AFRO Clean Block

Founded in 1934 by Frances Louise Murphy, I, AFRO Clean Block originated as a program to keep kids busy during the summer, and to keep our neighborhoods clean. Block captains were nominated to organize their neighbors for hyper-local clean up efforts: washing their stoops, painting the trim around their doors, and planting flowers in planters made of recycled tires. After a judging period, the winning block got a neighborhood party, initially sponsored by the AFRO, and eventually by Afro Charities once it was established in 1963.

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