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Confronting the Past
The institution of slavery is woven deep into the economic growth and political fabric of America. Benjamin Chew was born on a Maryland plantation into a family with a history of slave-holding dating back to the 17th century.
Preserving the Past
At Cliveden we have many fascinating item collections that help you understand the world of the Chew family. View our collections at the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Shown: Tea cup and saucer from 1811.
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Recording Available: Vault Visit
Recording available for Facebook Live program Vault Visit: Jacob the Freedom Seeker A recording available for the Facebook Live program, Vault Visit: Jacob the Freedom Seeker, is now available. In this Facebook Live event, Cliveden’s Education Director Carolyn Wallace and Adrienne Whaley of the African American Genealogy Group (AAGG) explored the freedom-seeking strategies among the…
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Recording Available: Illuminating Hidden Lives Film Debut
Recording available of March 12th Cliveden Conversation A recording of the Cliveden Conversation held on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 is now available. https://youtu.be/cUXY9G42zwM?si=0rAIIYgH2x3sGTf0 Cliveden, the African American Genealogy Group of Philadelphia, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and PWPvideo discuss their work for the project, Illuminating Hidden Lives: digitizing documents from the Chew Family Papers, translating…
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Revealing Revolutionary Germantown
Check out Cliveden’s new project, revealing Germantown during the 1777 Battle of Germantown Revealing Revolutionary Germantown explores the Battle of Germantown (October 4, 1777) and highlights the sites in Germantown impacted by this historic event. Cliveden offers handouts featuring an illustrated map of the battle on one side and site descriptions on the other side.…
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The Sacred Remains: American Attitudes Toward Death in the Early 19th Century
Join Dr. Gary Laderman as he explores the changing attitudes toward death and the dead in the first half of the 19th century. Our current exhibit at Cliveden, The Turmoil of Transition, explores the experiences of one household after the death of Benjamin Chew Jr in 1844. The program is free and virtual; advanced registration…
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The Turmoil of Transition: The mid-nineteenth century at Cliveden
Learn about the mid-nineteenth century at Cliveden Cliveden’s current exhibition, The Turmoil of Transition: The mid-nineteenth century at Cliveden, explores a pivotal time in the Chew household. While the country faced internal conflicts around the institution of slavery and a struggling economy, the Chews experienced turmoil after the death of Benjamin Chew, Jr. in 1844…
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Old House Care Workshop Series
Sign up for the 2025 Old House Care Workshop Series WMAN’s Historic Preservation Initiative champions the economic, environmental, and community benefits of saving our historic places. Increase your knowledge on common house care topics through this three part workshop series. Online registration recommended as space is limited. To register, visit https://bit.ly/house-care-workshops-2025. Suggested donation: $10 per workshop or…
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