The acknowledged father of the transatlantic movement to abolish slavery, Benezet used the persecution he had suffered to inform his perspective on "others." He became a champion of not only African Americans, but of women, indigenous people, disadvantaged humans and also animals. Hear how this devoted Quaker connected his outsized compassion with a clear-eyed strategy to change the world.
Vance Lehmkuhl
Vance Lehmkuhl runs the veg history tour program at the American Vegan Center, offering pre-scheduled and custom walking tours around Old City. He is the author of Eating Vegan in Philly (2016) and V for Veg: The Best of Philly's Vegan Food Column (2016), both from Sullivan Street Press. He spent years as the vegan columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and, prior to that, as the political cartoonist for Philadelphia City Paper, for which he was named Best of Philly by Philadelphia Magazine. He also founded the eco-pop band Green Beings, whose novelty patter song "Leftovers" has been heard many times on Dr. Demento's radio show. Vance is passionate about three things: Helping acquaint people with Philadelphia's amazing veg history; his wife, Cynthia Way; and the symphonies of Joseph Haydn.
About the American Vegan Center
The American Vegan Center opened at 17 N. 2nd St. in late 2021. A project of the American Vegan Society (founded 1960), the Center aims to make finding vegan food and vegan info easier for everyone. Books, magazines, T-shirts, postcards and vegan snack foods are among the in-store offerings. Occasional events such as book-signings, lectures and cooking classes help to educate and entertain. Veg history walking tours of Old City are also offered, bringing to light the rich yet largely unknown veg history of Philadelphia, the city where U.S. vegetarianism began in 1817. In addition to the standard tour, custom tours focusing on one aspect of our history are available. This talk is adapted from one of those tours.