Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced legislation to rename the Norristown Post Office after Charles Blockson, a prominent African American historian. Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04) led 12 members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation to introduce the companion bill in the House.
“Charles 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,” said Senator Fetterman. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in the House to introduce this legislation. By renaming the post office in Mr. Blockson’s hometown, we can continue to honor his impact on African American studies across our country and commonwealth.”
“Charles Blockson’s 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 — renaming the Norristown post office is a tangible way we can honor his vast contributions right here in his hometown,” Rep. Dean said. “I’m deeply grateful to work my Pennsylvanian colleagues to reintroduce this legislation — and I’m hopeful for its passage this Congress.”
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’s Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection and the Pennsylvania State University’s Charles L. Blockson Collection of African-Americana and the African Diaspora. He passed away on June 14, 2024.
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).
