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.
Body
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 red...
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