Deeply Routed - Denise Valentine - Tacony Creek Trail

The flow of human history, like the water rushing to the sea, cannot be easily contained. Like truth, it defies our efforts to bury, divert, or ignore it. It overflows its banks, sometimes leaking in tiny trickles; sometimes erupting violently to the surface. Deeply Routed travels to places near and far, connected by these waterways, branching off like so many tributaries that flow to the Delaware River.

Deeply Routed was written by Denise Valentine for the Tacony Creek Trail. Denise was a Master Storyteller, historical performer, consultant and the founder of the Philadelphia Middle Passage Ceremony & Port Marker Project. Denise was a storyteller of lost and found histories of the African Diaspora. Her signature Historytelling integrated archival research, folk heritage and oral history for performance and exhibition and demonstrated the role of expressive cultural arts in sustaining community. Denise presented worldwide for audiences of all ages at schools, libraries and museums. She worked as an educator for the Museum of the American Revolution. She also served as advisor to the curatorial team of the new Early American Art Galleries of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

TRAIL NOTES: Medium to high difficulty, point to point, pavement and gravel, moderate inclines, light foot traffic, watch for bikes.

TRAIL LENGTH: 3.2 miles

GPS: 40.016662, -75.107831