New Philadelphia Illinois

The great-great-grandson of Frank McWorter and his wife will present a lively account full of images of how New Philadelphia came to be in 1836, how Lincoln entered the story, and what happened next. Frank was the first Black man in the U.S. to plat and register a town.

Townspeople fought for slavery in seven ways and much is known about each one of the seven. The story continues into the 21st century, with local history activists, living descendants, and professional archaeologists unearthing more details about life in 19th century New Philadelphia.

Gerald McWorter (Abdul Alkalimat) is a professor emeritus at the University of Illinois. He has researched, taught and lectured about African American history and culture around the world, only to find himself writing about his own family late in life. Kate Williams-McWorter is an associate professor at the University of Illinois who educates future librarians.

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