In their book, They Carried Us: The Social Impact of Philadelphia’s Black Women Leaders, Allener Baker-Rogers and Fasaha Traylor honor 95 Black women—historical figures and living women—whose vision, creativity, hard work and determination shaped the contours of Philadelphia from colonial times to the present day. They take us into the lives of women who organized and led protest movements, founded and ran successful businesses, excelled in sports, produced exceptional works of art and held powerful political offices, all while dealing with the complexities of everyday life.

The authors will join us for a book reading and discussion of their methods and writing processes.

They Carried Us: The Social Impact of Philadelphia’s Black Women Leaders is a timely and magnificent contribution to our ever-growing understanding of the history of Black women in America. Ms. Baker-Rogers is a former assistant professor of education research and is the recipient of the Jane S. Abrams and Cecil B. Moore Community Service Award. Ms. Traylor was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship and the Temple University Urban Fellowship.

Allener Baker-Rogers: Known foremost as Sissy, Allener is a native West Philadelphian, and honorary board member and former president of the Philadelphia child-advocacy organization, Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY). She served on mayoral advisory committees, and was a governor’s appointee and board chair of the Philadelphia County Assistance Office (PCAO). A lifelong educator, Sissy is a former academic-department director and assistant professor of educational research. She earned a doctorate in higher-education leadership from Widener University in 2003.

Fasaha Traylor: Fasaha has been an educator, activist, writer, administrator, board chair and foundation officer. She founded and directed an independent school, operated programs to link the resources of a local university with community needs and taught in public alternative-education programs. She was a copy editor at a major metropolitan newspaper, served on the board of a national human-rights organization—the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and was board chair of Grantmakers for Children, Youth and Families as well as Public Citizens for Children and Youth. She is also a principal of Lift Ev’ry Voice. The recipient of many awards and fellowships, she received a National Science Foundation fellowship, the Art Peters Memorial Fellowship (journalism) and the Temple University Urban Fellowship.