In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America

Join us on Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 6:00–8:30 PM at Germantown Friends School for a special screening of Freedom (Until 1700), the first episode of In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America, a groundbreaking 10-part documentary series produced by History Making Productions.

Presented in partnership with the Chestnut Hill Local, this screening invites audiences to explore the complicated origins of Philadelphia and the ideals of religious freedom, coexistence, and equality that helped shape the American experiment.

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Long before Philadelphia was founded, the Lenape, known as the "Original People," lived throughout the forests and waterways of the mid-Atlantic region. Their way of life was profoundly disrupted by European colonization, disease, and displacement.

Against this backdrop, English Quaker William Penn arrived with a bold vision for a colony rooted in religious tolerance, individual liberty, and peaceful coexistence. Yet Pennsylvania's founding ideals were challenged by the realities of slavery and the unequal treatment of Indigenous peoples.

Through compelling storytelling, historical perspectives, and contemporary voices, Freedom explores the contradictions at the heart of America's earliest promises and asks a question that continues to resonate today: Can freedom truly flourish when it is not extended to everyone?

The screening at Germantown Friends School, an institution rooted in the Quaker tradition, provides a meaningful setting to reflect on the region's history and the enduring pursuit of liberty and equality.

Following the film, guests will be invited to participate in a community conversation connecting the episode's historical themes to our shared present and future.