NHD Topic Essay.

The theme for National History Day this year is Conflict and Compromise - you might think it's easy to find a topic but narrow down your search to a specific choice. Hard, huh? This was the difficulty I had when choosing my topic. I finally landed on the conflict of the segregation of Girard College. The reason I chose this was because I have a large interest in the controversial issue between African Americans and Caucasians. The topic I chose last year also had to do with a race case.

So far, the research is easy and not too hard to find. Most of the websites I visited gave me background information on the segregation and the cause and affect of what happened. They also give you a variety of biographies of Stephen Girard.

Stephen Girard was an American Merchant, banker and philanthropist. He lived from 1750 - 1831 and contributed alot of money during his time. In 1776 he settled in Philadelphia as a shipowner and a merchant. He became wealthy and bequeathed several million dollars and founded Girard College. In Stephen Girard's will he stipulated the establishment of a school for white males between six and eighteen years of age, who didn't have a father. A final ruling and affirmation by the Supreme Court of the United States found that Girard's will was superseded by the Brown decision. The school's trustees were "permanently enjoined from denying admission of poor male orphans on the sole ground that they are not white, provided they are otherwise qualified for admission". The first African American students were eventually granted admission to the school in 1968.

This topic proves to be Conflict and Compromise because of the conflict between Brown vs Board in allowing African Americans into the school. The overall conflict was in the actual will of Stephen Girard, who the money actually belonged to, was dedicated to specific white males. When public schools in Philadephia segregated and Girard College didn't, it drove a larger conflict. The compromise came when the first African American walked through the doors of the school.

I am sure as I continue with my research, I will come across numerous more resources and facts into helping me complete my project.