PHILADELPHIA: LEADERSHIP STARTS HERE

Linda-Jean Schneider
Library Director, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

The concept of leadership has been demonstrated repeatedly in the history of Philadelphia, whether in the areas of politics (from the Declaration of Independence and First Continental Congress through recent Mayor Ed Rendell and the 2000 Republican Convention), finance (first stock exchange, life insurance fund, bank, and U.S. Mint), education (William Penn Charter School, the nation's first law school) publishing (first daily newspaper, evolving into the present-day Philadelphia Inquirer) law, medicine, or entertainment. Several notable leaders may not have been born in Philadelphia, but it was within the confines of The City of Brotherly Love where they found fame in their respective fields. A selective listing of accomplishments of these various leaders follow.

HISTORICAL LEADERS: One scarcely has to review the sagas of the writing of the Declaration of Independence and of the First Continental Congress, to realize that Philadelphia was regarded as a City of Leaders from the beginning of American history. Among the prominent favored sons of this City who signed the Declaration and fostered the Revolution were Benjamin Franklin, Robert Morris, and Dr. Benjamin Rush-who proved their leadership in diverse ways throughout the early years of this nation. (See Scientific and Financial Leaders.)

Following the tradition of William Penn, the Quakers led the fight against slavery as long ago as 1688, when the first anti-slavery protest in the nation was held in the City. The first antislavery organization in 1775 was the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery.

POLITICAL LEADERS: The first Republican National Convention took place in 1856 in Philadelphia, and the City will once again host the event in August of 2000. Ed Rendell, the popular mayor who recently ended his second term, is the Chairman of the National Democratic Committee, and is extending his leadership on the national scene. During his eight years in office, he galvanized the city into a flurry of revitalization which extends from the Restaurant Renaissance to the Avenue of the Arts.

Crystal Bird Faucet was the first black woman elected to a state legislature in 1938. William J. Gray III was the first African-American elected Chairman of the Budget Committee in Congress. Judge Juanita Kidd Stout was the first black woman in the nation to be elected a Judge.

LEADERS IN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE: Benjamin Franklin was an early prominent scientific thinker and inventor, whose accomplishments ranged far and wide, and included the founding of the American Philosophical Society and serving as its first President, the establishment of the nation's first 'public library' (although subscription-based-surviving today as the Library Company of Philadelphia), and.the co-foundership of the first American hospital.
As an inventor, he produced the first bifocals, experimented extensively with electricity, and developed the Franklin stove.

David Rittenhouse was an early American Astronomer, and member of a prominent Philadelphia family, who was the second President of the American Philosophical Society.

Another signer of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Benjamin Rush, made great contributions to and is considered the "Father of American Psychiatry." His work continues at the institution, called Friends Hospital, the nation's first psychiatric hospital.

John Bartram was an early Botanist born into a Quaker Philadelphia family in 1699. He and his son, William, identified and cultivated more than 200 plants native to the North American continent. John chronicled his four-year journey through eight southern colonies, in his journals, entitled "Travels." Published in 1791, this publication is considered an American natural history classic.

Caspar Wistar was a pioneering anatomist in whose honor was founded the Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology in 1892. This Institute continues its significant research today, as the oldest independent medical research facility in the country.

Also in the Twentieth Century, it was the work of several individuals at the Moore School, University of Pennsylvania, and Ursinus College, which led to the development of the first computer, ENIAC, in the 1940's.

FINANCIAL LEADERS: The aforementioned Robert Morris, in addition to lending tremendous moral and financial support to the leaders of the young America, also was instrumental in founding the first incorporated bank chartered by the Continental Congress.

The ubiquitous David Rittenhouse, who designed and built the machinery and dies for making coins, also served as Director of the first U.S. Mint, in 1792.

Philanthropist Stephen Girard established the first school in the nation dedicated to the education of the underprivileged. He was a millionaire at the time of his death, following a lifetime of impressive investments, including the founding of a private bank, which provided the building for one of the oldest financial institutions in the country, the Philadelphia National Bank.

In addition to fostering the basic principles of operating department stores and making a fortune at it, John Wanamaker contributed to the notion of shopping as entertainment. The masterful pipe organ in Wanamaker's (now Lord & Taylor's) Grand Court is still played on a daily basis, after decades of being known for its exceptional sound. The building itself has been declared a National Historic Landmark. Wanamaker also contributed significant amounts to the support of the Philadelphia public libraries, and served as Postmaster General under President Benjamin Harrison.

LEADERS IN EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ENDEAVORS: Charles Wilson Peale, in addition to fathering numerous artists who contributed to the artistic heritage of the Americas, founded the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1805, along with 71 promonent Philadelphians. PAFA was the first established art museum in the nation, as well as the premier school for artists in the country. Among its most famous pupils were Philadelphia-native Thomas Eakins, and resident Mary Cassatt.

In the Twentieth Century, Albert Barnes established one of the premiere collections of Impressionist works in the world, while espousing his own philosophy of art education. He believed that the mission of the Barnes Foundation was to advance the lives of workingclass people, as opposed to the elite, through the study of works of art. In addition to Impressionist paintings and sculpture, Dr. Barnes also collected metalworks, ceramics, and African sculpture.

The Philadelphia Orchestra, founded in 1900, quickly became world-renown under the tutelage of Leopold Stokowski. In 1925, it became the first symphony orchestra to make electrical recordings, and in 1929, to perform its own national radio broadcast. Eugene Ormandy continued the tradition of promoting the Orchestra with continuous recording, and trend-setting events such as playing on the soundtrack of "Fantasia," and performing in the People's Republic of China in 1973.

Mario Lanza and Marian Anderson were native-born Philadelphians who made significant contributions to American musical history. The Philadelphia Opera Company has sponsored several Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition. More recent musical stand-outs include Dick Clark's American Bandstand, which certainly set the standard for the television industry, and gave nationwide exposure to early rock 'n roll.

ONE MORE TIME! Benjamin Franklin wrote a pamphlet in 1749 which was the genesis of the University of Pennsylvania, which instituted the first liberal arts program in the nation.

SPORTS LEADERS: Both John B. Kelly Sr. and John B. Kelly Jr. were skilled oarsmen who participated in the Olympics, and brought their skills and love of competitive amateur sports to extensive community involvement. John. Jr. served as President of the U.S. Olympic Committee briefly before his untimely death in 1985.

Connie Mack was owner and Manager of the Philadelphia Athletics for more than 50 years, and became a Philadelphia Sports fixture for his dedication and vision of developing sports teams.

Wilt Chamberlain, one of the first high school basketball stars, was known for his versatility and team spirit as well as for his individual accomplishments on the basketball court.

Pat Croce, current owner of the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers, is also a fitness guru and contributed significantly to the practice of Sports Medicine.

LEADERS IN LAW: Andrew Hamilton was the famous advocate for whom the term, "Philadelphia lawyer" was coined, when he was called to defend a New York publisher in a famous 1734 libel case. The Philadelphia Bar Association named its annual charity ball in his honor.

Philadelphia Lawyer Henry S. Drinker wrote one of the first tomes on "Legal Ethics," and either served or chaired the ABA Committee on Professional Ethics for more than 20 years.

Francis Rawle, grandson of the founder of the nation's oldest law firm still in existence-Rawle & Henderson-led the group of 29 lawyers who met in Saratoga Springs, NY, in 1878 to form the American Bar Association.

Prominence in the field continues today with the accomplishments of the numerous law schools, firms, and other legal entities as Philadelphia forges its way into the Twenty-First Century.

Sources used in the writing of this article include:

The Inquirer Regional Almanac 1994, Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc., 1993.

Miracle at Philadelphia, Catherine Drinker Bowen, Little Brown, 1966.

Philly Firsts, Janice L. Booker, Camino Books, Inc., 1999.