North Girard College Avenue renamed Freedom Fighters Way

Last week was a memorable time for all with the street naming ceremony to honor the Freedom Fighters who led the push in the 1960s to desegregate Girard College in Philadelphia. Young and elders came out for the special celebration presented by City Councilman Jeffery Young, Jr., of the 5th District, who graduated from Girard College.
Raised in Philadelphia, Councilman Young attended Girard College, a prestigious elementary and secondary education boarding school for academically capable students from low-income, single-parent families. At Girard, he gained his passion for service and fighting for what’s right. On October 4, 2024, Girard College and Councilman Young held a special ceremony renaming North College Avenue as Freedom Fighters Way! The day included a march from North College Avenue around the foundation to the front gates of Girard College.
Also in attendance was Freedom Smitty and many of the Freedom Fighters who walked the walls with Cecil B. Moore along with Georgie Woods of WDAS radio station during their fight for equality at the school.
Fourth-grade students at the Germantown Friends School (GFS), located at 31 West Coulter Street, experienced the fruits of their activism at a street renaming ceremony to honor the Freedom Fighters who led the push in the 1960s to desegregate Girard College in Philadelphia.
The seeds of their quest were planted last spring when Kenn Salaam, aka Freedom Smitty, shared his experiences as a Cecil B. Moore Philadelphia Freedom Fighter with the Lower School at an assembly. Salaam dropped out of school at age 16 to protest the desegregation of Girard College. After the success of the protest, he continued to travel the country, fighting for the rights of Black people, working with Civil Rights activists like Fannie Lou Hamer, Stokley Charmichael, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The students were deeply moved, said third-grade teacher Andrea L’Tainen.
“Being able to hear other peoples’ stories, understand the hardships they’ve been through, and then think about what that was like helped the students understand the sacrifice that Salaam and others made,” said L’Tainen.
As the class reflected on Salaam’s visit and how best to thank him, they were inspired to find a way to honor Salaam and the legacy of the Freedom Fighters. Under the guidance of L’Tainen and GFS Lower School Learning Coach Diana Gomez, they landed on a commemoration that would echo Salaam’s activism and raise visibility about the Freedom Fighters’ work. Students would lobby the city to rename a street lining Girard College’s campus for the civil rights activists: Freedom Fighters Way. Adults aided the effort by organizing petitions among key constituents. “We hope many who pass this street will ask, ‘Who are the “Freedom Fighters?’ and learn about their contributions to rights, education, and freedom for all people,” said Gomez.
With students in the midst of their persuasive writing unit, this was the perfect opportunity to learn by doing and make a real-life impact in the process. They organized a letter-writing campaign to City Councilman Jeffery Young, whose District includes Girard College. As they hand-wrote their letters, students were encouraged to think about what they learned from Salaam and use transitions, specific examples, and supporting evidence to make their case.
Thanks to the students’ campaign and the neighborhood petitions, City Council passed the resolution to change the name of North College Avenue to Freedom Fighters Way this summer, setting an official renaming ceremony for October 4. GFS parents, teachers, and students then joined Girard students and teachers to reenact the march like the Freedom Fighters.
A day to be remembered!!!!

Actress Erika Alexander, of “The Cosby Show” and “Living Single” and Philadelphia High School for Girls alum, was back in her hometown recently when the city celebrated Alexander’s local roots by renaming the street outside of New Freedom Theatre (Master Street between Broad and Carlisle Streets) “Erika Alexander Way.”

Singer/Actress Brandy is currently starring in the horror thriller “The Front Room,” and it was not a good experience for her. When Brandy decided to take on the role of Belinda in “The Front Room,” she knew she was stepping outside of her comfort zone.
The movie hit theaters early in September and stars Brandy alongside Kathryn Hunter and Andrew Burnap. In the horror movie, her character is in for a whirlwind when her father-in-law dies, and she and her husband, who are soon to be parents, take in her mother-in-law, Solange (Hunter).
After she moves in, it’s clear that Belinda and Solange don’t see eye-to-eye — and things start to take a turn for the worse. When Brandy, 45, was filming, she really leaned into the character, and it took some work to separate herself from it once it was all over.
To prepare for the role, she hired a coach to explore Belinda’s “complex” emotions. She also wanted to make sure she could “hang with someone like Kathryn Hunter.”
She continues, “But just seeing my fight, my journey, and seeing what I had to overcome and then be liberated in the end. Victory was in the end for me. I want people to love that and root for that.
The Front Room was written and directed by duo Max Eggers and Sam Eggers. Well, That’s The Philly Beat!!