YEADON, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A Delaware County swim club was recognized Saturday by the state of Pennsylvania for its historical significance.
The Nile Swim Club of Yeadon was opened in 1959 after three African American families were denied membership at their local swim club. Instead of fighting to be accepted there, they decided to open their own swim club.
The club nearly closed after filing for bankruptcy in 2010 and again in 2016, but was able to pull itself out of financial troubles with the help of a new board.
Nancy Moses, chair of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission said it's now being recognized as the nation's first private swim club owned and operated by African Americans.
"Only 2,600 markers have made it through our rigorous review process," she said. In the face of segregation, your founders walked away from heat and towards generosity and community service."
But Pennsylvania state Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams said this moment is so much more than the celebration of an historical marker. Taking into account the club's struggles over the years, he said it was a monumental recognition.
"It is a statement that regardless of what you do to us, regardless of how you step on us, regardless of how you try to deny us, regardless of how you spit in our face, we will rise," he declared.
"The Nile’s day, this day, it's not just about the swimming pool. It's about Black folks who are equal partners in the American dream."