Join us for the third lecture in a series of three presentations on Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World's Fair of 1926 by local historian Thomas Keels in commemoration of America's 250th anniversary.

With Liberty and Justice for...A Few: Philadelphia's African Americans, Jews, and Catholics all made major contributions to the celebration of America's 150th birthday. Yet each were treated very differently by the fair's managers and by the city government, reflecting the prejudices of America in the 1920s. Irish Catholics used the Sesqui to trumpet their emergence into the city's power structure. Despite their major financial and organizational contributions to the fair, Jews were reviled and attacked by anti-Semites, starting with Henry Ford and his Dearborn Independent. African Americans struggled to make their presence felt despite the widespread racism of the day, only to see their major projects sabotaged by fair executives. All this against a backdrop that included eugenics, anti-immigration agitation, and a planned visit by 100,000 Ku Klux Klan members for their 1926 Klonvokation, all with the blessing of Philadelphia's city fathers.

Register for the first lecture in this series The Sesqui Sinks on Monday, July 6 and The Ladies of the Street on Monday, July 13.

About the presenter: Thomas H. Keels is a lecturer, writer, and commentator specializing in Philadelphia history and architecture. He is the author or co-author of seven published books on Philadelphia history, including Sesqui! Greed, Graft, and the Forgotten World’s Fair of 1926; Wicked Philadelphia: Sin in the City of Brotherly Love; Forgotten Philadelphia: Lost Architecture of the Quaker City; and Philadelphia Graveyards and Cemeteries. A confirmed taphophile (Greek for “lover of graves”), Tom has been a tour guide at Laurel Hill Cemetery for thirty years. Visit his website at www.thomaskeels.com.

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