City of Pittsburgh - File #: 2005-1755

• File #: 2005-1755
• Version: 1
• Type: Proclamation
• Status: Adopted
• File created: 10/4/2005
• In control: City Council
• Title: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that on the 10th anniversary of the killing of Jonny E. Gammage, we remember the event and keep fighting for social justice and the eradication of racism throughout the nation and in the City of Pittsburgh; and NOW, THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Wednesday, October 12, 2005 be declared “Jonny Gammage for Social Justice Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.
• Sponsors: Sala Udin, All Members
• Indexes: PROCLAMATION - MR. UDIN

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
10/4/2005	1	City Council	Adopted	Pass

Presenter
Presented by Mr. Udin
Body
Whereas, Wednesday, October 12, 2005 marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Jonny E. Gammage and the move to action against racist crimes commemorating Gammage as a martyr to social justice, and;

Whereas, on Thursday, October 12, 1995, Jonny E. Gammage, was a 31 year-old African American male who was wrongfully killed by positional asphyxiation during a one-man traffic stop on Route 51 in the city's Overbrook section at the hands of five policemen, and;

Whereas, since the Gammage atrocity, each year of his death is marked with several thousands of citizens around the country who stand together beckoning our nation to collaborate on methods to bring about social justice, synonymous with lowering incidents of police brutality, eradicating ethnic stereotyping and ethnic intimidation, and;

Whereas, like in the preceding years, activities such as: memorial services remembering the business man-Jonny E. Gammage-the universal persona of the man who would buy tennis shoes for needy children; the 1997 City of Pittsburgh consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice; The Jonny Gammage Law Initiative; summits; read-ins and the premiere of the documentary “Enough is ENOUGH: The Death of Jonny Gammage,” which will be shown in several Pittsburgh locations on October 12, 2005, created and produced by Billy Jackson-all focus on lowering acts of violence propagated by racist people, some of whom may be law enforcement personnel, and;

Whereas, the Court has spoken in not bringing two of the officers to trial, acquitting one of the officers and exonerating two by mistrial, yet the City's brother has been needlessly killed over what should have been a routine traffic stop, so as we pause today in respect for the martyr of Jonny Gammage and mourn his loss with his family, Pittsburghers continue to stand up to right the wrong using the right to protest, mass media, and the Citizen Police Review Board-initiated...