Philadelphia Legacies has delivered another legacy portrait success. Each year, Philadelphia Legacies identifies Philadelphia’s unsung heroes, individuals who have stories that are often unrecognized and untold. These individuals are honored with the treasured gift of a commissioned portrait depicting their life, contribution, and legacy. Once portraits are ready for presentation, they are unveiled and presented to the Legacy awardee at the Philadelphia Legacy Portrait and Community Awards ceremony, held in honor of Philadelphia Legacy winners and community leaders making an impact in our city.
The Abbott Elementary’s portrait journey began about a year ago, with Philadelphia Legacies identifying Ms. Joyce Abbott as a Philadelphia Legacy, selecting an artist, and designing her portrait. Ms. Abbott’s portrait, along with portraits of four other Philadelphia Legacies (Sonia Sanchez, Veronica Joyner, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Senator Vincent Hughes, and Joyce Wilkerson), was unveiled at the Philadelphia Legacy Portrait and Community Awards held in October 2023 at the Victorian Banquet Hall. After the unveiling, Legacy portraits are often installed throughout the city in locations that have significance to the Philadelphia Legacy.
Last Wednesday, we had the privilege of attending the celebration at Andrew Hamilton School as Stephen Sattell, the founder of Philadelphia Legacies, delivered Ms. Joyce Abbott’s Legacy portrait to be installed at its new home.
On Wednesday, May 22, 2024, Joyce Abbott, a retired educator, was honored with her Philadelphia Legacy Portrait featuring herself, along with Quinta Brunson and Abbott’s 102-year mother (looking down from the top left-hand corner as if to signal her approval) in the office, which has been renamed ‘The Joyce Abbott Office’ in honor of her contributions as an educator, Dean, and Climate Manager at Andrew Hamilton School. Hamilton Principal Torrence Rothmiller, Philadelphia School District Superintendent Tony Watlington, Sr., Climate Manager Darren White-Green, and various other guests at the K through 8 school, located on 57th and Spruce Streets in the West Philadelphia section of the city, came out to celebrate Ms. Abbott expressing gratitude and many thanks for her contributions to Andrew Hamilton and its students.
Stephen Sattell, Founder of Philadelphia Legacies, who commissioned the portrait that now hangs in the newly renamed Joyce Abbott Office, said, “Joyce Abbott’s portrait is always going to represent excellence in education and will represent all the invisible teachers that go to work every day and don’t get recognized.”
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