Camp William Penn and Historic La Mott Day 2025

Announcements, Events
  • When: Saturday, September 20, 2025
  • 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM
  • Where: 7322 Sycamore Ave, La Mott, 19027

Opening Ceremony – 10:00 at the historic Camp William Penn Gate

  • Visit a United States Colored Troop (USCT) encampment
  • Visit the Camp William Penn Museum
  • Living History demonstrations/ammunition making
  • Civil War Medical and Surgical instruments exhibit
  • Book signings, lectures, period music, films
  • La Mott history display
  • Civil War era games and activities
  • Local history organizations with displays and information
  • Visit graves of Camp William Penn soldiers at Philadelphia National Cemetery
  • Visit with WWII soldiers

Closing Ceremony – 3:00 at the flagpole

Camp William Penn was located in what is now the community of La Mott. It was the first and largest Federal training camp for black Civil War soldiers. Over 11,000 free black men and escaped slaves were trained here in eleven regiments. Lucretia Mott’s home was located on the eastern side of camp which enabled her to participate in the care of the recruits at the camp.

Volunteers are needed for assisting with all aspects of the event. Suggestions always welcome.

Email: pt@usct.org

215-885-2258

1618 Willow Ave, La Mott 19027

Camp William Penn Museum 2025 Schedule

Announcements, Events

Where: Camp William Penn Museum, 1618 Willow Avenue, La Mott, PA. 19027
Who: You and History
Website: https://www.usct.org/

The CWP Museum will be available to visitors from June through October by reservation and as per schedule below.

June 21, 12 – 4 pm

Artifacts that have been recently restored or had conservation work will be highlighted.

July 19, 12 – 4 pm

Learn about Camp William Penn and our community, Historic La Mott

August 16, 1 – 4 pm

Be sure to visit in conjunction with the La Mott Citizens United Back to School event on the grounds of the La Mott Community Ctr.

September 20, 10 – 3 pm

Camp William Penn and Historic La Mott Day This event honors the soldiers who trained at CWP as well as the founding fathers of this Historic Community.  Visit USCT encampment, medical show and tell, ammunition making demo, CWP Museum, visit displays by local history preserving organizations and more.

Citizens for the Restoration of Historical La Mott and Camp William Penn Museum announce schedule for summer 2025. (Camp William Penn was the first and largest federal training camp for colored soldiers in the Civil War.)

February 2025 Black History Lecture

1 CommentAnnouncements, Events

James Paradis teaches at Arcadia University and recently retired from Doane Academy where he served as Dean of the Upper School and taught for 35 years.  He has authored two books, and contributed to another. He was historical consultant and narrator for documentary film, Black Soldiers in Blue: The Story of Camp William Penn. This lecture is based on a book in progress with the working title, Jeremiah Asher’s War of Rebellion.

Speaking about the remarkable life of “Jeremiah Asher: Preacher and Warrior”

Jeremiah Asher’s grandfather, Gad, taken into slavery as a young child, seized his freedom by fighting in the American Revolution.  A child of a free Black father and a Native American mother, Jeremiah led a group of Black congregants in breaking away from their segregated Hartford church, and founding a new congregation.  In his lifetime he would take a hand in founding four new churches and saving one other.  Coming to Philadelphia as Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, he took an active part in the movement to abolish slavery.  When the Civil War came, he actively recruited Black volunteers for the Union Army.  Asher, himself, enlisted as a chaplain, traveling through campaigns in Virginia and North Carolina with the 6th Regiments of United States Infantry.

Also speaking:

James G. Mundy, historian emeritus, Union League Philadelphia and CROHL Board member, will highlight an artifact from the Camp William Penn Museum.

This is a free Zoom event. Click here at 3:00 to join:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82185499138?pwd=6oxoTgwK2qiR1sIYSMhebmXZ4lSmuO.1

  • Meeting ID: 821 8549 9138
  • Passcode: 421079

This program is presented by CROHL and funded in part by the JenkinsTown Lyceum.

Camp William Penn and Historic La Mott Day 2024

Announcements, Events

Opening Ceremony: 10:00 AM, Saturday, September 21, 2024
Michael Coard, attorney, radio host, activist will be speaker

Where: La Mott Community Center, 7420 Sycamore Ave., La Mott, 19027

Event will acknowledge the 161st anniversary of establishment of the United States Colored Troops and Camp William Penn.

  • Visit USCT encampments: 3rd and 6th USCT and PA. 53rd Infantry Re-enactors
  • Visit Camp William Penn Museum.
  • Living History demonstrations including ammunition making.
  • Hear archivist talk and demonstrate paper and book conservation.
  • See demonstrations of mid 1800’s building and carpentry techniques.
  • Civil War Medical and Surgical instrument ‘show and tell’.
  • Book signings, Lectures, Period Music, Films.
  • La Mott History display.
  • Civil War games and activities.
  • Visit graves of CWP soldiers at Philadelphia National Cemetery.
  • Local history organizations with tabletop displays and information.

Closing ceremony: 3:45 at Flagpole (corner Sycamore and Willow)

Camp William Penn, located in what is now modern day La Mott, was the first and largest Federal training site for colored soldiers during the Civil War.

Note: Volunteers needed for help in all aspects of this event; some starting now and some the day of the event. Ideas and suggestions are also welcome. If you are able to help or participate, please use contact information below.

Citizens for the Restoration of Historical La Mott
1618 Willow Avenue, La Mott, PA 19027
Email: pt@usct.org
Phone: (215) 885-2258

Memorial Day Ceremony at Philadelphia National Cemetery

Announcements, Events

When: Monday, May 27, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Where: Philadelphia National Cemetery, 6909 Limekiln Pike, Philadelphia, PA 19138

Immediately following the Memorial Day ceremony, there will be an unveiling of Private Warrick’s newly installed headstone. Private Warrick served with the 127th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment, mustered out of Camp William Penn. His headstone was incorrectly engraved for nearly 160 years. We are acknowledging the new stone with honors.  

Afterward, we welcome you to join us at Camp William Penn Museum for light refreshments and a complimentary tour of the museum.

National Cemetery

Philadelphia National Cemetery (PNC) contains the remains of nearly 13,000 veterans from the Civil War and later conflicts, along with spouses and dependents.

One thousand US Colored Troops and Seamen are interred at PNC.  At least two hundred of these soldiers perished while training at Camp William Penn.

Camp William Penn Museum

1618 Willow Avenue, La Mott PA 19027

Here was Pennsylvania’s only training camp for African-American soldiers and the largest of 18 in the nation during the Civil War. Comprising over 10,000 men, 11 regiments of US colored troops were trained here; the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 32nd, 41st, 43rd, 45th, and 127th. The first recruits arrived on June 26, 1863. Many were to fight in Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, and elsewhere. The camp closed on August 14, 1865.

Visit www.usct.org to learn more about Camp William Penn and to search USCT listings.
Phone: 215-885-2258 or Email: pt@usct.org.

Save the Date: February Black History Lecture

Announcements, Events

When: Sunday, February 25, 2024; 3:00 PM
Where: Zoom, pre-registration required
Who: Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr.

Dr. Holly Pinheiro Jr. is an assistant professor of African American History at Furman University and will talk about how freeborn northern African Americans struggled to maintain families while fighting against racial discrimination. In his recent book, The Families’ Civil War, Dr. Pinheiro, provides a compelling account of the lives of USCT soldiers and their entire families. The intersections of gender, race, class, and region will be examined to illuminate experiences of northern USCT soldiers and their families.

This is a free Zoom event. Reservations are necessary. To reserve a virtual seat, send an email to pt@usct.org and you will be sent a link giving you access to the presentation.