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Resident urges FCPS committee to honor local African American basketball history
Summary
Nathan Folkes told the committee about Gerald Palm and the Easter Egg Classic and asked that the district consider creating a Gerald Palm award to recognize local contribution to school sports history.
During the public‑comment period, Nathan Folkes, a Middletown resident, recounted local African American basketball history and urged the committee to consider recognizing Gerald Palm, one of the original participants in the community’s Easter Egg Classic.
Folkes described how the Palm family and other Black families contributed to youth sports across Middletown, Braddock Heights and Burkittsville, and said he would contact sports writers to research archival material. “What I'd like to try to do is see if we can get a Gerald Palm award for 1 of the individuals on the Middletown basketball team,” Folkes said, explaining the award could mirror an existing Ryan Gebbia award for top players.
The chair reminded attendees of the committee’s public‑comment rules — that comments are an opportunity to raise concerns and that committee members would not provide responses during the meeting though staff may follow up afterward. Folkes offered an article for anyone interested in the history.
The committee did not act on the request at the meeting; it was recorded for staff follow‑up.
