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Folcroft honors first Black family with historical marker
Commemorating tragedy to promote healing in one Delaware County community. Folcroft Borough honored the town’s first Black family with a historical marker Saturday.
FOLCROFT, Pa. - Commemorating tragedy to promote healing in one Delaware County community. Folcroft Borough honored the town’s first Black family with a historical marker Saturday.
The Baker family moved into the borough nearly 60 years to the day, but they were driven out by racism and hate.
Today, Folcroft boasts a little more than 50 percent of residents are people of color.
"They were throwing Molotov cocktails and stones and just trying to destroy their move into this neighborhood," Dr. Terry Baker-Stephens Frelix said.
60 years ago, one of Folcroft’s darkest moments unfolded when Horace and Sarah Baker and their daughter moved into a home, looking for a better life and were, instead met with hatred, violence and racism.
"Looking back, it’s a time of reconciliation. It’s a time for everyone to heal and come together and realize that was a stain. A blot at that period of time and now we need to come together and work together and make sure that doesn’t happen to any other family," Dr. Baker-Stephens Frelix remarked.
As part of that effort, Dr. Terry Baker-Stephens Frelix, the daughter who lived in the home all those decades ago, was honored Saturday by the borough of Folcroft and presented with a plaque immortalizing the moment for all to remember.
"It’s important to remember it for what it was, not for what other people might envision. Some people might rather forget this moment happened, but Folcroft was not a diverse community. It was effectively segregated, if not by law, then in reality. Today, it’s a diverse, vibrant community and proud we’re not like that," Borough manager, Andrew Hayman, stated.
The Bakers would deal with the harassment and bigotry for three years, before finally moving in 1966 and settling in Mount Airy.
Alyia Anthony moved into the neighborhood with her family seven years ago. As a family of color, she was greeted with a much different welcome than the Bakers and is thankful for that but became emotional hearing the Bakers story.
"It’s a very emotional day for me, honestly because when I watch the video, they literally was like holding people back and getting to their home. I walk in there so peacefully every day, with no problems. So, that this happened to them is horrible!" Anthony exclaimed.
It’s hard to imagine that scene in 2023, but for Baker-Stephens Frelix, progress has been made. Moments from her childhood must be remembered and much progress is still left to be covered.
"Times are currently changing and if we’re not careful with lies and rumors, we’ll go backwards and we can’t afford to do that," Dr. Baker-Stephens Frelix added.