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WHEREAS, Thelma Lovette, born on February 28, 1916 in the Hill District to parents Henry and Alice Williams, has led an inspiring life as community leader, social worker, civil rights activist and mentor who has infused others' lives with a contagious spirit of human worth; and,
WHEREAS, a graduate of Schenley High School, Mrs. Lovette was hired in her 40's by Mercy Hospital as the hospital's first black social worker, several years later pursuing and successfully completing a bachelor's and a master's degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh at the age of 56; and,
WHEREAS, Mrs. Lovette was an activist who strived for the betterment of people's lives, taking part in the March on Washington for Freedom and Jobs with 200,000 other civil rights activists, where she heard first hand Martin Luther King deliver his “I have a dream” speech; and,
WHEREAS, the new Centre Avenue YMCA in the Hill District will be named after Mrs. Lovette, an honor bestowed in recognition for her work as a "Y" volunteer in the 1950s and her current position in the organization's board of managers, following in the footsteps of her father who also served in that role; and,
WHEREAS, the African American Community and the City of Pittsburgh as a whole have been fortunate to benefit from her civic contributions, Mrs. Lovette having served as Democratic committeewoman in the 5th Ward for more than 35 years, and having been appointed in 1992 by then Mayor Sophie Masloff to the board of the City Planning Commission; and,
WHEREAS, the African American community and the City of Pittsburgh was further blessed by Mrs. Thelma Lovette's presence and continued commitment to civil rights and public service as she was the Grand Marshal of the African American Heritage Parade on October 2, 2010;
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare October 2, 2010 to be “Thelma Lovette Day” in the City of Pittsburgh and c...
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