PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A historic West Philadelphia community and one of its advocates received long overdue acknowledgement from the city.
Civic leaders assembled to honor local civil rights activist Dr. Walter Palmer and his historic neighborhood of Black Bottom on Wednesday in University City. There, Councilmember Jaime Gauthier announced the 3600 block of Market Street would be renamed “Walt Palmer-Black Bottom Way.”
“It is an absolute honor to be in the fight with giants like Dr. Palmer and other Black Bottom community members and advocates,” Gauthier said.
In 1941, Palmer’s family moved to a two-room apartment at 3635 Market Street, in the historic Black Bottom neighborhood.
“It was a wonderful community,” said Palmer, who also celebrated his 92nd birthday at the event. “It had its ups and downs like any. We had to fight racism which was always a challenge.”
For the next 75 years, he led the fight against the impact of the city’s urban renewal effort and the displacement of hundreds of Black and brown families from the Black Bottom community. Palmer said he had no regrets.
“The opportunity God gave me to interact with people across the city and across the world in terms of activism and resistance and resilience,” he remarked, “it’s been a tough life but not necessarily anything I would change.”
Gauthier called the renaming a collective thank you from the city to Palmer, and expressed hope that it would be a step in the right direction for Philly.
“These recognitions are not the end but the beginning. It is time for a tough conversation about what it means for government and institutions to account for the harm they’ve inflicted on Black communities,” she said.
The location will also receive a state marker in recognition of the contributions of Palmer and the Black Bottom community.
Palmer said he would continue to share his message.
“The fight is not over. Freedom isn’t free,” he said, “and as long as you want freedom, you have to fight to get it and fight to maintain it. It’s a life’s journey.”
