Archaeology students from the University of Pennsylvania are joining community members to uncover the history of a historic Black neighborhood in West Philadelphia that was demolished decades ago in the name of urban renewal.
From bottles to food scraps, students have unearthed thousands of artifacts that offer a glimpse into the lives of residents from Black Bottom, West Philadelphia’s first Black neighborhood. The project, called Heritage West, is now in its third year.
“The most important thing that we can do is lend material weight to the stories that are already being told by community members,” Megan Kassabaum, an associate professor of anthropology at Penn, said…