WHEREAS, The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to honor Mr. Oliver St. Clair Franklin for his service as the President and CEO of the International House, the largest international community in the State of Pennsylvania and the founding International House, a seventeen, four continent network of International Houses, as well as his service as Honorary British Counsel; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Franklin was born in Washington DC and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He was educated at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and Oxford University in England; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Franklin was the Deputy City Representative of the City of Philadelphia and the city’s first Chief of Protocol in the administration of Mayor W. Wilson Goode; and
WHEREAS, In 1998 Mr. Franklin was appointed the Honorary British Consul. He became the first African American in the United States to represent Great Britain diplomatically at the United States’ first British Consulate. In his role as Honorary Consul, Mr. Franklin assisted British companies and citizens while representing contemporary Britain to the citizens of Philadelphia. As Honorary Consul, Mr. Franklin works closely with the 36 member Philadelphia Consular Corp, America’s first and longest serving diplomatic organization; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, Mr. Franklin, in cooperation with Lord Peter Walker, founded the City Fellows Trust, a program that provided opportunities for minorities in the field of financial service to work in London; and
WHEREAS, In 2003 as a result of the invitation of Mr. Franklin, His Royal Highness Duke of York, Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II visited Philadelphia to help launch the Jubilee Program. The program sent students from Simon Gratz High School and Parkway High School for Peace and Social Justice to visit London after a year long after school program; and
WHEREAS, In 2003 Her Majesty the Queen bestowed upon Mr. Franklin the Order of the Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Britain. In 2004 as a result of the invitation of Mr. Franklin His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, Prince Richard and first cousin of the Queen visited Philadelphia to study our public education system.; and
WHEREAS, Most recently in January 2007, as a result of the invitation of Mr. Franklin, Mrs. Walter Annenburg and others, the City of Philadelphia welcomed Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. This was the first visit of the Prince of Wales to Philadelphia in 147 years. Their Royal Highnesses experienced a broad cross section of Philadelphia including a mural arts tour in Mantua, a reception at the Constitutional Center, a visit to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, a panel discussion and visit with the International House residents, the 150th Anniversary celebration of the Academy of Music, a public church service and a private train ride to New York with several prominent citizens to discuss Philadelphia’s approach to urban renewal; and
WHEREAS, The visit to Philadelphia by the future King of England and his wife will remain in the hearts and memories of the citizens of Philadelphia for many years to come; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we recognize and congratulate Mr. Oliver St. Clair Franklin for his service and career to the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Oliver St. Clair Franklin as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End