{"id":2818,"date":"2025-03-04T14:11:24","modified":"2025-03-04T14:11:26","slug":"senator-fetterman-members-of-pa-delegation-introduce-bill-to-rename-norristown-post-office-in-honor-of-african-american-historian-charles-blockson","link":"https:\/\/www.fetterman.senate.gov\/senator-fetterman-members-of-pa-delegation-introduce-bill-to-rename-norristown-post-office-in-honor-of-african-american-historian-charles-blockson\/","title":{"rendered":"Senator Fetterman, Members of PA Delegation Introduce Bill to Rename Norristown Post Office in Honor of African American Historian Charles Blockson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Washington, D.C.&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Today, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced legislation to rename the Norristown Post Office after Charles Blockson, a prominent African American historian.&nbsp;Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04) led 12 members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation to introduce the companion bill in the House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCharles Blockson dedicated his life to collecting and preserving African American history. He lives on through his historical collections, which are now studied by countless Pennsylvania students,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>said Senator Fetterman.&nbsp;<\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m proud to join my colleagues in the House to introduce this legislation. By renaming the post office in Mr. Blockson\u2019s hometown, we can continue to honor his impact on African American studies across our country and commonwealth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCharles Blockson\u2019s invaluable work of searching for, collecting, and, perhaps most impressively, selflessly sharing his premiere collection of African American artifacts has shaped our knowledge and understanding of African American history \u2014 renaming the Norristown post office is a tangible way we can honor his vast contributions right here in his hometown,\u201d&nbsp;<strong>Rep. Dean said.&nbsp;<\/strong>\u201cI\u2019m deeply grateful to work my Pennsylvanian colleagues to reintroduce this legislation \u2014 and I\u2019m hopeful for its passage this Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Charles Blockson was born in 1933 in Norristown, Pennsylvania and graduated from Norristown Area School District where he excelled as a student and athlete. He used his love of books, even from an early age, to build a career of traveling and acquiring rare documents, publications, and photos to better depict African American studies. After curating one of the largest and most prestigious collections of African American artifacts, he donated them to Temple University\u2019s Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection and the Pennsylvania State University&#8217;s Charles L. Blockson Collection of African-Americana and the African Diaspora. He passed away on June 14, 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The House companion legislation was cosponsored by Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-05), Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02), Mike Kelly (R-PA-16), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA-11), Dan Meuser (R-PA-09), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-06), John Joyce (R-PA-13), Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08), and Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15).<\/p>\n","protected":false}}