Stanley Branche facts for kids

Stanley E. Branche (1933 – December 22, 1992) was an important American civil rights leader from Pennsylvania. He worked as a leader for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Chester, Pennsylvania. He also started his own group called the Committee for Freedom Now (CFFN).

In the early 1960s, Stanley Branche and George Raymond worked together. They challenged unfair hiring practices for minority groups. They also started the Chester school protests to fight against schools being separated by race. These actions made Chester a very important place in the Civil Rights Movement. Branche also protested in Dorchester County, Maryland, and helped Cecil B. Moore to desegregate Girard College in Philadelphia.

Early Life and Military Service

Stanley Branche was born in 1933. He served as a paratrooper in the Korean War. He was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. He received three awards for his service. After the war, he studied at the Combs College of Music. He also attended the Pennsylvania Institute of Criminology. He wanted to become a policeman.

Fighting for Civil Rights

Branche was a field secretary for the NAACP. He took part in the Cambridge Movement in Dorchester County, Maryland. In 1962, he returned to Chester. His wife, Anna, introduced him to George Raymond, who was the president of the Chester NAACP.

Branche and Raymond worked together to challenge unfair hiring. They helped make sure that large stores in downtown Chester hired more minority workers.

Starting the Committee for Freedom Now

By late 1963, Branche felt that the NAACP was moving too slowly. He decided to leave the NAACP. He then started a new group called the Committee for Freedom Now (CFFN). He worked with students from Swarthmore College and parents in Chester. Their goal was to end racial separation in public schools. They also wanted to make conditions better at schools mainly for Black students.

Improving Franklin Elementary School

In 1962, Branche and the CFFN focused on Franklin Elementary School in Chester. This school was built for 500 students but had 1,200 students. The average class size was 39 students, which was twice as many as nearby all-white schools. The school was built in 1910 and needed many updates. It only had two bathrooms for the whole school.

In November 1963, CFFN protesters blocked the school entrance. They also blocked the Chester Municipal Building. This led to 240 protesters being arrested. News coverage of these arrests brought public attention. The mayor and school board then talked with the CFFN and NAACP. The Chester Board of Education agreed to reduce class sizes at Franklin school. They also promised to fix the bathrooms and move classes out of the boiler room.

Citywide Protests and Support

After their success at Franklin Elementary, the CFFN grew. They encouraged people to register to vote. They also planned a citywide boycott of Chester schools. Branche worked closely with students from Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania Military College, and Cheyney State College. This helped ensure many people joined the protests.

Branche invited famous civil rights leaders to Chester. Dick Gregory and Malcolm X came for the "Freedom Now Conference." Other leaders like Gloria Richardson also supported the demonstrations.

In spring 1964, large protests happened over several days. Many protesters were arrested. The mayor of Chester, James Gorbey, issued a statement promising to restore order. The city even deputized firemen and trash collectors to help. The State of Pennsylvania sent 50 state troopers to help the local police. The protests saw some violence and claims of police brutality. Over 600 people were arrested during two months of rallies, marches, and sit-ins.

Branche was a key leader during this time. He spoke to the press, worked with the community, and negotiated. Governor William Scranton convinced Branche to pause the demonstrations. Scranton created the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. This group held hearings on the racial separation in public schools. All protests stopped while the commission met in summer 1964.

In November 1964, the commission decided that the Chester School Board had broken the law. They ordered the Chester School District to desegregate six mostly African-American schools. The city appealed this decision, which caused delays.

Later Civil Rights Efforts

In June 1964, Chester leaders formed the Greater Chester Movement (GCM). This group aimed to improve Chester. When President Lyndon B. Johnson started his "War on Poverty," the GCM helped bring federal money to Chester. Branche had started his own group, but it joined the GCM. Branche served on its steering committee.

In 1968, Branche formed the Black Coalition Movement. This group was created after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.. He also worked with Cecil B. Moore to desegregate Girard College in Philadelphia. Branche and seven others were arrested when they tried to enter the school.

Stanley Branche was arrested about 225 times during his civil rights protests.

After the Civil Rights Movement

After his work in the civil rights movement, Stanley Branche moved to Philadelphia. He started several businesses. He ran nightclubs, a security company, and shoe repair shops. He also ran for mayor of Chester in 1967 but did not win. He later ran for U.S. Congress in 1978 and 1986, but was not elected.

Branche was known to travel with Muhammad Ali.

He died on December 22, 1992, from a heart attack.

Images for kids

• 

  Stanley Branche's tombstone in Mount Lawn Cemetery in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania.