Mary Cardwell Dawson’s Cardwell Dawson Choir and founder of the National Negro Opera Company.

Homewood-Brushton
July 16
Noon — 4 p.m.

Composer Billy Strayhorn. Supermodel Naomi Sims. Photographer Charles “Teenie” Harris. Pianist Erroll Garner. Writer John Edgar Wideman. Civil rights activist Rev. LeRoy Patrick. Contemporary art Vanessa German. These are just some of the many legendary figures who all have deep ties to Homewood.

“Peace Over Pittsburgh” art mural located under the overpass at N. Homewood Ave. and Finance St.
“Peace Over Pittsburgh” art mural by Ashley Hodder, Kristin DeGiovanni, Nicholas Hohman, and Magil Sahara, located under the overpass at N. Homewood Ave. and Finance St.

This Saturday is a terrific time to experience and explore the Pittsburgh neighborhood—when the first-of-its-kind “Homewood-Brushton Self-Guided Arts & Culture Tour” welcomes the public from noon to 4 p.m. Taking place during the Harambee Ujima Black Arts and Culture Festival, the inaugural event is free and open to all ages.

While visiting 20-plus existing landmarks, cultural treasures, and unique destinations—even some that are no longer here—the public will learn about places throughout the community where local trailblazers lived, learned, created, worshiped, and played.

The tour showcases destinations with historic and architectural significance, such as Mystery Manor, home to the National Negro Opera Company—the first African-American opera company in the U.S.—and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh—Homewood, the last of the “Carnegie branches” built while steel industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was still alive.

Additional tour stops include the Afro-American Music Institute, Homewood AME Zion Church, ARThouse, Westinghouse High School, and the Greater Pittsburgh Coliseum.

Billy Strayhorn and Billy Eckstine, graduates of Westinghouse High School in Homewood.
Billy Strayhorn and Billy Eckstine, graduates of Westinghouse High School in Homewood. Photo by Charles “Teenie” Harris.
Billy Strayhorn and Billy Eckstine, graduates of Westinghouse High School in Homewood. Photo by Charles “Teenie” Harris.

When you’re ready to start your tour of Homewood-Brushton, just pick up a map at the festival’s registration table located on Kelly St. between N. Lang and N. Homewood Avenues. Free transportation will be provided for seniors and people with physical difficulties.

Tour organizers include historian and author John Brewer, Jr.;  Operation Better Block community development manager Demi Kolke; art historian and cultural producer Kilolo Luckett; and Homewood-Brushton Business Association secretary Diane Turner.

Continue the fun in Homewood during the Harambee Ujima Black Arts and Culture Festival, which runs on Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Kelly St. between N. Lang and N. Homewood Avenues.

This year’s festival features Children’s Village activities, food and retail vendors, an art gallery, and live entertainment. A wide range of artistic mediums will be presented, including spoken word, visual art, music, performance art, and more. The festival will kick-off with a soul stepping parade on Friday, July 15, which will start at 6 p.m. on N. Lang Ave. and will conclude at 8 p.m. on Kelly St.

Looking for more events? Read our 10 Pittsburgh events not to miss in July, Everything you need to know about Pittsburgh concerts in July, and our Top 10 things for families to do in July in Pittsburgh feature articles.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.