A YES Center Heritage Place project
Chester Black History Tour
A self-guided tour of eight sites that carry Chester’s Black history—produced and presented by the YES Center’s Heritage Place with support from the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility, Swarthmore College.
Welcome
THE CHESTER
BLACK HISTORY TOUR
Welcome to the Chester Black History Tour, produced and presented by the YES Center‘s Heritage Place with support from the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility, Swarthmore College. The Tour is part of the YES Center’s larger mission to preserve, interpret, and amplify the proud history of Chester’s Black community and revise (and correct!) the narrative of our city. Through in-person events, tours and our many online initiatives, we offer several opportunities for Chester residents to learn from the history of their community and to further develop their sense of belonging and Chester Pride.
Scavenger Hunt!!
Want to bring your tour to the next level? Try the companion scavenger hunt! You’ll need a pencil, paper, and a phone. Send in all your pictures (and video) to Ms. T at yescenterchesterpa@gmail.com to be featured on the website!
Great Chester Scavenger HuntDownloadRecipient of the Leedom Morrison Award
The Leedom Morrison Award, presented as part of the Delaware County Heritage Commission’s Annual Preservation Awards, honors an outstanding project in Chester, PA. It was awarded in 2025 for a particularly significant local initiative.
An image of Twyla Simpkins, Mayor Stefan Roots, and Adina Shane accepting the Leedom Morrison Award at the award ceremony.
Let’s Get Started
Contact us
To learn more about Chester’s black history and the YES Center, contact Ms. Twyla Simpkins
- 856-803-0620
- yescenterchesterpa@gmail.com
Eight stops, in walking order
The tour route.
1. The Girl’s Y — The YES Center
VISIT THE YES CENTER HOME PAGE 4 East 7th Street The YWCA — known locally and affectionately as “the Girl’s Y” — has a long history of social and cultural significance to Chester’s Black residents. During the time of…
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2. Chester Schools
The history of the Chester-Upland School District is an unfortunate illustration of racial segregation in the United States. Chester’s public schools remained segregated de facto long after the landmark 1954 Supreme…
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3. Ruth L. Bennett Home for Women & Girls
Ruth L. Bennett Home216 Reaney Street Ruth L. Bennett, from naacpchesterpa.org Ruth L. Bennett is the most recognizable among a long list of women activists and organizers who tackled poverty, inequalities in housing…
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4. Calvary Baptist Church
Calvary Baptist Church1616 West 2nd Street Calvary Baptist Church was founded in 1879 by a group of formerly enslaved Africans who migrated from Louisa County, Virginia, and settled in Linwood, Pennsylvania. Seeking…
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5. Ethel Waters Park
Ethel Waters Park2 Commission St Chester native Ethel Waters was an American singer and actress, known for her contributions to jazz, swing, and pop music performed on Broadway stage and in concerts. She was born in…
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6. Avenue of the States
Long known as Chester’s main street for shopping, entertainment, business, and local politics, Avenue of the States is also the site of struggles for racial justice that challenge deep-seated inequalities in human…
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7. Crozer Seminary
Crozer Seminary (Crozer Hospital)3 Seminary Ave Crozer Theological Seminary, established in 1868 in Upland, Pennsylvania, evolved from John P. Crozer’s philanthropic vision to provide education to underprivileged youth.…
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8. Union AME Church
Union AME ChurchWelsh St. above Second Union A.M.E. Church in Chester, Pennsylvania, was founded by Robert Morris, a former enslaved man who sought freedom and religious expression after being freed in 1820. Initially,…
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Map, scavenger hunt, and the people behind the tour.
Map of the Tour
Click Here to Access the
About Us
The Chester Black History Tour is an ongoing project of the YES Center’s commitment to expanding access to Chester’s history to best shape the city’s future under the directorship of Ms. Twyla Simpkins. TWYLA SIMPKINS…
The Great Chester Scavenger Hunt
The companion scavenger hunt (PDF). You’ll need a pencil, paper, and a phone.
Questions, photos, or a story from the route? Reach the YES Center through the contact form.