IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1071 
Recognizing the desegregation efforts at Girard College in Philadelphia, and 
the leaders involved in African-American integration and civil rights 
expansion. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 23, 2026 
Mr. EVANS of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. BOYLE 
of Pennsylvania, Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. IVEY, Mr. JOHNSON 
of Georgia, Mrs. BEATTY, and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the desegregation efforts at Girard College in 
Philadelphia, and the leaders involved in African-Amer-
ican integration and civil rights expansion. 
Whereas Philadelphia is a diverse city, comprised of genera-
tions of African-Americans who have contributed richly to 
United States history, and have supported national ef-
forts in commitments to justice, equality, and diversity; 
Whereas Temple University’s exhibit, Civil Rights in a North-
ern City: Philadelphia, documents several milestones in 
the city’s civil rights front that gained national attention, 
including the efforts to desegregate Girard College; 
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•HRES 1071 IH 
Whereas Girard College was created in 1848 by Stephen Gi-
rard to admit ‘‘poor white male orphans, ages six to ten’’, 
as cited in his will; 
Whereas, in March 1954, 6 African-American boys were re-
jected by the Board of City Trust at Girard College, cit-
ing Stephen Girard’s will; 
Whereas, starting in 1955, Raymond Pace Alexander, a 
member of the Philadelphia City Council, led a series of 
legal battles citing the Brown v. Board of Education de-
cision to document Girard College’s admittance practices 
as contradicting the Brown decision; 
Whereas the admissions barring was upheld by the Philadel-
phia Orphan’s Court, and then the Supreme Court of 
Pennsylvania; 
Whereas, on April 29, 1957, the United States Supreme 
Court unanimously found the racial ban at Girard Col-
lege unconstitutional, reversing the previous courts’ deci-
sions; 
Whereas, in October 1957, Girard College became a private 
institution following the United States Supreme Court’s 
decision, and was allowed to uphold its discriminatory ad-
mitting practices; 
Whereas Cecil Bassett Moore was born on April 2, 1915, in 
West Virginia and died in Philadelphia on February 13, 
1979; 
Whereas Cecil B. Moore was a former Marine Corps member, 
and attended law school at Temple University in Phila-
delphia and received his degree in 1953; 
Whereas Moore was elected president of the local Philadel-
phia chapter of the National Association for the Advance-
ment of Colored People (NAACP) in December 1962; 
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•HRES 1071 IH 
Whereas the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP was active 
in protesting segregation, leading rallies and peaceful ef-
forts for housing access and equal work opportunity, 
gaining inspiration from the Southern Christian Leader-
ship Council; 
Whereas Moore was committed to expanding voting rights to 
African-Americans, helped organize protests, and pushed 
for the integration of Black students at Girard College; 
Whereas, in May 1965, the NAACP led picketing at Girard 
College, and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
spoke to demonstrators at the college that same year; 
Whereas, on March 4, 1968, the Third Circuit Court of Ap-
peals upheld a ruling that the 7 African-American stu-
dents must be admitted; and 
Whereas, on May 23, 1968, Girard College voted to admit the 
students: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the importance of the desegrega-
tion efforts at Girard College and the Philadelphian 
leaders that supported the local and national civil 
rights movements; 
(2) recognizes and uplifts ongoing efforts that 
highlight African-American stories and history; and 
(3) recognizes the need to continue protecting 
diversity at colleges and universities throughout the 
Nation, and the civil rights of students. 
Æ 
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