Philadelphia Educators Host Black History Month Celebration at Please Touch Museum

Event focused on representation, creativity and possibility for young children

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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The Please Touch Museum in West Philadelphia marked Black History Month with a daylong celebration that brought together African American authors, artists and educators for interactive programming designed to help kids see themselves reflected in stories, science and art. The event featured storytime, hands-on science lessons, and a collaborative mural project honoring Henrietta Lacks, with the goal of creating meaningful opportunities for children to see themselves represented across different disciplines.

Why it matters

The celebration aimed to empower young children, especially those from the Black American community, by providing them with windows to see themselves represented in various fields and inspiring them to envision their own futures. Representation and inclusion are crucial for building confidence and excitement in children about their identity and potential.

The details

The event featured a storytime reading by children's author John Butler, who encouraged kids to imagine becoming authors themselves. In the museum's science classrooms, children learned about electricity by holding hands to create a human circuit. In the art studio, children collaborated on a colorful mural honoring Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were widely used in medical research and led to major scientific breakthroughs.

  • The celebration took place on Saturday, February 8, 2026.

The players

John Butler

A children's author known to young readers as "Cousin John" who kicked off the celebration with a storytime reading.

Whitney Harris

A parent who attended the event with her two children and expressed the importance of children seeing themselves represented in stories and having the opportunity to tell their own.

Amirah Ali

The Director of Community Programs and Inclusion at the Please Touch Museum, who said the goal of the celebration was to create meaningful opportunities for children to see themselves represented across different disciplines.

David Buckholtz

A teacher who led the hands-on science lessons, implementing "low-cost, high-impact" experiments to spark early interest in science among the young participants.

Tamara Reddick

A parent who expressed the powerful impact of seeing educators and leaders who look like the children, as it can encourage them to believe they can achieve similar goals.

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What they’re saying

“Especially for my children, they need to know that anyone can write a book — anyone can tell their stories.”

— Whitney Harris, Parent (CBS News)

“Making sure they have those windows and opportunities to see themselves — if they belong to the Black American community — is incredibly important.”

— Amirah Ali, Director of Community Programs and Inclusion, Please Touch Museum (CBS News)

“I'm always implementing what I call low-cost, high-impact science lessons. Really getting these young people geared up and excited for partaking in some science.”

— David Buckholtz, Teacher (CBS News)

“It kind of encourages you — that if you see another [person] that looks like you, that you can do it too.”

— Tamara Reddick, Parent (CBS News)

“Because of her, doctors learned how to make medicines, help sick children, sick people, and save lives.”

— Amir Campbell, Muralist (CBS News)

What’s next

The Please Touch Museum plans to continue hosting similar events and programming throughout the year to celebrate diversity, representation, and inclusion for children.

The takeaway

This celebration at the Please Touch Museum demonstrates the importance of providing young children, especially from underrepresented communities, with opportunities to see themselves reflected in educational and cultural experiences. By highlighting Black history, creativity, and achievement, the event empowered children and inspired them to envision their own bright futures.