1967 Student Walkout Historical Marker Collective

We are five Juniors at Masterman High School. Our names are Nia Weeks, Tatiana Bennett, Taryn Flaherty, Alison Fortenberry, and Aden Gonzalez. We are working as a team this fall to submit an application for a Pennsylvania historical landmark commemorating the 1967 Black Student Walkout. In the 2018-2019 school year we each competed individually in the National History Day Competition, winning in regionals, states, and for some even nationals. This push for the plaque stems from a learned appreciation for local history and our hope that the state will recognize the role of young people during this time. We feel that those who risked their lives and partook in the walkout deserve recognition for their contribution to the nation’s history.

We believe that such important events in Philadelphia's history that are unknown are should be brought to light. The youth of today should know about the sacrifices the students made then, so that they too feel empowered to take a stand. In November of 1967, thousands of middle and high school students organized a city-wide student demonstration, where they demanded a culturally responsive education. However, they were met with unprecedented police brutality - a moment that would define the Black student walkouts as a seminal point in Philadelphia black history, the fight for educational justice and youth organizing movements. Their courage in the face of unbelievable violence inspired the Civil Rights Movement in Philadelphia, led to the election of the city’s first black politicians, and resulted in the nation’s first mandated African American studies course.  The legacy of white supremacy and its impact on public education still remains. Today, public schools are as underfunded as ever. But the history of student activism inspired us to realize the power and vision of young people in times of injustice.