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Summary

From 1965 to 1968, community members led by Cecil B. Moore and the NAACP campaigned to integrate Girard College, a boarding school for orphaned white boys in Philadelphia. The campaign involved sustained picketing, legal action, and support from national civil rights figures. In September 1968, four African American boys enrolled, marking the end of the school’s racial exclusion policy.

Background

Stephen Girard’s will established Girard College in 1848 as a boarding school for orphaned white boys only. By the 1960s, the school was located in a predominantly African American neighborhood, and its exclusionary policy was challenged by civil rights activists. The campaign aimed to force Girard College to admit African American boys.

What happened

In January 1965, Cecil B. [source: nv-database] Moore announced the NAACP would file a lawsuit and consider picketing if legal action failed [source: nv-database]. Picketing began on May 1, 1965, with 38 demonstrators met by 1,000 police officers [source: nv-database]. On May 3, eight protesters were arrested for attempting to scale the wall [source: nv-database]. Regional NAACP branches endorsed the campaign on May 4 [source: nv-database]. On May 22, Judge Raymond Pace Alexander proposed admitting African American students, but the Board of Trustees unanimously rejected it on May 24 [source: nv-database]. Senator Joseph Clark urged integration on May 28, but trustees refused on June 5 [source: nv-database]. On May 31, 125 protesters marched silently, joined by James Farmer [source: nv-database]. Bayard Rustin called for judicial action on June 1 [source: nv-database]. On June 12, Roy Wilkins addressed 300 protesters, and five jumped the wall and were arrested [source: nv-database]. On June 24, 50-100 protesters rushed police barricades, leading to limited violence and 19 arrests [source: nv-database]. Governor Scranton announced a state-city coalition on July 2 [source: nv-database]. Martin Luther King Jr. [source: nv-database] visited on August 2-3, 1965, calling the wall like the Berlin Wall [source: nv-database]. In December 1965, mothers of seven African American boys applied; trustees refused, and a federal suit was filed [source: nv-database]. Picketing ended on December 17, 1965 [source: nv-database]. Demonstrations resumed on October 8, 1966 [source: nv-database]. On November 2, 1966, Judge Joseph S. [source: nv-database] Lord ruled the trustees could not deny admission based on race [source: nv-database]. The ruling was upheld by the Third Circuit on March 7, 1968, and the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal on May 20, 1968 [source: nv-database]. On May 23, 1968, trustees agreed to admit the seven plaintiffs plus one additional applicant [source: nv-database]. On September 11, 1968, four African American boys entered Girard College [source: nv-database]. Charles Hicks, one of the original applicants, was initially denied due to age but later admitted, graduating in 1974 as the first African American graduate [source: nv-database].

Key people & organizations

  • Cecil B. Moore
  • Rev. Layton Zimmer
  • Marie Hicks
  • NAACP
  • Pennsylvania Governor William W. Scranton
  • City of Philadelphia
  • State of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Senator Joseph Clark
  • American Jewish Congress
  • Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Bayard Rustin
  • James Farmer
  • Roy Wilkins
  • Girard College
  • Board of Trustees of Girard College

Tactics used

The campaign combined sustained nonviolent picketing and legal action to maintain public pressure while pursuing a judicial remedy. The picketing kept the issue visible and mobilized community support, while the lawsuit provided a formal pathway to overturn the discriminatory policy. [source: nv-database]

Outcome

Verdict: won.

The campaign achieved its goal of integrating Girard College, with four African American boys enrolling in September 1968 and more following in subsequent years. The success was due to the combination of persistent direct action, legal victories, and support from state and city officials, though opponents continued to resist through appeals and counter-protests. [source: nv-database]

Lessons

  • Sustained nonviolent direct action can maintain public attention and pressure on institutions.
  • Legal action combined with grassroots mobilization can effectively challenge discriminatory policies.
  • Coalition-building with political and religious leaders can amplify a campaign’s reach and legitimacy.

Sources

Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.

Sources & verification

  • nv-database — grounding: primary — license: link-only
  • Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via worker_casestudies_v2.py

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