Chester school protests facts for kids

The Chester school protests were a series of demonstrations in Chester, Pennsylvania. They happened from November 1963 to April 1964. These protests aimed to end school segregation. Even after the important Supreme Court case Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka in 1954, schools in Chester were still separated by race.

Stanley Branche led these protests. He was from the Committee for Freedom Now (CFFN). George Raymond from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons also helped lead. In April 1964, protests happened almost every night. The city had to deputize firemen and trash collectors to help the police. The State of Pennsylvania sent 50 state troopers. Over 600 people were arrested during these two months.

National civil rights leaders came to support the protests. These included Dick Gregory, Gloria Richardson, and Malcolm X. Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton asked protestors to stop for a while. He formed the Pennsylvania Human Relations Committee. This committee would investigate school segregation.

The protests led to a big change. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Committee decided the Chester School Board had broken the law. The school district was ordered to desegregate six mostly African-American schools. The city tried to appeal this decision, which caused delays. But eventually, the schools became desegregated.

Why Did the Protests Happen?

Money Differences in Chester

In the 1950s and 60s, many jobs in Chester were low-paying. Manufacturing jobs were also decreasing. White and educated residents started moving to nearby Delaware County. They looked for better jobs and homes. At the same time, more Black residents moved into Chester.

Between 1950 and 1960, the white population dropped by 19%. The Black population grew by 53%. This led to more separation in neighborhoods. Most Black residents lived in a few central areas of Chester. White families who stayed in Chester generally earned more money. Black families made up 50% of the city's poor population. White families made up only 25%.

Poor School Conditions

Schools with mostly Black students often had very little funding. They were also very crowded. Many of these schools were old and in bad condition. They often lacked proper heating or enough bathrooms. Classrooms were small and had old, used books.

Franklin Elementary School was a clear example. It was built in 1910 for 500 students. But in 1963, over 1,000 students attended, almost all of them Black. The school's library was just a few piles of books. The gym was an empty coal bin. The playground was a cement area with a dangerous drop. Classes had an average of 39 students. This was twice the size of classes in nearby all-white schools. The entire school had only two bathrooms.

Earlier Efforts to End Segregation

George Raymond became the leader of the Chester NAACP in 1942. He started programs to fight racial discrimination. He worked with J. Pius Barbour, a pastor from Calvary Baptist Church. They chose a slow, step-by-step approach to civil rights.

In 1945, Raymond and the NAACP successfully desegregated movie theaters, restaurants, and hotels. They used peaceful protests and legal threats. Before the 1960s protests, earlier school integration efforts had little effect. In 1946, students and Black parents organized a strike. The school board then agreed to integrate Chester's public schools. However, white parents tried to stop this. They moved their children to mostly white schools.

After the 1954 Brown decision, the school board created "neighborhood schools." They claimed these schools did not discriminate. But because neighborhoods were separated by race, the schools remained segregated. Only one of Chester's sixteen public schools was truly integrated. When asked about this, the school board blamed housing issues. They said they had no control over where people lived.

Stanley Branche returned to Chester in 1962. He had been involved in activism in Maryland. Branche saw the terrible conditions in Chester's schools, especially Franklin Elementary. He formed the Committee for Freedom Now (CFFN). He worked with the Swarthmore College chapter of Students for a Democratic Society and upset parents. Branche felt that Raymond's slow approach was not enough. He wanted more direct and forceful protest methods.

Protest Timeline

Fall 1963 Protests

It took about a year for the CFFN to organize major school protests. On November 4, 1963, 20 protestors picketed outside Franklin Elementary. By the next Wednesday, 130 more joined them. After a community meeting on November 11, 400 people blocked the school doors. This forced the school to close for the day. After closing the school, protestors marched to the Mayor's office and the Board of Education.

Protests continued on November 13 and 14. Some protestors lay down in front of the doors. On November 14, 83 protestors were arrested. Later that day, 50 state troopers arrived to help the Chester police. The mass arrests brought public attention to the protests. The mayor and school board then talked with the CFFN and NAACP. The Chester Board of Education agreed to make changes. They would reduce class sizes at Franklin school. They would fix unsanitary toilets. They would move classes out of the boiler room and coal bin. They also promised to repair school grounds. Even after this agreement, hundreds of protestors still gathered at the school on November 15.

Spring 1964 Protests

Protests paused for a few months. During this time, the CFFN became more organized. They also added new goals. These included improving more Chester public schools. They wanted more jobs, better housing, and improved medical care. Overall, they aimed to end discrimination.

Protests started again on February 10, 1964. The CFFN planned a boycott of Chester's public schools for the next day. This boycott caused high absence rates in some mostly Black schools. Some schools saw 55% of students absent.

The "Freedom Now Conference" took place in Chester on March 14, 1964. Over 60 delegates and visitors from eight states attended. Dick Gregory, Gloria Richardson, and Malcolm X supported the protests. During the conference, 200 CFFN protestors marched to present demands to the mayor.

On March 27, 1964, 300 protestors marched through Chester. The entire Chester police force escorted them. On March 28, 200 protestors held sit-down demonstrations. They blocked key intersections to disrupt downtown traffic. Police responded with force, using "riot sticks" and arresting all protestors.

This forceful police response angered many citizens. Images of peaceful protestors being treated roughly by police spread. Branche called for massive civil disobedience. Nightly standoffs between protestors and police became common. These events started to overshadow the original goals of the protests.

The Chester School Protests reached their peak in April 1964. On April 2, Branche led 350 protestors in front of the police headquarters. On April 3, Mayor James Gorbey issued a statement. He promised to restore law and order. The city deputized firemen and trash collectors to help control protestors. The State of Pennsylvania sent 50 state troopers to assist the Chester police.

On April 20, the CFFN, NAACP, and Chester School Board met. They discussed the legal issues faced by arrested protestors. Raymond presented a list of 10 demands to the school board. These included transferring teachers and transporting students to other schools. They also asked for more Black people in leadership roles and as secretaries.

The next day, April 21, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission admitted failure. They could not get the civil rights groups and school board to agree. The school board closed all Chester public schools indefinitely on April 22. They claimed this was to prevent violence. That night, some of the 300 protestors at the police station were treated roughly by police. On April 23, another protest at the police station became chaotic. Objects were thrown, and several police officers and protestors were hurt. Demonstrators held a rally against police actions on April 24. They linked arms to block a downtown intersection. This also ended with police using force. On April 25, James Farmer called Chester the "Birmingham of the North." This referred to the harsh treatment of protestors in Birmingham, Alabama at that time.

Some white residents of Chester formed the Chester Parents Association. This group wanted to keep the neighborhood schools policy. They held a rally with 2,000 people on April 26, 1964.

On April 26, Governor William Scranton convinced Branche to obey a court order. This order temporarily stopped demonstrations. Scranton created the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. This commission would hold hearings on school segregation. All protests stopped while the commission held hearings in the summer of 1964.

On April 28, a judge allowed the Chester School Board to get an order. This order stopped protestors from demonstrating near public school property. This allowed the schools to reopen. Over 600 people were arrested during the two months of protests.

What Happened Next?

On May 4, 1964, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission began its hearings. They wanted to determine the state of segregation in Chester. Civil rights leaders and the school board president gave testimonies. Commission investigators also provided reports. In November 1964, the Commission announced its decision. They said Chester public schools "had committed and continues to commit unlawful discrimination practices." The city was ordered to create a plan to desegregate six mostly African-American schools by January 31, 1965. The city appealed this decision, which delayed the plan.

In June 1964, Chester city leaders formed the Greater Chester Movement (GCM). This group aimed to coordinate efforts to improve Chester. When President Lyndon B. Johnson started his War on Poverty, the GCM helped distribute federal money in Chester. Branche served on its steering committee.

On February 15, 1966, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled. They said the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission could not force Chester schools to integrate. In response, the CFFN, NAACP, and Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) announced new demonstrations. Branche tried to start another school boycott on April 1, 1966. However, most students did not join the boycott.

Over a year later, on September 26, 1967, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court made a new ruling. They said the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission did have the authority to order integration. After this decision, the Chester School Board voted to reduce segregation at six schools. This happened on October 2, 1967. The legal issues against protestors arrested during the boycotts were not dropped until 1971.