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Honoring and Celebrating Philadelphia's Living Legends, Rev. Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., Walter P. Lomax, Jr., Bill Ellerbee, Dr. Walter Palmer, Louise Williams, Dr. Audrey Bronson, Robert Bogle, Sonia Sanchez, Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, Mary Mason, Sonny Hill, and Gamble & Huff, in the areas of government, music, religion, education, athletics, and activism, as part of the commemoration of Black History Month.
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WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. served as the first Black mayor of Philadelphia from 1984-1992, as the founding Mayor of the Commission of African American Males of Philadelphia and is also noted for his community activism. His achievements after his tenure as mayor include positions in the U.S. Department of Education, serving as commissioner for the state Public Utility Commission, and influencing the lives of incarcerated individuals through mentoring and outreach; and
WHEREAS, Walter P. Lomax, Jr. is a medical practitioner in the Philadelphia area who has served his community for more than three decades. In 1982, he established Lomax Health Systems, Inc. (LHS), a health care management company recruiting physicians and physician assistants to supplement the City of Philadelphia's staff in the prison system; and
WHEREAS, Bill Ellerbee is noted for his devotion and mentorship to young individuals through coaching high school basketball and teaching. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in Philadelphia prep basketball history, having spent 20 years as head coach for Simon Gratz's boys basketball from 1970 - 2002, with a winning career record. Mr. Ellerbee was a two time Pennsylvania High School Basketball Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1997, ESPN National Coach of the Year and USA Today National Coach of the Year in 1993; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Walter Palmer is currently the founder and director of The Palmer Foundation, and Palmer Leadership Academy, the first national prototype elementary school in America, with a curriculum dedicated to teach children leadership in social justice. Dr. Palmer also serves as a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Social Policy and Practice, where he teaches the foundation courses of American Racism, Institutional Racism and Social Change since 1990; and
WHEREAS, Louise Williams-Bishop has had innumerable achievements in various industries, including radio, the ministry, and politics. She has served as the State Representative to the Pennsylvania General Assembly for District 192 since 1989. In addition to her political career, Bishop's professional work had included hosting the highly syndicated Gospel Program The Louise Bishop Show on WDAS-AM; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Audrey Bronson, an ordained minister and consecrated bishop, is founder and pastor of the Sanctuary Church of the Open Door, as well as a celebrated speaker and panelist. She serves in numerous religious and academic based institutions, including as Dean of the Philadelphia Urban Education Institute, Associate Professor of Psychology at Cheyney University, board member of One Church, One Child, Inc. of Pennsylvania, and most recently, the board of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. Dr. Bronson's most prestigious acknowledgement is being named the first woman elected President of Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity; and
WHEREAS, Robert Bogle is president and chief executive officer of The Philadelphia Tribune, the nation's oldest and the Greater Philadelphia region's largest newspaper serving the African-American community. Mr. Bogle is listed in the Tribune and Philadelphia magazines as an influential Philadelphian, and continues in his role as an ambassador for Philadelphia through his affiliations with many professional, civic, and social organizations such as Commissioner to the Delaware River Port Authority, Board member to the Zoological Society of Philadelphia, the Workforce Investment Board, and the African-American Chamber of Commerce; and
WHEREAS, Mary Mason began her broadcast career as a gospel music host on WHAT in 1958. Her first talk show, "Mornings with Mary" first aired on WHAT in 1970. Mason became a prominent and politically influential fixture at the station, with a loyal audience who sought her opinions on a wide range of local, national, and international topics. Her shows on WHAT were the highest rated on the station, and she also hosted programs on sister station WWDB and the former WCAU-AM. During a visit to Philadelphia in 1993, President Bill Clinton made a guest appearance on Mason's morning show; and
WHEREAS, Sonia Sanchez, currently Philadelphia's first Poet Laureate, is an African American poet, often associated with the Black Arts Movement. She is the author of over a dozen books of poetry, plays, and children's novels. Ms. Sanchez is also recognized for her influential part in the Civil Rights Movements and for being an advocate for the people. She also is a member of CORE, Congress for Racial Equality, and was known to have met Malcolm X; and
WHEREAS, Queen Mother Falaka Fattah's career involved serving the poor and bringing God's word as a missionary. Later, she developed her natural talent in writing through her literary pursuits. Queen Mother Fattah has co-founded the Black United Front with the late State Representative David P. Richardson to empower the Black community. Overall, her greatest achievement is serving as the founder and CEO of the House of Umoja, Inc. which worked with youth to stem gang violence during its height in the 1970s; and
WHEREAS, Sonny Hill is a former basketball player, announcer, member of the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, and current sports radio personality for WIP-AM 610 and also serves as an executive advisor for the Philadelphia 76ers. Mr. Hill is further known as Mr. Basketball in Philadelphia for founding the Sonny Hill League and for his many contributions to the game; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Gamble & Leon A. Huff are American songwriters and a well-known record producing team who have written and produced over 170 gold and platinum records. Both known for being pioneers of Philadelphia soul and the in-house creative team for the Philadelphia International record label, they were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008. Their early lives in Philadelphia have shaped their biggest acts in the music industry by committing to cleaning up the inner cities and helping African-American youth; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors and celebrates Philadelphia's Living Legends, Rev. Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., Walter P. Lomax, Jr., Bill Ellerbee, Dr. Walter Palmer, Louise Williams, Dr. Audrey Bronson, Robert Bogle, Sonia Sanchez, Queen Mother Falaka Fattah, Mary Mason, Sonny Hill, and Gamble & Huff, in the areas of government, music, religion, education, athletics, and activism, as part of the commemoration of Black History Month.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Philadelphia's Living Legends as evidence of the sincere admiration of this legislative body.
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