February 6, 2006

A Celebration of African-American Heritage Month

Organized by Legislators Young and Oros, the Board’s 2006 Celebration of African American Heritage Month both remembered some of the most prominent figures in the Civil Rights Movement: Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, & Coretta Scott King and recognized the local efforts of the City of Peekskill and Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey to create a museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. Click here to view the event's program.

Proclamations were presented to the Mayor of Peekskill, John G. Testa (view) and the Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey (view).

Legislator Clinton Young, Jr. speaks on the importance of remembering African-Americans’ place in American history	Legislator George Oros speaks on the Underground Railroad Museum in Peekskill
Legislator Young and Legislator Oros present Mayor John Testa (Peekskill) with a proclamation
Legislator Lois Bronz remembers Rosa Parks	Legislator Andrea Stewart-Cousins remembers Coretta Scott King
Chairman Ryan, Legislator Young, & Rev. Dr. Richard H. Dixon unveil the Dr. Martin Luther King Statue model that will make its home in front of the County Courthouse

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Proclamation presented to Mayor John Testa of Peekskill

                                 WHEREAS,THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, WESTCHESTER COUNTY IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN HOME TO A NUMBER OF RICH CULTURAL AND ETHNIC EVENTS THAT HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE PROSPERITY AND FREEDOMS ENJOYED BY RESIDENTS OF OUR WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY TODAY, AND
                                 WHEREAS, ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2006, THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS WILL HOLD A SPECIAL CEREMONY IN RECOGNITION OF FEBRUARY AS BLACK  HISTORY MONTH AND WILL HONOR THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL FOR ITS LONG, PROUD HISTORY OF BOTH AFRICAN AMERICAN ACHIEVEMENT AND COOPERATION BETWEEN MANY GROUPS THAT MAKE UP THE AMERICAN SOCIETY, AND
                                 WHEREAS, THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL HAS LONG BEEN AN EXEMPLAR OF THE ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT HAS PLAYED SUCH A VITAL ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF THE UNITED STATES VIRTUALLY SINCE THE COMMUNITY’S FOUNDING MORE THAN 350 YEARS AGO, AND
                                 WHEREAS, PEEKSKILL’S COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND LIBERTY WAS DEMONSTRATED BY ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD MOVEMENT, AND
                                 WHEREAS, PEEKSKILL’S DEDICATION TOWARDS LIBERTY WAS FURTHER DISPLAYED WHEN IT WAS THE ONLY COMMUNITY IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY WHERE ABRAHAM LINCOLN STOPPED ON  HIS WAY TO WASHINGTON IN 1861, AND
                                  WHEREAS, PEEKSKILL’S ABOLITIONIST SYMPATHIES WERE FURTHER DEMONSTRATED BY ITS WARM WELCOME TO THE REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER, ONE OF AMERICA’S LEADING ANTI-SLAVERY ACTIVISTS AND THE 19TH CENTURY’S MOST CELEBRATED PREACHER, AND
                                 WHEREAS, THE WILLINGNESS OF PEEKSKILL’S RESIDENTS TO PUT THEMSELVES AND THEIR PROPERTY AT RISK, WAS DEMONSTRATED BY HAWLEY GREEN, AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, ENTREPRENEUR, CONDUCTOR ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, AND ONE-TIME OWNER OF THE PROPERTY OF 1112 MAIN STREET, AND
                                 WHEREAS, PEEKSKILL’S WILLINGNESS TO BE ON THE FRONT LINES OF EQUALITY WAS FURTHER DEMONSTRATED WHEN IT BECAME THE FIRST COMMUNITY IN NEW YORK STATE TO ELECT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYOR, AND
                                 WHEREAS, PEEKSKILL IS CONTINUING ITS TRADITION OF CELEBRATING DIVERSITY, FREEDOM, LIBERTY AND EQUALITY BY CREATING A MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER DEDICATED TO THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD AND THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY DIFFERENT ENTITIES, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
                                 RESOLVED, THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS JOIN WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES, LEGISLATOR GEORGE OROS AND LEGISLATOR CLINTON I. YOUNG, JR., AS THEY TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN HONORING THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL AS THEY CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY, AND BE IT FURTHER
                                 RESOLVED, THAT TODAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2006, BE PROCLAIMED, “THE CITY OF PEEKSKILL DAY” IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, AND BE IT FURTHER

                                 RESOLVED, THAT THE TEXT OF THIS PROCLAMATION BE CARRIED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER FOR ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL TO FOREVER KNOW.

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Proclamation presented to Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey:

                                    WHEREAS,throughout its history, one of Westchester’s most precious natural resources has been the strength of its people – a strength measured in community pride and community commitment that has enabled the county to grow and prosper, and
                                    WHEREAS, on Monday, February 6, 2006, as the Westchester County Board of Legislators celebrates African-American Heritage Month, we honor the dedicated work of The Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey, and
                                    WHEREAS, Reverend Lacey earned a Bachelor of Arts in World History from Ottawa University, a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, and was conferred a Doctorate of Philosophy from Northwestern University.  He has also received a certificate as a Community Developer from the Harvard Divinity School’s Institute for Church-Based Community and Economic Development, and
                                    WHEREAS, Reverend Lacey served as the Associate Pastor of Christian Education and Discipleship at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York, under the leadership of Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, and
                                    WHEREAS, a man of great vision and purpose, Reverend Lacey became the fourteenth pastor of the historic Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Peekskill, New York on June 12, 2005, and 
                                    WHEREAS, he has been lovingly received by his growing Mount Olivet family, Reverend Lacey aspires to a greater level of service and sacrifice for the church.  He strives to create a more beloved community in Westchester County, to stand unified rich and poor, old and young, black and white, and
                                    WHEREAS, Reverend Lacey has stepped in to revitalize the stalled, five-year effort to transform a hundred-plus year-old building into a museum and cultural center celebrating African-American Achievement.  Given ninety-days to save the building, he has served as a catalyst in the campaign, committing to raise $300,000 to purchase and begin preservation of the building on Peekskill’s Main Street, and to ultimately create the Hudson Valley Underground Railroad Museum and Cultural Center, and
                                     WHEREAS, Reverend Lacey has dismissed doubters of the project’s success and continues to proceed with the utmost of engaging spirits in the defining moments of what will undoubtedly be a treasured site and valued asset for the City of Peekskill and the County of Westchester, and
                                     WHEREAS, accomplishments such as those of The Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey should be properly recognized and acclaimed, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
                                     RESOLVED, that the members of the Westchester County Board of Legislators join with Legislator Clinton I. Young, Jr. and Legislator George Oros in honoring The Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey, and thank him for his continuing contributions to the preservation of the rich history of African-Americans in Westchester County, BE IT FURTHER
                                     RESOLVED, that Monday, February 6, 2006 be proclaimed, “The Reverend Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey Day” in Westchester County, and BE IT FURTHER
                                     RESOLVED, that the text of this proclamation be carried throughout the County of Westchester for all people of good will to forever know.