The fascinating history and promising future of the Nile Swim Club
In the mid-1900s, the Nile Swim Club was at the epicenter of the Philadelphia region’s Black social scene. Decades later, it seeks a rebirth.
The Week in Philly from KYW Newsradio
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Show Notes
Legendary music artists The Supremes and Harry Belafonte passed through there. It was a place of prestige and pride for Philadelphia's Black population. Such was the early legacy of the Nile Swim Club, which, in the late 1950s, opened in response to racial segregation in the borough of Yeadon. But with the passing of time, the club’s allure began to change. Declines in enrollment became so sharp that Nile was ultimately forced to declare bankruptcy. In recent years, benefactors have emerged to save the club, and reset its role in the community it serves. West Chester University Professor of History Dr. Bob Kodosky, author of The Nile Swim Club of Yeadon: A History, shares stories about the club’s past, and looks ahead to its future. Hosted by Matt Leon.
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