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 strict racial segregation of leisure and entertainment (and even burial) spaces in Chester, the Y and all of its programs were off limits – except for one day a year during the Christmas holidays in a ceremony called the Hanging of the Greens.
A letter-writing campaign in the late 1950s led to the integration of the swimming pool. Swimming at the pool at the Girl’s Y soon became a cherished rite of passage for Chester’s teens. The Girl’s Y eventually became a hub of activity for swimming and lifeguard classes, dances, and other cultural events for Chester’s residents.
The national organization revoked the Chester YWCA’s charter in 2011 due to unpaid dues and delinquent accounts. In 2012, Ms. Twyla Simpkins took ownership of the building and renewed its purpose and its name — The Yes We Can Achievement and Cultural Center. The YES Center is dedicated to the elimination of racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all and offers numerous online educational initiatives.
To learn more about this history and the importance of the Y and the YES Center to Chester city, watch Ms. Twyla Simpkin’s 2017 video, Coming to Herself: The YWCA Chester Story
