of Black storytellers! Join us for our opening celebration from 1-4 PM on Saturday, February 15, 2025; this event is free and RSVPs are encouraged. To schedule group tours or school trips, please email Curator of Exhibitions Suzanna Urminska at urminskas@freelibrary.org
Ages
Event Type
- Exhibitions
- Black History Month
- Community Events
- Discussion and Participation
- Arts and Crafts Programs
Event Tags
Field Teen Center
Ground Floor
215-686-5395
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street (between 19th and 20th Streets on the Parkway)
Philadelphia, PA 19103
1-833-TALK FLP (825-5357)