A new park in Media named Heritage will be dedicated Nov. 6 to the lives and history of Black families who have lived in the borough, writes Christine Jean-Baptiste for WHYY.

The land for Heritage Park was purchased by the borough from resident Norma Bean and her family.

Media, the seat of Delaware County, has had a thriving Black community since it was founded in 1850.

The borough was connected to the Underground Railroad in the 1850s and 1860s. Harriet Tubman led many escaped slaves from Maryland into Delaware County, helped by Providence Friends Meeting abolitionists in Media.

Many of these African-American families eventually moved into Media and would become some of the founding families of this town, according to VisitMediaPa.com.

“There were some sweeping changes in America that were highlighting some of the problems, continuing problems in America with race relations, and we thought it was a good opportunity to honor a community that had contributed a great deal to Media and still does,” said Borough Councilman Peter Williamson.

The one-acre park at Fifth and Broomall streets is shaped like an “L” with six houses wrapping around it.  

The neighborhood contributed to the park’s design.

Read more about Heritage Park at WHYY.

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Enjoy this pictorial history of Media Borough.