Jul 8, 2009
Black Children kicked out of Philadelphia area pool for fear they may “Change the Complexion”
Categories: African-American, Featured, Racial Issues
Written By: Shawn Williams
Looks like a Pennsylvania Summer Camp group may have fallen victim to civil rights era discrimination when they wanted to go for a swim recently. According to Philadelphia’s NBC Television affiliate, a group of African-American summer campers were prohibited from going to a private pool they had already paid to use.
View more news videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/video.
Here’s some of the story as it appears online.
- “I heard this lady, she was like, ‘Uh, what are all these black kids doing here?’ She’s like, ‘I’m scared they might do something to my child,’” said camper Dymire Baylor.
- The Creative Steps Day Camp paid more than $1900 to The Valley Swim Club. The Valley Swim Club is a private club that advertises open membership. But the campers’ first visit to the pool suggested otherwise.
- “When the minority children got in the pool all of the Caucasian children immediately exited the pool,” Horace Gibson, parent of a day camp child, wrote in an email. “The pool attendants came and told the black children that they did not allow minorities in the club and needed the children to leave immediately.”
And what was the reason given for being turned around? ”There was concern that a lot of kids would change the complexion … and the atmosphere of the club,” John Duesler, President of The Valley Swim Club said in a statement.
Hat tip to Carmen D. of All About Race who sent this story out on Twitter.
July 8th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Valley Swim Club
22 Tomlinson Rd,
Huntingdon Valley, PA?
(215) 947-0700?
July 8th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Hey, all you Phillibillies, your kids are changing complexion because they are in the sun. The black kids have nothing to do with it. It’s called tanning.
Next week, we’ll cover why white people won’t instantly start craving watermelon if you happen to get a transfusion from a black person.
July 8th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Next time to stop any confusion they should simply post a “Whites Only” sign. DUH!
July 8th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
so so disgusting. what an excellent idea by one poster to put up the address and phone number. i called and their mailbox is already full
July 8th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
yeah that’s the one, michael davis! I sent some hate mail to mr. duesler via the contact form
July 9th, 2009 at 7:52 am
Are you serious? Is this really still going on this day and age? The story is so unbelievable that it’s…well unbelievable. They need to give them their money back and shut the club down.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Well, the voice mailbox may be full but I haven’t forgotten how to write a letter. Let’s flood them with letters! Thanks, Michael, for the address.
This is absolutely appalling. I guess I’m naive, however, it still comes as a shock to me that in 2009 there are people so ignorant and full of hate that they do things like this. My grandchildren are just a little older than these children and I hate to think that they would ever experience this kind of prejudice. How do you explain this to the children????
July 9th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Looks like transfusion was the right analogy to use… apparently he’s also a team lead on the “O Positive” Obama blood drive in Philly.
http://www.opositiveprogram.org/our_group.html
July 9th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I am so appalled. I think that it funny how their children want tanned skin like us and listen to our music, but they don’t want us around. I don’t feel prejudice will ever go away. There’s still too many ignorant adults that are teaching their kids how to hate other races. The cycle just keeps going from generation to generation.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
He’s the head of Peace Action PA, too.
http://peaceactionpa.org/Ethnic_Peace_Fest_20Jan08.html
I really can’t reconcile those two things and the story that we are hearing about the pool. There has to be more to this story.
July 10th, 2009 at 5:55 am
The problem with this story was the response from the club.
I think the reaction of the members may have been more racially motivated than that of the club. I have no reason to believe that the young man heard what he heard, but the reaction of the club -though wrong because they took the money- is not in and of itself “racist.”
But when you start talking about “changing the complexion” of the pool, then you are walking down a slippery slope.
July 31st, 2009 at 8:00 pm
i feel so sorry for the people who stood by and let it happen. God is not please with people hurting anyone, but you don’t hurt beautiful children that has not done anything to anyone. I think that everyone should never go there again, no matter if your white or black