As Philadelphia commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of America, we are also celebrating the life and legacy of one of the most revered and influential musicians of all time: John Coltrane. Coltrane was born on September 23, 1926 in small-town Hamlet, North Carolina. Although he travelled and toured across the globe, Philadelphia played a pivotal role in his development as an artist.

Philadelphia is where Coltrane purchased his first home, in the spring of 1952, at 1511 N. 33rd Street in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. It’s also where he perfected his craft as a saxophonist after studying under jazz guitarist and music instructor Dennis Sandole. Not satisfied with just studying music, he fully immersed himself in the city’s local jazz scene. The legendary Philly-born saxophonist Jimmy Heath once famously joked that Coltrane practiced “25 hours a day.” This level of dedication transformed him from an aspiring artist to the jazz legend we know and love today.

Coltrane possessed an unrelenting desire to use his gifts to make a difference in the world around him. In a rare 1966 interview, he proclaimed, “I know that there are forces out here that bring suffering to others and misery to the world, but I want to be the opposite force. I want to be the force which is truly for good." In his view, music was more than the arrangement of words and sounds. It served as a vehicle to connect with audiences on a deeper, more spiritual level. This was particularly true in the midst of the American Civil Rights Movement.

As we celebrate Coltrane’s 100th birthday on September 23, we are reminded of the important role arts and culture play in shaping our city and nation. Scholars have noted that since ancient times, art has had a transformative impact on the human experience, often “shaping culture, fostering community, advocating for justice, and providing a powerful medium for expression.” Philadelphia-based music journalist and DJ John Morrison points out that, “John Coltrane, like a lot of the great jazz musicians of the past, exposed a deep level of feeling for what Black folks around the world were going through. Black folks wanting to come into a fuller sense of themselves listened to what John Coltrane was playing and could see that he was expressing that in the music.”

That’s exactly what Coltrane 100 Philly seeks to do: educate, build community, and inspire residents to see themselves in the art they create and consume. From now through November, local artists, community organizations, and arts institutions will come together to host dozens of free and ticketed programming in honor of Coltrane’s 100th birthday year. We have also dispersed $27,000 in grant funding to empower Philadelphia-based artists to curate and produce community programs that reflect their own relationship to Coltrane’s enduring legacy. By embodying the example that Coltrane set, we can make Philadelphia and our country a better place to live, grow, and thrive.

This centennial celebration is made possible with the support of Senator Vincent Hughes, Jazz Philadelphia, Creative Philadelphia, WRTI at Temple University, and Ars Nova Workshop. Additional information, including the full list of programs and initiatives, can be found at coltrane100philly.org.

Coltrane 100 Philly is a citywide centennial initiative honoring the 100th birthday year of jazz legend John Coltrane. While born in North Carolina, Coltrane came of age in Philadelphia, where he developed his musical voice and built the community that helped shape one of jazz's most enduring legacies. Led by a coalition of civic and cultural partners, Coltrane 100 celebrates his lasting impact through performances, community programming, artist grants and educational initiatives across Philadelphia.