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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY KILLION, KIRKLAND, ADOLPH, BEAR, BEYER, BRENNAN, CREIGHTON, DiGIROLAMO, GEORGE, GINGRICH, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HOUGHTON, MAJOR, MANDERINO, McILVAINE SMITH, MILLARD, MURT, MUSTIO, PARKER, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, QUINN, REICHLEY, ROSS, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SWANGER, VITALI, VULAKOVICH, WATSON, WHEATLEY AND CLYMER, FEBRUARY 9, 2009 |
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| INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, FEBRUARY 9, 2009 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Congratulating Cheyney University of Pennsylvania on its 172- |
2 | year tradition of providing access, opportunity and academic |
3 | excellence for African Americans, and honoring distinguished |
4 | alumnus Octavius Valentine Catto by designating February 10, |
5 | 2009, as "Cheyney University and Octavius Valentine Catto |
6 | Day" in Pennsylvania. |
7 | WHEREAS, Cheyney University's educators have left a profound |
8 | and lasting legacy throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, |
9 | the nation and the world; and |
10 | WHEREAS, Octavius Valentine Catto, born on February 22, 1839, |
11 | attended the Institute for Colored Youth (Cheyney University's |
12 | forerunner) from 1854 to 1858, graduating first in his class; |
13 | and |
14 | WHEREAS, Catto was only 20 years old when he was appointed |
15 | professor of both English and Mathematics at the Institute for |
16 | Colored Youth in 1859; and |
17 | WHEREAS, Catto was elected Corresponding Secretary of the |
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1 | Pennsylvania Equal Rights League in 1864; and |
2 | WHEREAS, One year later, he served as vice president of the |
3 | State Convention of Colored People in Harrisburg; and |
4 | WHEREAS, Catto fought to desegregate Philadelphia's transit |
5 | system and helped establish Philadelphia as a major hub of Negro |
6 | league baseball through the Pythian Baseball Club of |
7 | Philadelphia; and |
8 | WHEREAS, Catto worked with Frederick Douglass and the Union |
9 | League to recruit black men to join the Army's colored troops to |
10 | defend the Union in the Civil War; and |
11 | WHEREAS, He spoke eloquently and tirelessly in support of the |
12 | 15th amendment which, when passed in 1870, gave black men the |
13 | basic right to vote; and |
14 | WHEREAS, Catto spent the last day of his life appealing to |
15 | the Mayor of Philadelphia to send troops on election day to |
16 | protect black voters who were facing intimidation and violence, |
17 | only to himself be shot three times and killed; and |
18 | WHEREAS, Octavius Valentine Catto has left his indelible mark |
19 | on our Commonwealth as an educator, orator, advocate for justice |
20 | and civil rights and as a defender of a United States; therefore |
21 | be it |
22 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend and |
23 | congratulate Cheyney University for its lasting contributions to |
24 | the rich cultural fabric of Pennsylvania, the United States and, |
25 | indeed, the world; and be it further |
26 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize and |
27 | honor the contributions of distinguished Cheyney University |
28 | alumnus Octavius Valentine Catto for his significant |
29 | contributions to civil rights and black history by declaring |
30 | that February 10, 2009, be designated as "Cheyney University and |
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1 | Octavius Valentine Catto Day" in Pennsylvania; and be it further |
2 | RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to |
3 | the Council of Trustees of Cheyney University, 1837 University |
4 | Circle, P.O. Box 200, Cheyney, PA 19319 and to the Board of |
5 | Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, |
6 | 2986 North Second Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110. |
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