February is Black History Month, and there are few better cities in the country to mark the occasion than Philadelphia.
The City of Brotherly Love is rich in African-American heritage and culture, once playing home to extraordinary figures like jazz legend John Coltrane, astronaut Guion S. Bluford and stars of song and screen Jill Scott and Will Smith.
At vybe urgent care, we’re focusing our celebrations on some of the best landmarks situated near our urgent care facilities located within city limits.
Our Center City location is just around the corner from City Hall, where just last year a monument was erected to honor the life of educator and civil rights pioneer Octavius V. Catto. He was killed on election day in 1871 while he was rallying African-American men to vote, but he left behind a powerful legacy in his fight for equality. One of his biggest accomplishments was winning a battle to desegregate Philadelphia’s trolley system. Find the inspiring 12-foot-tall statue on the south side of City Hall and tip your hat to a great freedom fighter.
Marian Anderson is most known for her groundbreaking 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., but Philadelphia is the city she loved and called home. The famed contralto’s local roots remain strong at the Marian Anderson Historical Residence & Museum, which is located in the home she purchased here in 1924 — and just across the street from the church she sang in as a child. A docent dressed as Anderson leads guests from room to room, showing off cool memorabilia, such as some of Anderson’s gowns, rare photos and books. The museum is located a short drive or Uber ride away from vybe urgent care in South Philly, so consider a visit the next time you’re in.
About four miles south of vybe urgent care in Port Richmond sits the Independence Seaport Museum, a treasure trove of nautical goodies that’s dedicated to Philadelphia’s maritime history. The main draw here is the massive ship and submarine docked out front, but those looking for a reflective Black History Month experience can check out the museum’s current special exhibit “Tides of Freedom: African Presence on the Delaware River.” The interactive exhibition uses rare artifacts and revealing first-person accounts to tell the story about how the Delaware River played a role in four key moments of African-American history: slavery, emancipation, Jim Crow and Civil Rights.
West Philadelphia is filled with black history and heritage — just look at all the amazing African restaurants along Baltimore Avenue. A quick stroll from the University City vybe urgent care center takes you to 40th Street and Lancaster Avenue, the very spot where Martin Luther King Jr. led the Freedom Now rally and gave a speech to 10,000 spectators in 1965. The site is marked by two works of art: a bust of MLK and a massive mural by artist Cliff Eubanks that depicts the famous scene.
BONUS: vybe urgent care in University City is providing free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings throughout the entire month of February. Be sure to stop in for a quick checkup!
vybe urgent care center in Roxborough is situated near one of the most thriving African-American communities in Philadelphia: Germantown. A standout among the black-owned businesses in the area is Uncle Bobbie’s, a bustling coffee shop and bookstore that fills its shelves with books by black authors like James Baldwin, E. Lynn Harris and Michelle Obama. The shop also hosts regular events, such as black-themed movie screenings and author readings. This month alone its hosting New York Times bestseller Irshad Manji and Khadijah White. The cafe’s menu of steaming coffee drinks, sandwiches and pastries is just the icing on the cake.
Remember to keep vybe urgent care on your radar the next time you’re feeling under the weather. We provide a variety of services, including treating common wintertime ailments like the flu, the common cold and even X-Rays if you happen to slip on some ice. There’s no need to make an appointment; we always accept walk-in patients.
vybe urgent care handles injuries, illnesses, x-rays and testing, including STI and pregnancy. We welcome walk-ins and accept most insurances, so stop by your local vybe and be seen today.
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