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Also naming the 2400 block of North 59th Street as "W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Way" in honor of former Mayor Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr., and in commemoration of his life-long and dedicated service to the citizens of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. was born on August 19, 1938 in Seaboard, North Carolina to a family of sharecroppers. Goode and his family migrated to Philadelphia in 1954; and
WHEREAS, In January of 1957, W. Wilson Goode, Sr. graduated from John Bartram High School. In 1961, Goode graduated from Morgan State University with a degree in History. After graduation, Goode served in the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant for two years. After being discharged from the Army, Goode worked as a probation officer, insurance claims adjustor and supervisor with building a maintenance firm; and
WHEREAS, In 1968, Goode served as Co-founder of the Black Political Forum. In 1969, Goode graduated from the Fels Institute of Government at University of Pennsylvania with a Masters in Governmental Administration; and
WHEREAS, In 1978, Goode was appointed the first African-American member and then Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission by Governor Milton Shapp; and
WHEREAS, In 1980, Goode became the first African-American to ever serve as the Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia under Mayor William J. Green's administration. As Managing Director, Goode used a hands-on approach to address city problems and orchestrated functions and operations in the city and is widely acclaimed to be the best Managing Director in the City's history; and
WHEREAS, Goode was elected Mayor of Philadelphia in 1984, becoming the first African-American Mayor of the City. During his two terms as Mayor, Goode devised new economic strategies and developed policies addressing unemployment, homelessness, HIV/AIDS, graffiti, mural arts, and literacy. Goode also developed policies that increased the amount of African-Americans in high level po...
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