Andre Thornton Day 2018

A few weeks ago marked a day where people in the Phoenixville community came together and celebrated the accomplishments of a few talented and influential people of color.

1982 was the first time Phoenixville held Andre Thornton Day, in honor of a man who from humble beginnings rose to beat the odds and find himself on a professional baseball diamond.

Held in Andre Thornton park, a local organization called Black Light Projects or “BLP” took the helm and reignited this holiday in an attempt to bring attention to the positive aspects of the African -American community in Phoenixville.

During the event, there were acknowledgements from Mayor Peter Urscheler and the office of State Senator Andy Dinniman, numerous musical performances, a silent auction, a video commemorating Andre’s time in the majors, and speeches from people who had fond memories. There was even a roast given by Lou Beccaria.

Also, BLP had its first ever “Legacy Award” recipients at the event. The legacy award hopefuls are nominated by the community, and the winners are those who have made a significant impact to Phoenixville in one way or another. The recipients were coaching legends Abdul Ford-Bey and Chester Miller, retired police officer and local sports standout William “Bill” Thornton, and of course Andre.

Many people showed up to the event, and a few of them went home with some Andre Thornton memorabilia.

Black Light Projects plans on hosting this event every year, so be on the lookout for it in September 2019!