The Johnson House

I sat and pondered about some of the "Black History" significant sites that I'd like to visit at some point, some  this summer and others throughout the school year to come. Some included places where tragedy struck including the Lorraine Hotel (now a museum) where Dr. King was killed and the16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the site of the September, 1963 Sunday School bombing where four black girls were killed.

As I sat, thought, calculated, I decided that I would jump in my car and head about 20 minutes (on a good day) up the road to Germantown Avenue right here in Philly to the Johnson House, a well established historical site and former station on the Underground Railroad. I'm glad that I did.

I even lent my voice in knowledge of my ancestral heritage to the two ladies with whom I was touring; very nice ladies from Montgomery County.

It was a great learning experience and I'd love to revisit, learn more, and even take a few folks with me! (You ready 207?)

Check them out here -- http://www.johnsonhouse.org/

"There is such a thing as 'free lunch'"

When people casually or irreverently speak of or address certain subjects, it will offend me. A lover of words and language, I tend to listen carefully. So when a local reporter, when reporting on the Wawa Welcome America celebrations, particularly today's Free Hoagie Day here in Philly said, "it turns out there is a such thing as free lunch", I got perturbed.

Excuse me Miss, you're a reporter. In Philly. On TV.

You don't have to tell the kids in this city that "there is a such thing as free lunch." WE know it!

YOU may speak of free lunch lightly while reporting on the free hoagies that Wawa gave out today, and you may even take a joking tone. However, free lunch for many children in our public schools is a serious thing. Many depend on the free breakfast and lunch that their neighborhood public school provides. For many households, these are the only meals they receive.