Title
Honoring and celebrating Philadelphia's Living Legends: John F. Street, Ethel S. Barnett, Sylvester M. Johnson, Joyce Batchelor, Samuel Staten, Sr., Doris A. Smith, J. Whyatt (Jerry) Mondesire, Trudy Haynes, and Della Clark in the areas of government, public safety, social justice, civil rights, labor relations, journalism, community activism and business leadership in Philadelphia as part of the commemoration of Black History Month.
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WHEREAS, John F. Street, Esq., Philadelphia's second African American mayor, lead the City from 2000 to 2008 after nearly two decades of public service on Philadelphia City Council. Street was elected as Council President for seven years during his tenure on City Council. As mayor, Street worked tirelessly to revitalize Philadelphia, improve graduation rates, and increase quality of life for all citizens. Still a public servant today, former Mayor Street currently teaches political science at Temple University and advocates for women and youth in politics; and
WHEREAS, Ethel S. Barnett is a longstanding public servant who served as a Philadelphia police officer from 1961 to 1971 and became the first African-American to serve on the Pennsylvania Civil Service Commission in 1977. Barnett served on a multitude of government boards, including The Philadelphia Energy Education Council, the Mayor's Commission for Women in Philadelphia, and the Governor's Study Committee on Employment of the Handicapped to forge important public policy changes in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania. She was also the first Vice-President of the NAACP Philadelphia Chapter and has been a staunch civil rights advocate; and
WHEREAS, Sylvester M. Johnson, retired Philadelphia Police Commissioner, dedicated 43 years of his life to the PPD. In 1972 Johnson received the highest award in the Philadelphia Police Department, the Medal of Valor, after stopping an armed robbery while off-duty. Appointed to Commissioner in 2002, Johnson reduced record crime rates to a 17-year low in Philadelphia under his leadership. Commissioner Johnson's service to the community has been recognized by Mayors Rendell, Street, and Nutter; and
WHEREAS, Joyce Batchelor, MSW has committed her life to struggling children and families as a Child Advocate Social Worker with the Defender Association of Philadelphia Child Advocacy Unit for more than 25 years. Batchelor's impact on needy children and families is inestimable through personal assistance she renders to teens completing employment or college entrance applications, purchasing clothing and toiletries for children from her own coffers, or remembering abused and neglected children with gifts on birthdays and holidays. Batchelor touches and improves lives of underprivileged children and families in Philadelphia through a deep commitment to social justice and pours her heart and soul into each case to ensure that every child's needs are met. Batchelor is committed to making a difference for those who need it most; and
WHEREAS, Samuel Staten, Sr., served as business manager of Laborers' Local 332 encouraging activism in the labor community until his retirement in 2008 after 30 years of dedicated service. Staten has served on numerous boards, including the Philadelphia Housing Authority and the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. He is also the trustee of the Samuel Staten, Sr., Charitable Trust which aims to assist those living in poverty in the Philadelphia area; and
WHEREAS, Doris A. Smith, formerly served as Commissioner of Fairmount Park; founded 100 Black Women in Philadelphia and served as executive for Pennsylvania's Department of Health and other health and wellness organizations. Ms. Smith is a longtime public service and community activist deeply committed to park preservation and improving outcomes for Philadelphians. She currently chairs the Philadelphia Civil Service Commission and helps high school dropouts to obtain GEDs, vocational training and to secure gainful employment through her work with the Exodus Project; and
WHEREAS, J. Whyatt (Jerry) Mondesire is a longtime Philadelphia political and civil rights activist, expert in the power of the press to organize citizens and to influence public policy. Mondesire began his career in journalism, formerly writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer, then served as Chief of Staff to the Honorable Congressman William H. Gray where he assisted in writing the South African Sanctions legislation. In 1991, Mondesire founded the Philadelphia Sun, a weekly newspaper for the African-American community. Mondesire also served as president of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP and increased its membership by more than 5,000. Mondesire continues to support the community through community and civil rights activism; and
WHEREAS, Trudy Haynes pioneered the pathway for African-Americans on television as the nation's first African-American TV weathercaster and Philadelphia's first African-American television reporter. Haynes served 33 years on the air at KYW-TV, Channel 3 hosting programs such as The Trudy Haynes Show, Sunday Magazine, Sunday Side Up and a news segment called "Trudy's Grapevine". Throughout her trailblazing career Haynes interviewed news and entertainment celebrities from President Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Sylvester Stallone, Denzel Washington and Tupac Shakur. In 1999, Trudy Haynes' groundbreaking career in journalism was honored by the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's "Hall of Fame"; and
WHEREAS, Della Clark has helped minority entrepreneurs establish and maintain businesses in Philadelphia for more than two decades in her role as president of The Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia. Clark brings international entrepreneurial activities and strategies that she observed and explored in Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic and Ireland through the Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship's Philadelphia International Leadership Initiative to local minority businesses. She has been recognized as a minority business leader in the Philadelphia community by Philadelphia Business Journal. In addition to creating and supporting small business ownership, Clark also supports the community in her roles with the University City District, St. Christopher's Foundation for Children and the Philadelphia Historical Commission; now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors and celebrates Philadelphia's Living Legends: John F. Street, Ethel S. Barnett, Sylvester M. Johnson, Joyce Batchelor, Samuel Staten, Sr., Doris A. Smith, J. Whyatt (Jerry) Mondesire, Trudy Haynes and Della Clark in the areas of government, public safety, social justice, civil rights, labor relations, journalism, community activism and business leadership in Philadelphia 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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