Another historical marker down… temporarily!

Uh oh! Our other historical marker went missing.

Fortunately, it’s just that PA Historical & Museum Commission took this one down for maintenance, too! (See previous post.)

Our second sign commemorates Civilian Public Service and the involvement of Mennonite, Church of the Brethren, and Quaker agencies, such as American Friends Service Committee.

Here are the headless pole and the actual sign commemorating Civilian Public Service.

Post with yellow tag that says Pennsylvania Historical Marker down for maintenance. In the background is a fence, behind which a blue car is parked.
Historical marker says: During World War II, some 12,000 men who were classified as conscientious objectors to war—about fifteen percent of them from Pennsylvania—served in non-military occupations across the United States. Under the leadership of Mennonite, Quaker, and Church of the Brethren agencies, they were engaged in mental health care and medical experiments, in forestry and on dairy farms, and in other important civic projects. PA Historical & Museum Commission 1996

Historical Markers, yes? no? Maybe so!

Friends have had a presence at our present site since the 1840s. The Race Street Quaker Meetinghouse was built in 1856.

The American Friends Service Committee, founded here in 1917, has a historic marker recognizes their work for… Wait, what? It’s gone!

Blue pole with no sign on top. A yellow tag is attached.

On closer inspection, a tag from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission says the AFSC sign is down for maintenance. Whew!

Pennsylvania Historical Marker down for maintenance. With contact info for Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Finally, here is a view of the actual sign when it was in place (and before the Philadelphia Family Courthouse was built).

Low-resolution image of the historical marker for American Friends Service Committee. Founded 1917. Co-recipient of Nobel Peace Prize, 1947.

For good measure, here’s the other historical marker on our campus, for Civilian Public Service. It’s still in place. This is the same photo we used on our History page.

Civilian Public Service historical marker.

Tenant News, June 2025

From the Director

Time for Community

As always, thank you for making our city, state, nation, and world a better place. We appreciate that you choose to do it here at Friends Center. In these urgent and uncertain times, it is more important than ever to have the community, connection, and collaboration here. We are grateful that Friends Center serves as a container to hold space for your work. We count on you to keep going forth and doing it, even as circumstances change daily!

—Chris Mohr, Executive Director

Around Friends Center

Closed for Juneteenth, June 19

Friends Center will be closed on Thursday, June 19, for the Juneteenth holiday. Here are some activities and resources for the day:

» Philadelphia parade and festival

» Juneteenth Philly

HVAC maintenance 6/19-20

Friends Center’s heating, ventilation, and cooling system will be off for needed maintenance on June 19. It will be off at least through Friday morning, 6/20. It may be warm in the facility on Friday. You may wish to work from home that Friday if you can.

EVENTS

Acts of Reparation Film Screening, Sun., 6/15, 7 pm

Acts of Reparation follows two friends as they explore what reparations means to them. Selina, who is Black, and Macky, who is white, have been friends and filmmaking partners for 25 years. The screening will be followed by a conversation with Breanna Moore, whose scholarly expertise is the abolition of the slave trade in the 19th century. Sponsored by Central Philadelphia Friends Meeting, reparationWorks, and the Grassroots Reparations Campaign.

» Details and link to register.

Friends Center events: A great value for a Center City venue!

As always, please let your colleagues, peers, and friends know about our meeting spaces. We provide a great value, robust facilities, the convenience of Center City, and a friendly staff—and always a nonprofit discount! Thank you.

Equity Partner News

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM)

Registration is Open for Annual Sessions

PYM Annual Sessions takes place in late July at Cheyney University and on Zoom. The theme is “Members One of Another.” PYM is glad to partner with Cheyney—the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU). They were founded in part with a grant from a Quaker family. Friends are invited to join as a community, either in person or online, based on what works best for you.

» More info and register here.

American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)

AFSC Speaks out on National Guard Deployment to Los Angeles

» Read AFSC’s statement

A crowd of a people at a rally. One sign says, "Hands off immigrants."

Photo: Jon Krieg, AFSC (taken in Iowa!)

People’s Tribunal – Fridays with Fetterman

AFSC is part of a coalition called “Fridays with Fetterman.” They recently held a “people’s tribunal” here. Read the WHYY article.

Central Philadelphia Friends Meeting (CPFM)

CPFM Hosts Quakers Walking from Flushing, Queens, NY, to Washington, DC

In May, a group of Quakers walked from Flushing, Queens, NYC, to Washington, DC. They stopped at Friends Center to present to CPFM. They brought a copy of the 1657 Flushing Remonstrance, a petition from Dutch settlers in Flushing to Pieter Stuyvesant after he banned Quakers, then a new sect. The neighbors said they would be good neighbors to the Quakers and treat them by the Golden Rule.

The Quaker Walk 2025 called on Quakers and everyone today to be good neighbors to immigrant neighbors today. Read the story by the Associated Press.

The side of a van with a decal that says: "Walk to Washington. Walk to Washington. The Quaker-interfaith pilgrimage for peace & justice, walking to DC to affirm & defend everlasting human rights across all borders. ALL ARE WELCOME. Quakerwalk2025.org." The Race St. Quaker Meetinghouse's windows are reflected in the van window!

Decal on Quaker walk support vehicle, while at Friends Center.

Tenant News

Joyful Readers

Not Joyful news, unfortunately

» Philadelphia tutoring program focused on student literacy cut by DOGE. Chalkbeat News.

» Philly lost $10.2 million in the latest round of DOGE funding cuts to AmeriCorps. The cuts targeted eleven education programs, including CityYear, Teach for America, and Joyful Readers: Inquirer.

» Nonprofit Quarterly: Hillary Kane, PHENND

» Lawsuit filed by 24 states + DC

Tract Association Of Friends

New website

Ordinarily we would not necessarily focus on an organization’s new website in this newsletter, but in this case, it gives us an opportunity to tell you more about one of our quieter Quaker tenants!

Founded in 1816, the Tract Association has published pamphlets, essays and books on Friends beliefs, concerns, history, and practice. They also have a calendar numbered with the months and days according to traditional Quaker practice (Firstmonth and Firstday, etc.).

» Website: tractassociation.org

Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative

10th Year Anniversary Celebrations Kick off

Congratulations to PYSC on kicking off its 10th anniversary celebrations with a reception here at Friends Center!

A banner says PYSC on the porch of the Race Street Quaker Meetinghouse.

Gender Justice Fund

May was Masc Ally Month

In May, Gender Justice Fund recognized Masc Ally Month. This year’s events focused on fighting transphobia.

Physicians for Social Responsibility PA

PSR-PA opposes PGW rate hike

PSR-PA is among those groups telling regulators to reject potential PGW rate hike and to plan better for climate impacts.

» Initial story on WHYY, May 7

» Follow up on June 10: Philadelphia Gas Works says it is seeking facts in the rate hike case. Climate advocates say the utility is trampling on First Amendment rights. Read more.

New Quaker Banners

The American Friends Service Committee supersized their yard signs into banners for our fences on 15th Street and Race Street.

They say, “Quakers welcome migrants with dignity.”

Read more about what Quakers are for, not just what we’re against, by reading AFSC’s six principles for welcoming, dignified, and just immigration: afsc.org/welcome.

Banner says,"Quakers welcome migrants with dignity. afsc.org/welcome." It is hung on a black fence above a low brick wall. In the background are green trees and the Race Street Quaker Meetinghouse.
Banner says,"Quakers welcome migrants with dignity. afsc.org/welcome." It is hung on a cast iron black fence on a brick sidewalk. In the background are green trees, the Race Street Quaker Meetinghouse, and Friends Select School's STEAM Building. Another sign says, "Come experience Quaker worship, Sundays, 11 am."

Quaker Walk 2025 stops at Friends Center

Participants in the Quaker Walk 2025 visited Friends Center on 5/11/2025.

A group of Friends from Brooklyn Quaker Meeting organized the walk as a Quaker/interfaith pilgrimage for peace and justice. They are walking from Flushing, Queens, to Washington, DC, to “affirm & defend everlasting human rights across all borders.”

They are carrying with them a copy of the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657. The remonstrance was a letter from settlers in Flushing (now part of Queens, NYC) to Peter Stuyvesant, Director General of New Holland, who had banned Quakers and Quaker worship. They wrote to say they would not, but would welcome any Quakers, and people of other faiths, who approached them with love. They said they would do unto others as they would have done unto them.

Today Quakers are well established. These Friends today call us to welcome new immigrants and other faiths in the same way that our neighbors in Flushing welcomed us in 1657.

Here is a photo of their support van in our loading zone. You can see the windows of the Race Street Quaker Meetinghouse reflected in the van windows!

The side of a van with a decal that says: "Walk to Washington. Walk to Washington. The Quaker-interfaith pilgrimage for peace & justice, walking to DC to affirm & defend everlasting human rights across all borders. ALL ARE WELCOME. Quakerwalk2025.org." The Race St. Quaker Meetinghouse's windows are reflected in the van window!