Folcroft’s first Black family, the Baker family, is being honored Saturday, Aug. 19 at 1 PM, with the unveiling of a historical marker near their former home on Heather Road, writes Peg DeGrassa for the Daily Times.

The marker commemorates the tragic events known as the Folcroft riots and honors the courage of the Baker family.  

Horace and Sarah Baker were set to move into the all-White Delmar Village development in Folcroft in late August 1963 with their 2-year-old daughter, Terri Lynn.

When they arrived, the house had been painted with a racial slur, and a crowd of 1,000 gathered on the street.

Rioters shattered windows, broke down doors, and ripped out electrical and plumbing fixtures. A Molotov cocktail started a small fire on the second floor.

Hundreds threw tomatoes, rocks, and sticks at the house.

Police disbursed the riot, but the Baker family continued to be harassed, and in 1966 they left Folcroft.   

“Today, Folcroft looks to change this narrative,” stated Folcroft council member Tawana Grayson. “We are a diverse community and while we will never be able to change the past, we can say we are sorry that this happened.”

Read more about the marker dedicated to the Baker family in the Daily Times.