City of Philadelphia - File #: 060145

• File #: 060145
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 2/23/2006
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 2/23/2006
• Title: Honoring the memory of Octavius V. Catto.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember DiCicco, Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember Nutter, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Miller, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Mariano, Councilmember Mariano, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Krajewski, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Rizzo, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Clarke, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember Ramos, Councilmember Kelly, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember O'Neill

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
2/23/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED
2/23/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	READ
2/23/2006	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced	Pass

Title
Honoring the memory of Octavius V. Catto.
Body
WHEREAS, Octavius V. Catto, born on February 22, 1839 in Philadelphia, was one of our City's most courageous and convincing civil rights leaders of all time; and

WHEREAS, Catto was noted for his scholarship and teaching at the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia (the forerunner of Cheyney University), and was the founder of such prominent institutions as the Banneker Literary Institute, the Equal Rights League and the Pythian Baseball Club, the finest baseball team of its time in the City; and

WHEREAS, Catto was a member of numerous civic, literary, and political groups including the Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Library Company, the 4th Ward Black Political Club and the Union League Association; and

WHEREAS, Catto was largely responsible for the adoption of the City's "Bill of Rights for Equal Access to Public Transportation," and was an ardent supporter of the Lincoln Administration, the efforts of the Republican Party to improve civil rights, and the struggle to end the scourge of slavery; and

WHEREAS, Catto was a Union Army Major during the Civil War and a leader in recruiting Black troops to fight for their emancipation, and with the assistance of the Union League, helped raise and train eleven regiments of "Colored Troops" from the area; and

WHEREAS, Shortly after Pennsylvania's adoption of the 15th Amendment in 1870 assured Black men the right to vote, Catto worked tirelessly to register Blacks and get them to the polls, despite street violence and murderous riots led by Irish immigrants who were supporters of the Democrats; and

WHEREAS, When Catto went to vote on Oct. 10, 1871, a Democratic Party operative, Frank Kelly, fired two pistol shots into his back, killing him just steps from his home at 8th and South streets; and

WHEREAS, Catto was giv...