For the people of Chester, Pennsylvania, Old Main isn't just an old building — it's where Martin Luther King Jr., as a student at Crozer Theological Seminary, survived a gun pointed at his head by a classmate, discovered Gandhi's philosophy of soul force, and began transforming from an above-average student into one of history's greatest orators. But after the sudden closure of Crozer Chester Medical Center, the future of the adjacent seminary is uncertain. Preservationists have removed King's dorm room door, Civil War-era wall etchings, and other irreplaceable artifacts — but where do they go from here? This episode examines the tension between progress and preservation, and why the communities connected to these sacred places refuse to let history be chipped away.

This series is made possible through the generous support of our Community Impact Sponsor, the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

We also thank our community partners for helping connect these stories with audiences throughout our region: the Brewerytown Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition, Poquessing Trail of History / Byberry Friends Meeting, the Society for the Preservation of Philadelphia African American Assets, and the Fund for Sacred Places.

Freedom Journeys is made possible through the support of the Office of Senator Vincent Hughes; State Representative Jordan A. Harris, Chairman of the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee, and the Pennsylvania Department of Commerce and Economic Development; the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial; Comcast; PECO; the Philadelphia Parking Authority; Independence Blue Cross; and the Office of Philadelphia City Councilmember Cindy Bass.

To learn more, visit WURDRadio.com/FreedomJourneys.

In this episode of Freedom Journeys: Sacred Places, host Solomon Jones traces the remarkable story of Charles Albert Tindley, from his escape from slavery as a child to his rise as pastor of what became Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, and one of the most influential Black hymn writers in American history. Through interviews with historian Jillian Pirtle, Reverend Carolyn Cavaness, Reverend Mark Kelly Tyler, and Brian Armstead, the episode weaves Tindley's journey together with the parallel story of Richard Allen and Mother Bethel AME Church, exploring how faith, music, and resilience shaped Black institutions in Philadelphia. Discover how Tindley's hymns — including "I'll Overcome Someday" — inspired Mahalia Jackson and ultimately gave rise to "We Shall Overcome," the anthem of the Civil Rights Movement, and how his legacy of standing up against injustice still echoes at Philadelphia's sacred places today. The episode also touches on ongoing preservation efforts, including the Charles A. Tindley Legacy Preservation Center taking shape at Tindley Temple and a new wellness clinic at New River Presbyterian.

WURD Radio presents Freedom Journeys: Sacred Places, a four-part storytelling series produced and presented by Solomon Jones. In this second episode, Solomon explores the Byberry Township African American Burial Ground — a site founded as a burial place for free and enslaved Black Philadelphians that remained largely unmarked and unknown for generations.

Connected to the legacy of abolitionist Robert Purvis and the broader struggle for freedom and equality in the region, the burial ground stands as a powerful reminder of lives too often overlooked. Today, preservation partners are working to research, interpret, and protect the site — ensuring that both the people laid to rest there and the history they represent are remembered for generations to come.

Freedom Journeys: Sacred Places is made possible in part through the generous support of our Community Impact Sponsor, the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

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Learn more about Freedom Journeys

• https://wurdradio.com/freedomjourneyspodcast/

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Community Partners:

• Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia (Community Impact Sponsor)

• Brewerytown Sharswood Neighborhood Coalition

• Poquessing Trail of History / Byberry Friends Meeting

• Society for the Preservation of Philadelphia African American Assets

• The Fund for Sacred Places

Freedom Journeys is made possible through the support of the Office of Senator Vincent Hughes; State Representative Jordan A. Harris; the Pennsylvania Department of Commerce and Economic Development; the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial; Comcast; PECO; the Philadelphia Parking Authority; Independence Blue Cross; and the Office of Philadelphia City Councilmember Cindy Bass.