Art Sanctuary

Art Sanctuary was created as part of Art Sanctuary’s annual Celebration of Black Arts. The mural’s design honors the building’s history in the neighborhood and its original owners, Addie and G. Edward Dickerson, and the legacy of the organization.

G. Edward Dickerson was among the first Black graduates of Temple Law School in 1902. Mr. Dickerson worked as an assistant solicitor for the City of Philadelphia. In 1919, he defended several Black men charged with the Gray’s Ferry riots concerning scarce housing. He succeeded in suing the county for property damages destroyed by the mob. He also brought to trial police officers who murdered a Black man.

Addie Whitehead Dickerson was a realtor and the city’s first black female Notary Public. A formidable character in her own right, Mrs. Dickerson was co-organizer of the city’s YWCA; chair of the National Council of Church Women; representative to the 1924 Prague, Czechoslovakia meeting of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the International Council of Women of the Darker Races; and board member of what was then Bethune-Cookman College (now University).

Together, this early 20th-century Black power couple bought real estate and willed it to be used to “improve and uphold the Negro race.” Within a few blocks in any direction of the Dickerson Building, one could find a rich and diverse tapestry of black culture, commerce, and educational and spiritual institutions.

Over time, the importance of the Dickersons’ story, as well as those of others in the community, stand as testaments to resilience, community strength, and, sadly, the potential of society repeating negative events, especially as they relate to race and class. Issues related to race and class can be difficult for diverse people to explore in community. This project aims to use art to open understanding and dialogue through each facet of Art Sanctuary’s planned programming.