PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Historic Philadelphia has a new history maker on its books, thanks, in large part, to the zeal of the actor for the part.

It all started when 57-year-old Robert Branch (photo), engineer by trade but historic storyteller for fun, told the story of Octavius Catto, the 19th Century civil rights activist, educator, soldier and baseball player.

“I performed it in front of the National Constitution Center for a variety of audiences. And everyone I did it for sat there, with their mouth open, or wanting to weep, and saying how come we don’t know about this guy.”

And that, says Branch, was that, “I had such passion and zeal, the people at Historic Philadelphia said, hey, you should do the actual character.”

Listen to extended interview:

Reported By Karin Phillips, KYW Newsradio.