Templetown, Philadelphia

Cecil B. Moore
Neighborhood of Philadelphia
Montgomery Avenue at 18th Street in the Cecil B. Moore neighborhood
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Philadelphia County
City	Philadelphia
ZIP code	19121
Area code(s)	Area code 215

Cecil B. Moore is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The neighborhood is sometimes referred to as "Templetown" by realtors, despite disapproval by the community and Temple University. The district is loosely arranged around the main campus of Temple University, hence the name 'Temple' town. It is now rapidly gentrifying due to an influx of Temple students during the past several years. The term Templetown was coined by former Temple president Peter J. Liacouras, but has only recently come into wide use after a real estate development company adopted the name.

The Cecil B. Moore neighborhood loosely extends from 6th street to the east, York street to the north, 17th street to the west, and Girard avenue to the south. The majority of its native residents are African Americans and Puerto Ricans, although Temple students of all races (mostly white) are a growing presence, with many living off campus and in the Cecil B. Moore community.

Recently the renaissance of Progress Plaza shopping center can mainly be attributed to the economic impact of students within these borders, furthering Temple's expansion further south down broad street towards Center City. Furthermore, the purchase of the closed-down William Penn High School by the university, after redevelopment, will extend the footprint even further down Broad street towards Girard.

The region was named after Cecil Bassett Moore (April 2, 1915 – February 13, 1979) who was a Philadelphia lawyer, activists in the Civil Rights Movement who led the fight to integrate Girard College, president of the local NAACP, and member of Philadelphia's City Council. Moore is best remembered for leading a picket against Girard College which led to the desegregation of that school. He was also a champion of a wide range of causes central to the Civil Rights Movement, including integration of schools and trade unions, and increased political and economic representation for poor African-Americans. He has been credited with helping to restore order after the unsettling vandalism and violence of the racially charged Columbia Avenue riot of 1964. During his tenure, membership in the local NAACP chapter expanded from 7,000 in 1962 to more than 50,000 within a few years.