Pip and Zastrow at Key

Annapolis Legends Discuss Life During the Civil Rights Movement

Upper School students and faculty were given a memorable opportunity this past spring when documentary filmmakers Victoria Bruce and Karin Hayes and producer Janice Hayes-Williams came to Key School to present their film, Pip and Zastrow: An American Friendship. The documentary chronicles the lives of two Annapolitans—former Annapolis Mayor Pip Moyer, father of Bumper ‘82 and grandfather of Owen ’24, and community activist Zastrow Simms—as they crossed racial boundaries, starting in the 1940s, to sustain a friendship that has spanned more than sixty years. The film depicts not only the continuing and deepening friendship between these two men, but also the largely overlooked history of Annapolis’ African-American community.

Members of the audience were moved to tears by the heartrending depiction of Pip and Zastrow’s sometimes tempestuous relationship and experiences. Fascinated by the story of these men and the sometimes fiery history of the city of Annapolis, students and faculty took part in a discussion at the conclusion of the film. Making this screening at Key even more meaningful, Mr. Moyer and Mr. Simms were in attendance.

“The assembly, with its Annapolitan principals in our presence, provoked thinking about what it means to cultivate friendships along inter-racial lines at a time when these were seen as taboo, and about overcoming human challenges and frailties. The film and ensuing discussion left a lasting imprint on an attentive audience of students and faculty,” said Head of School Marcella Yedid.

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