Cecil's People: The Freedom Fighters (Part 2)

For free educational materials, visit our website at www.historymakingproductions.com/webisode
In 1965, youth members of Philadelphia's NAACP rallied under the leadership of Cecil B. Moore to desegregate Girard College. Originally founded in 1831 for white orphan boys, Girard College remained segregated until 1968, by which time it was enveloped in Philadelphia's fastest-growing and most thriving African American neighborhood. Fifty years later, four Freedom Fighters recount their struggle.
'7 Months & 17 Days' is the second part of a three-part series to be released in 2015 by History Making Productions. It was released on May 1st, 2015, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the start of the Girard College protests.

[@leoscheibelhut940]

This should be shown in schools.

[@DOKKKSTRANGE]

I graduated from Girard College. Class of 1990.

[@tjhowelliii]

i remember rocks being thrown at us while we played on the playground in middle school when i was 10 years old - what kind of people throw rocks at children? and i knew Teddy Hicks - the first African-American student - he was a nice kid and none of his fellow students bothered him because we were all brothers in the same boat

[@Angela-ot7es]

"I was able to fight against adversity because of strong sense of self" @ 8:18

[@italobambino43]

My grandfather and his brother were placed in Girard College after their father died from tuberculosis, this was around 1909, there was a rule in Philadelphia that prohibited boys from living in homes without fathers, they were to be placed in Girard College. My grandfather and his brother lived there for four years, there mother remarried and they were allowed to move home. My next question, its to my understanding that the financial base on which the college was funded, the Girard Estate Trust dried up a while ago. Who or what funds the College today?