In Pursuit of History Film Festival at PAFA
About this Event
Philadelphia didn't just witness American history — it made it. On October 24th, the In Pursuit History Festival invites you to spend a day exploring the stories, people, and ideas that shaped this nation, right in the heart of the city where it all began.
This free, full-day festival at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is designed for anyone who wants to engage with history on their own terms.
Film Track — Rhoden Art Center
Catch one episode or stay all day. The In Pursuit documentary series screens continuously from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with five episodes tracing Philadelphia's role in the making of America.
A Nation of Artists
The exhibition is open all day. Explore the intersection of art, history, and identity through the lens of Philadelphia's story. A guided tour is available at 1PM.
History & Ideas
Enjoy a panel discussion at 5:15PM to close out our day on The Future of American Storytelling with the History Making Productions Team.
This festival is free and open to the public. Whether you're a student, educator, history enthusiast, or lifelong Philadelphian, there's something here for you. Come for an hour or stay all day — the city's story is waiting.
Film Track
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Screening - Episode 1: Freedom
Info: The Lenape people have called this land home for 18,000 years. When Quaker visionary William Penn arrives with promises of tolerance and coexistence, a bold experiment begins — but so does the contradiction at America's core, as slavery takes root even as freedom is proclaimed.
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Screening - Episode 2: Land
Info: As Philadelphia grows into North America's fastest city, pressure mounts on the Penn family to expand — at any cost. A fraudulent land deal known as the Walking Purchase strips the Lenape of their territory, setting off a rebellion that erupts into the violence of the French and Indian War.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 02:15 PM
Screening - Episode 3: Independence
Info: Philadelphia becomes the birthplace of a nation. From the Paxton Boys to the Continental Congress, competing visions of freedom collide as revolutionaries, laborers, women, and free Black Philadelphians all ask the same question: who does liberty belong to?
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:45 PM
Screening - Episode 4: Common Ground
Info: As Philadelphia serves as the young nation's capital, a devastating Yellow Fever epidemic lays bare the fragility of the new republic. From the AME Church to the Female Anti-Slavery Society, Philadelphians build the institutions of civil society — and fight over who gets to belong.
🕑: 03:00 PM - 05:15 PM
Screening - Episode 5: America
Info: Bible Riots, civil war, and Reconstruction — Philadelphia is at the center of it all. A rising generation of Black leaders demands full citizenship, while the city itself struggles to hold together a fractured, expanding democracy.
History&Ideas Stage Track
🕑: 05:15 PM - 06:00 PM
The Future of American Storytelling Panel
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
