As the neighborhood around it underwent rapid demographic change, the First Presbyterian Church of Germantown reached out to new residents rather than follow affluent members to the suburbs. Through the church’s decision to stay and the debate that preceded it, this video documents a long discussion of race relations that remains alive within First Presbyterian today.
Ever since immigrants from Wales settled in Wynnefield in the 1690s, the neighborhood has seen over 300 years of peaceful demographic transitions. The film focuses on three landmarks that embody the neighborhood’s major changes (the Wynne House, the Har Zion Temple, and the Anderson Center), showing how residents actively and respectfully guided the community’s racial and religious transitions.
documents the Germantown arboretum’s 150- year history, from the purchase of the land by the Coate family in the 1850’s to Awbury Arboretum’s current youth programs and community gardening workshops. By revealing the similarities between past and present uses of the arboretum, the video underscores the timeless importance of green spaces in urban areas.