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Proclamation recognizing William Marshall for organizing Western Pa Juneteenth celebrations.
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WHEREAS, William Marshall (B. Marshall), founder and CEO of Stop the Violence Pittsburgh, has dedicated his career to community efforts. Through extreme diligence, B. Marshall, uses his skillset to help prevent and reduce violence as he fosters vibrant opportunities for personal, spiritual, educational and economic growth; and
WHEREAS, since 2013, B. Marshall has organized Juneteenth celebrations throughout the City of Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865 - the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news of the Emancipation Proclamation and slaves there learned they were free; and
WHEREAS, 2021 is the first year the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County celebrated Juneteenth as an official holiday; and
WHEREAS, this was made possible, thanks to the lobbying efforts of B. Marshall, as he urged city and county governments to acknowledge the regions rich history by declaring Juneteenth as a holiday and pay homage to all those who worked hard so that Black people’s voices could be heard; and
WHEREAS, B. Marshall optimized his organization, Stop the Violence Pittsburgh to host the 2021 Western Pa Juneteenth celebration; and
WHEREAS, Friday, June 18, 2021, kicked off a Juneteenth celebration unlike any other. The 15-day WPA Juneteenth celebration at Point State Park included nationally known recording artists and a full slate of events such as, a showcase of African American art, free food, entertainment and a chance for people to create art of their own; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, Allegheny Council Members Olivia Bennett, Patrick Catena, Tom Duerr, Nick Futules, Paul Klein, Bob Macey, Anita Prizio, do hereby recognize William Marshall for organizing Western Pa Juneteenth celebrations for eight years, and we thank him for his dedication to the Black community and...
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