Naming 5400 Chester Avenue and the 1400 and 1500 blocks of South 55th Street as "Dr. Evelyn Graves Way" in recognition of Dr. Graves' 45 years of exemplary service to the community.

WHEREAS,

Dr. Graves is a historic treasure in Southwest Philadelphia. Starting out in the 1970’s as a housewife and mother of six, she had a burning desire to reach the youth of her community

; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Graves was honored and acknowledged by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People as a “Legend”; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Graves was recognized as a pioneer in the creative and performing arts, who has empowered generations of African American Families by several presidents including Bill Clinton and Barack Obama; and

WHEREAS, Dr, Graves provided basic necessities of life in the community with food, housing, cultural arts, education, spirituality and hope in the targeted areas of West and Southwest Philadelphia and Delaware County; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Graves created thirty-seven programs in Evelyn Graves Ministries, including: the Evelyn Graves Drama Productions, the Pre-K through 12th grade Academy, the School of Performing Arts, the Day Care Center, the Christ Chapel Church, the Summer Day Camp Program and After School Programs; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Graves traveled and presented over four decades of history in the cultural and performing arts that includes showcases by emerging artists in thirty-five different states and seven different countries including the Eastern and Western Caribbean and South Korea; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Graves has reached over half a million families locally and internationally; and

WHEREAS, Evelyn Graves Ministries headquarters, located at the corner or 55th and Chester Avenue has petitioned the city and its involved residents to have the streets that flank the headquarters to be given the honorary designation as “Dr. Evelyn Graves Way”; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Philadelphia City Council, Hereby names 5400 Chester Avenue and the1400 and 1500 blocks of South 55th Street as “Dr. Evelyn Graves Way” in recognition of Dr. Graves’ 45 years of exemplary service to the community.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be Presented to Dr. Evelyn Graves as a sincere expression of the Philadelphia City Council’s gratitude and recognition.

End