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Proclamation honoring the life, memory and legacy of Dr. Morton “Moe” Coleman.
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WHEREAS, Allegheny County Council does hereby honor the life of the late Dr. Morton “Moe” Coleman, a social worker, policy maker, professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate Schools of Social Work and of Public and International Affairs - and founding director of Pitt's Institute of Politics; and
WHEREAS, born in 1932 in Pittsburgh, PA., Moe always knew what he aspired to do with his life. After graduating from Taylor Allderdice High School, Moe went on to get his undergraduate and graduate degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Moe’s dedication to providing governance for generations became evident throughout his professional career. As a youth worker in the Hill District, Moe witnessed firsthand the problems of urban renewal. In 1963, he joined the administration of Pittsburgh Mayor Joseph Barr and helped implement several War on Poverty programs throughout the city. In 1968, work took him to Detroit where he worked as a personal advisor to Henry Ford II on urban issues, and later to Hartford, Connecticut, where he was the dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Connecticut; and
WHEREAS, in 1970, Moe returned to Pittsburgh, where he served as acting dean of Pitt’s School of Social Work. He was also a professor emeritus and held joint appointments with Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and Urban Studies; and
WHEREAS, credited as the Institute of Politics’ founding Director, Moe had an ability to craft collaborative policy solutions with a disarming leadership style, a quick wit, and a bounty of data-driven recommendations; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Morton “Moe” Coleman passed from this life on January 27, 2019 at the age of 86;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Allegheny County Council Member Anita Prizio, do hereby honor the life, memory and legacy of Dr. Morton “Moe” Coleman, and we extend condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto caused the Seal of the County of Allegheny to be affixed this 19th day of February 2019.