Declaration of Independence OURSELVES
THE CHESTER CITY WHITE PAPER
Revitalizing Chester, Pennsylvania: From Receivership to a Smart City Hub
A Proposal for Economic Transformation and Governance Reform
Abstract: “We hold these truths to be self-evident...”
Chester, Pennsylvania, the only City in Pennsylvania under receivership, is at a crossroads. Despite its strategic location with access to waterways, rail, and highway infrastructure, Chester has suffered from economic decline, policy mismanagement, and xenophobic barriers that have stifled both local and national investment. This zero-growth, bankrupt-politics type governance has failed the residents of the City of Chester too long.
Perhaps there is another way: not poltics, because politics let the people down.
This White Paper explores how China’s Belt & Road-style investments could help Chester evolve into a modular, smart city, leveraging digital infrastructure and sustainable urban planning. It also addresses the question: Do Chester’s residents have the right to reclaim their city and rewrite its future through governance reform?
Introduction
Chester’s economic history is deeply tied to manufacturing, trade, and logistics, yet today, the City faces financial distress: the City govenment has failed its people. The Declaration of Independence states that when a government no longer serves its people, the people have the right to alter or abolish it. Can Chester’s residents invoke this principle to reimagine its own City governance?
This White Paper outlines a path forward, combining economic investment strategies with policy innovation so that the People of the City of Chester can “Provide new laws for their future security.”
Chester’s Strategic Location
• Transportation & Trade Potential
The City of Chester is uniquely positioned as an economic hub due to its infrastructure:
• Waterway Access: It has direct access to the Delaware River, ideal for shipping, trade, and industrial expansion.
• Rail Network: Chester benefits from passenger and freight rail connectivity linking it to Philadelphia and beyond.
• Highways & Ports: Proximity to Interstate 95 and major logistics hubs creates ideal conditions for commerce.
With proper investment, Chester can regain its role as a critical trade and business center; exactly the way Chester was more than 4-HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Correcting
MEET THE LENAPE OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA
circa 1600
Upon his arrival Western Hemisphere IN 1492
CHRISTOPHER
WROTE:
“THESE
INDIGENOUS LOOK ETHIOPEANS!” (AFRICANS)
IN THE 1600’S WHEN EURAPEANS
The Lenape People Were
A common historical misunderstanding is the misrepresentation the Lenape, as enslaved peoples from Africa. However, nation with an advanced economic, political, and
Misconceptions: LENAPE PEOPLE PENNSYLVANIA
1600 A.D. arrival in the Hemisphere 1492
ENCOUNTERED
LENAPE PEOPLE
Were Not African Slaves misrepresentation of Indigenous groups, including However, the Lenape were a sovereign Indigenous and social structure long before European arrival.
CHESTER: SETTLED IN 1644
LAND OF THE LENAPE PEOPLE
THE ORIGINS OF CHESTER & THE LENAPE HERITAGE
Chester is the oldest City in Pennsylvania, originally settled in 1644 and incorporated as a City on February 14, 1682
Chester’s Founding & Strategic Location
The City of Chester, Pennsylvania, has a long-standing historical significance, predating even the establishment of Philadelphia. Originally settled by Swedish and Dutch traders in the early 1600s, Chester was known as Upland before being renamed by William Penn in 1682. Due to its location along the Delaware River, Chester quickly became an important trade hub, benefitting from:
1. Maritime access, ideal for shipping and commerce.
2. Proximity to Indigenous trade networks, particularly amongst the Lenape People
3. Transportation routes: connecting the region to other indigenous settlements.
Although Penn initially considered Chester as the Capital of Pennsylvania, landowners objected, leading him to establish Philadelphia instead. Nevertheless, Chester remained vital to the state’s economic foundation, serving as a trading post, industrial hub, and manufacturing center throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
Correcting Misconceptions:
THE LENAPE PEOPLE WERE NOT AFRICAN SLAVES. The Lenape were Indigenous to Lenapehoking.
They were a branch of the DELAWARE NIIJI NATION, their ancestral lands covered New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and parts of New York.
They engaged in trade with Europeans, negotiating land agreements with Dutch and Swedish settlers in the 1600s.
The Lenape People were NOT brought as slaves from Africa—they were the original inhabitants who resisted colonization and were later displaced due to broken treaties and forced migration. This mischaracterization often erases the true history of the Lenape’s cultural identity, governance, and role in Pennsylvania’s founding.
While slavery was an institution affecting many African peoples in the Americas, the Lenape’s struggle was one of land displacement, forced removals, and colonial oppression—not about transatlantic slavery: but like today’s African Sahel.
Chester, originally settled as “Upland” by the Swedes in 1644 and renamed in 1682, is Pennsylvania’s oldest city. Incorporated in 1701 and as a city in 1866, it became prosperous with industries like machinery and textiles, benefiting from its location near the Delaware River. The population grew from 38,000 in 1910 to 58,000 by 1920 due to World War I job creation. However, post-war economic shifts led to decline in manufacturing and population. Since 1996, Chester has seen $1.36 billion in investments, restoring parks and expanding housing. Yet,despite these investments, Chester has failed, leaving us to wonder, “WHERE DID THE MONEY GO!”
WE MADE TREATIES AND TRADED WITH THE SWEEDISH
One major factor was the Walking Purchase of 1737, a deceptive land deal that led to the dispossession of the Lenape from their ancestral lands in Pennsylvania. Many Lenape moved westward into the Ohio Valley, seeking refuge. Additionally, the Seven Years’ War (1754–1763) and subsequent conflicts further destabilized indigenous communities, forcing many to migrate or face violence.
By the late 18th century, Pennsylvania’s Indigenous American population had largely been displaced, with few indigenous groups retaining secure land within the state.
BEWARE... THE BRITISH ARE COMING!
While there wasn’t a single event in 1767 that directly mirrored the forced removal of Native Americans in the Trail of Tears, Pennsylvania’s Indigenous Peoples did experience significant displacement throughout the 18th century.
By the mid-1700s, Indigenous American groups such as the Lenape of Chester (Delaware Nation) and Shawnee were increasingly pushed out of their homelands due to European expansion, land treaties, and violent conflicts
BUT
BRITISH
COLONIZERS
ABOLISHED OUR TREATIES AND COMMANDEERED OUR TRADING POSTS THEY IMPRISONED OUR LEADERS AND BANNISHED OUR FAMILIES
40 YEARS BEFORE THEY DECLARED THAT ALL MEN HAVE A RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS... THEY DID THIS TO US!
THE COLONIZERS STOLE OUR LANDS, OUR DIGNITY AND OUR VALOR
THE WALKING PURCHASE OF 1737
THE LENAPE’S ROLE IN CHESTER’S HISTORY
The Lenape played a key role in early Chester by facilitating trade networks, land agreements, and diplomatic relations with European settlers. The Lenape sold land to Swedish and Dutch traders through negotiated trade rather than conquest. They operated seasonal villages, trading furs, food, and tools with European settlers. Early Swedish colonists relied on Lenape knowledge of the land for agriculture and survival.
Unfortunately, as British expansion increased, Lenape lands were forcibly taken, particularly after the Walking Purchase of 1737, a fraudulent land deal that pushed them out of Pennsylvania. By the 19th century, most Lenape people had been relocated to Ohio, Indiana, and later Oklahoma, marking one of the earliest forced migrations of Indigenous peoples. The infamous Trail of Tears began in the 1830s, following the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, nearly 100 years later.
CONCLUSION:
CHESTER’S HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE & LENAPE LEGACY
Understanding the true origins of Chester and the Lenape people’s history is critical in restoring historical accuracy and challenging colonial narratives. The Lenape were not African slaves, but a thriving Indigenous nation whose presence shaped Chester’s economic development before British rule displaced them.
Chester’s strategic location, trade networks, and interactions with the Lenape make it an essential case study in discussions about economic revival, governance reform, and urban transformation. Recognizing this legacy can help pave the way for future investments and policy changes that honor Chester’s past while shaping its future.
THE CITY OF CHESTER
THE GREAT AMERICAN
When European settlers, including the late 17th century, the Lenape from their ancestral lands. Many westward due to land treaties and expansion. However, some Lenape formed relationships with other including some Southern Black
By the time of the Great Migration Chester’s Black community had kinship networks. Some Lenape remained in Pennsylvania, intermarried Southern families, contributing to of Chester. Their traditions, including and communal living, influenced Black migrants adapted to their
The Lenape people, also known Delaware Indians, were the original that became Chester, Pennsylvania. for thousands of years before European Lenape were part of the Algonquian were divided into three main groups: and Unalachtigo.
When the Southerner met the Lenape, discovered an interesting fact that:
The colonist named the children NEGRO and Former The colonist named the children INDIAN and Ignorant
These terms were insulting and Southern Africans and Lenape People! Colonizers’ purposes well... or so
PROMISED LAND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SOUTHERN MIGRANTS
The barrier they instituted to keep Color, is the very thing that unified continents into one: not skin color texture. It was the shocking realization two different continents shared
When the Lenape melded with the people: One Nation, Indivisible. the basis for the Colonizers’ Xenophobic City of Chester and its residents... Whomever They
AMERICAN MIGRATION
including William Penn, arrived in Lenape were gradually displaced Many were forced to move and increasing colonial Lenape remained in the area and marginalized communities, residents of Chester.
Migration in the early 20th century, had already established strong Lenape descendants, who had intermarried with migrating to the cultural and social fabric including respect for the land influenced the ways in which Southern new environment.
known as the Lenni Lenape or original inhabitants of the land Pennsylvania. They lived in the region European settlers arrived. The Algonquian language family and groups: the Munsee, Unami,
Lenape, they simoultaneously that: based solely upon race, children of the Africans: Former SLAVE. children of the Lenape as: Ignorant SAVAGE.
demeaning to both migrating People! And this served the so they thought.
keep people separated, Skin unified two peoples from two color or nose shape or hair realization that two peoples from a unifying identity: Melanin.
the African, we became a new This union is what became Xenophobic hatred for the residents... They Were.
THE CITY OF CHESTER
COLONIZED LAND OF OPPRESSION FOR INDIGENOUS LENAPE PEOPLE
THE SPIRIT OF THE LENAPE PEOPLE
THE MERGER OF TWO PEOPLES
THE RESILENCY OF THE SOUTHERN
MIGRANTS
THIS PHENOMENON WAS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO THE CITY OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA
THE BIRTH OF THE NEW AMERICAN BLACK COMMUNITY CREATING ONE NEW PEOPLE
ONE NATION INDIVISIBLE
THE NEW AMERICAN BLACK COMMUNITY’S CHESTER POPULATION GREW TO 18,000 BY 1860.
IN THE 1900’S: THE ARRIVAL OF EUROPEANS SPELLED
THE GREAT CHESTER RACE RIOT OF 1917
The 1917 Chester race riot was a significant event in the city’s history, lasting four days in July 1917. It was fueled by racial tensions that had been building due to the Great Migration, as Black workers moved north seeking industrial jobs. White residents and workers, feeling threatened by the influx of Black laborers, responded with hostility.
The riot was sparked by a confrontation between a Black man and a white man, which escalated into widespread violence. White gangs targeted Black residents, leading to seven deaths, 28 gunshot injuries, and over 360 arrests, primarily Lenape People and Southern Blacks . Despite the violence, Chester’s Black community remained resilient, forming strong kinship networks and support systems to help newcomers from the South to adjust.
Interestingly, unlike in the South, Chester was not a fully segregated city—Black and White residents lived in the same neighborhoods, though Black residents often faced poorer living conditions.
The city’s original Black community, which included Lenape People and descendants of Migrant Southerns, played a crucial role in supporting new migrants, fostering intermarriage, and opposing Strong Racial Hatred Networks in the North. Not the Southern KKK: Worse.
RACE IS FAKE
THEY WON’T ADMIT IT!
ALL WHITE PEOPLE KNOW THAT WHY
.“Oh, I say, and I say it again. You’ve been had! Ya been took! Ya been hoodwinked! Bamboozled! Led astray! Run amok! This is what he does!”
Malcolm X (1992)
The Lenape People lived in the Chester region for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. The Lenape were part of the Algonquian language family and were divided into three main groups: the Munsee, Unami, and Unalachtigo.
They called themselves NIIJI meaning Brother, Family and Friend. Much in the same way today’s generation might say, “Yeah, that’s My Boy! That’s My NIIJI!”
NIIJI: A statement of endearment, comradery and respect: defiance and resilience shared amongst each other. It is not based on skin color or skin tone; it simply celebrates the Universal KINSHIP of MELANIN.
RACE
A FIGMENT OF IMAGINATION
Race is a social construct, designed by Colonizers, to impose hierarchies of power, yet Race lacks any foundation in legitimate science. It is not rooted in biological reality but rather in artificial classifications used to justify dominance. In other words, Race is Fake!
Based solely upon notions of Race and LABELS; 1. The colonist named the children of the Africans: NEGRO and Former SLAVE.
2. The colonist named the children of the Lenape as: INDIAN and Ignorant SAVAGE
There is no such thing as an American Negro. There is no such thing as an American Indian.
These terms are insulting and demeaning to both Southern Migrants and Lenape People! There ain’t no Biological Redman or American Redskin or American Indian. These characters were designed by the colonizers to prove that true Indigenous People never existed, enabling Colonizers to steal the land, remake it in their own image and likeness, and to further enslave and impoverish its true Lenape and Southern Migrant Peoples.
BOOM TOWN!
Chester’s boom years in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s were defined by heavy industry, manufacturing, and shipbuilding, making it a powerhouse in Pennsylvania’s economy.
Key Industries & Major Businesses
1. Shipbuilding & Maritime Industry
Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company –
One of the largest shipyards in the U.S., employing thousands and producing vessels for World War II and commercial use.
Scott Paper Company – A major employer specializing in paper products, including the first-ever paper towel.
2. Automotive & Heavy Manufacturing
Ford Motor Company – Operated an assembly plant in Chester, producing vehicles and contributing to the city’s industrial strength.
Baldwin Locomotive Works – Manufactured steam and diesel locomotives, supporting the rail industry nationwide.
3. Textiles & Consumer Good
Westinghouse Electric Company – Produced electrical components and appliances, fueling Chester’s industrial economy.
Textile Mills – Chester had a thriving fabric and clothing production sector, employing thousands.
WHAT CHESTER MAKES MAKES CHESTER
During this period, Chester’s population peaked at over 66,000 as workers flocked to the city for jobs. However, by the mid-1950s, industries began relocating, leading to economic decline.
BOOM TOWN CHESTER: A PROMISED LAND OF FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY
“Anybody Can Get Work in Chester!”
That was the word on the streets during Chester’s industrial boom—a time when the city opened its doors to thousands of job seekers. For Southern Black migrants fleeing racial violence, segregation, and joblessness in the Jim Crow South, Chester was more than just a northern city—it was a Beacon of Hope for them and their children.
A complete change from Southern esperiences.
A City Where Opportunity Outpaced Discrimination
The demand for workers in Chester’s thriving industries was so high that barriers of race and prejudice—while still present—were often set aside in favor of labor needs. Compared to the harsh realities of the segregated South, Chester offered Black migrants a rare and powerful opportunity: steady work, better pay, and a degree of social freedom. Unheard of! They could even Vote!
NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED?
Chester Still Has a Place for You!
You don’t need to be a skilled machinist to find work here. Chester’s booming food processing and slaughterhouse industries were major employers, welcoming both ‘men and women’ from across racial and regional lines. The city’s strategic position along the rail lines made it a hub for transporting livestock, processed goods, and raw materials—fueling a local economy that ran on labor, not lineage.
Chester’s food processing and slaughterhouse industry thrived during its boom years, benefiting significantly from the railway system, which provided efficient transportation for livestock, processed meats, and other goods.
Major Food Processing & Slaughterhouse Companies in Chester
• John J. Buckley & Sons Meat Packing – A well-known slaughterhouse that processed beef and pork for regional distribution.
• Chester Packing Company – Specialized in meat processing and packaging, supplying local markets and restaurants.
• Sunshine Biscuits – A major food manufacturer producing baked goods, benefiting from rail transport for raw materials and distribution.
• Scott Paper Company – While primarily known for paper products, Scott Paper also had food-related packaging operations.
A PROBLEM: XENOPHOBIA
THE MOST IMPORTANT BELIEF OF THE LENAPE PEOPLE IS RESPECT FOR THE LAND
The problem is that the Southern Migrants had no experience in land ownership. Their ancestors had been stolen from their former lands in Africa. In America, all the lands were owned by the colonizers, so they never established a spiritual connection to the land.Because of this they lost the connection and followed the white man and not their community.
XENOPHOBIANS are people who hate simple for the sake of hating: it is not your race, religion, politics, education or economics... it’s where you are from or the ground you are living on. The danager is when that hatred for the land is transferred to the people who reside on that Land. Their concept is simple: I live on the top of the Hill and you... you are from the other side of the tracks; therefore I am superior to you.
ECHOES OF ASSIMALATION
They chose the Colonizers Money and Attitude: Seduced by Intergration: People who have never been to Chester, who don’t know anybody from Chester and who have never even met a person from Chester harbor disdain and consider themselves superior to people who look just like themselves. This is a form of self-loaathing. And a strategy of the original Colonizers who taught you to hate yourself. They have effectivly convinced the Black Community to sanctiuon itself. Any community that does not invest in itself is doomed to fail.
This White Paper is not about condeming the Black Community: it is about uplifting the Black community and to reveal to them a danger that threatens to destroy the American Black Community Nationwide.
Much like an inmate returns to jail or woman refuses leave an abusive relationship. Hard to explain other than Mind control: Love for their White founding Fathers and disdain for their own Melanin.
The Fall of Chester’s New American Black Community
The Land is where the Community is Born!
CULTURE SHOCK
A town with minimal work discrination, where blacks and whites lived in the same neighborhood and even on the same street, Both men and women could work and, impossibly, had the right to vote before the Civil Right s Bill was passed. Why on earth would they leave?
They moved to North Philadelphia, Camden and Wilmington. escaping Chester while never realizing that they were still on Lenape Lands but believing they were in a better place and among better people than their own new American Black Community and swearing no allegiance to it. and never teaching their children about their Chester heritage. And as more Souther Migrants came North being told to avoid chester because it was a barren waste land, devoid of economic opportunity: a Ghost Town. They feel more comfortable in White neighborhoods than in Black ones, the way they were raised in the South: no independent black community.
Economic Decline: Xenophobia & Sanctions
The Role of Policy in Chester’s Downfall
Despite its strategic advantages, Chester has suffered from:
• Deindustrialization: The decline of manufacturing and laborintensive industries.
• Xenophobic Investment Barriers: Policies limiting foreign investors, immigrants, and corporate expansions.
• Financial Sanctions & Governance Collapse: Receivership has left the city unable to manage its own budget effectively.
These factors have pushed businesses away, worsened poverty, and discouraged investment.
Questions We Must Ask, What We Must Fight And What We Must Do!
