Committee for Freedom Now facts for kids

The Committee for Freedom Now (CFFN) was an important civil rights group. It was based in Chester, Pennsylvania. This organization started in 1963. Its main goal was to end de facto segregation in schools. De facto segregation means separation that happens in practice, even if it's not by law. CFFN also worked to improve conditions at schools mainly attended by Black students in Chester. Stanley Branche founded CFFN. He started it with students from Swarthmore College and parents from Chester. From November 1963 to April 1964, CFFN and the Chester chapter of the NAACP led protests. These events, known as the Chester school protests, made Chester a key place in the civil rights movement.

History of the Committee for Freedom Now

Stanley Branche was a civil rights activist from Chester, Pennsylvania. He took part in the Cambridge movement in Maryland. He returned to Chester in 1962. He became a leader for the Chester branch of the NAACP. He worked with George Raymond to end segregation in businesses. They also worked to get more jobs for minority groups.

By the fall of 1963, Branche felt the NAACP was moving too slowly. He decided to leave the NAACP. He then created a new group called the Committee for Freedom Now (CFFN). He formed it with the Swarthmore College chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society and local parents. Their goal was to end de facto segregation in public schools. They also wanted to make schools for Black students much better.

Chester School Protests

CFFN and the NAACP worked together to lead the Chester school protests. These were a series of demonstrations in Chester from November 1963 to April 1964. The protests aimed to stop de facto segregation in Chester's public schools. This type of segregation meant schools were still separated by race. This happened even after the famous Supreme Court case, Brown v. The Board of Education of Topeka.

In 1962, CFFN focused on improving Franklin Elementary School in Chester. This school was built for 500 students. But it had become very crowded with 1,200 students. The average class size was 39 students. This was twice the number of students in nearby all-white schools. The school was built in 1910 and had not been updated. There were only two bathrooms for the whole school.

In November 1963, CFFN protesters blocked the entrance to Franklin Elementary School. They also blocked the Chester Municipal Building. This led to the arrest of 240 protesters. News coverage of these arrests brought public attention to the protests. After this, the mayor and school board talked with CFFN and the NAACP. The Chester Board of Education agreed to make changes. They promised to reduce class sizes at Franklin school. They also agreed to fix unsanitary bathrooms. Classes held in the boiler room and coal bin would be moved. The school grounds would also be repaired.

The success at Franklin Elementary School made CFFN stronger. The group gained new members. They also organized drives to help people register to vote. CFFN planned a citywide boycott of Chester schools. CFFN expanded its goals. They wanted better public schools across all of Chester. They also pushed for more jobs, better healthcare, and an end to all racial discrimination. CFFN set up neighborhood groups in African-American areas.

CFFN built strong connections with students. They worked with students from Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania Military College, and Cheyney State College. This helped ensure many people came to their demonstrations and protests. In March 1964, CFFN held the "Freedom Now Conference" in Chester. Important national civil rights leaders took part. These included Dick Gregory and Malcolm X. Other leaders like Gloria Richardson also came to Chester to support the demonstrations.

In March and April 1964, large protests continued for many days. This led to many more arrests of protesters. The mayor of Chester, James Gorbey, issued a statement. It was called "The Police Position to Preserve the Public Peace." This statement promised to bring back law and order quickly. The city even made firemen and trash collectors temporary police officers. This was to help handle the demonstrators. The State of Pennsylvania sent 50 state troopers. They helped the 77-member Chester police force. Over six hundred people were arrested during two months of civil rights events. These included rallies, marches, pickets, boycotts, and sit-ins.

Stanley Branche from CFFN was very active. He spoke for the group to the press. He connected with the community. He recruited new members. He was also the main negotiator. Governor William Scranton convinced Branche to stop the demonstrations for a while. This was based on a court order.

Impact of CFFN's Work

Governor Scranton created the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. This group held hearings about the de facto segregation in public schools. All protests stopped while the commission held these hearings in the summer of 1964.

In November 1964, the commission finished its work. It decided that the Chester School Board had broken the law. It ordered the Chester School District to desegregate its six main African-American schools. The city disagreed with this decision. In February 1966, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled. It said the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission did not have the power to rule on Chester's de facto school segregation.

CFFN then joined with CORE. They asked the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare to stop federal money for Chester schools. They argued that the schools were violating Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Even with delays, the schools were eventually desegregated.

In June 1964, leaders in Chester formed the Greater Chester Movement (GCM). This was a larger group meant to bring together different organizations. These groups were all working to improve Chester. When President Lyndon B. Johnson started his War on Poverty, the GCM became a way for federal money to reach Chester. The GCM worked closely with CFFN. It also worked with other groups in Chester, including the local NAACP and CORE chapters.