WHEREAS, Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. was born on August 19, 1938 in Seaboard, North Carolina to a family of sharecroppers. Goode and his family migrated to Philadelphia in 1954; and
WHEREAS, In January of 1957, W. Wilson Goode, Sr. graduated from John Bartram High School. In 1961, Goode graduated from Morgan State University with a degree in History. After graduation, Goode served in the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant for two years. After being discharged from the Army, Goode worked as a probation officer, insurance claims adjustor and supervisor
with building a maintenance firm; and
WHEREAS, In 1968, Goode served as Co-founder of the Black Political Forum. In 1969, Goode graduated from the Fels Institute of Government at University of Pennsylvania with a Masters in Governmental Administration; and
WHEREAS, In 1978, Goode was appointed the first African-American member and then Chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission by Governor Milton Shapp; and
WHEREAS, In 1980, Goode became the first African-American to ever serve as the Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia under Mayor William J. Green’s administration. As Managing Director, Goode used a hands-on approach to address city problems and orchestrated functions and operations in the city and is widely acclaimed to be the best Managing Director in the City’s history; and
WHEREAS, Goode was elected Mayor of Philadelphia in 1984, becoming the first African-American Mayor of the City. During his two terms as Mayor, Goode devised new economic strategies and developed policies addressing unemployment, homelessness, HIV/AIDS, graffiti, mural arts, and literacy. Goode also developed policies that increased the amount of African-Americans in high level positions in governments, increased contracts awarded to African-Americans, developed a new skyline for the city, and increased development of North Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, After serving as Mayor, Goode went on to the United States Department of Education, where he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Education under the Clinton Administration for seven years; and
WHEREAS, Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. is the President and CEO of Amachi, Incorporated, a nationally acclaimed faith-based program for mentoring children of incarcerated parents where he has served more than 300,000 children in the 50 states;
and the Chairman and CEO of Self, Incorporated – a nonprofit corporation dedicated to serving more than 600 homeless men and women. Goode is also Chairman of the Philadelphia Leadership Foundation; and
WHEREAS, Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. is an ordained Baptist Minister since 1999 with more than 64 years of service at the First Baptist Church of Paschall located in Southwest Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, At 79-years-old, Goode continues to take on new challenges, bringing public awareness to many of the social issues in Philadelphia. He has committed his life's work to breaking down barriers, advocating for the city's people and becoming a voice for the voiceless; and
WHEREAS, Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. has said he wants to be remembered as someone that in spite of the odds, was able to come from a very humble beginning and fight his way in a new city. In his own words, “to break the barrier of becoming the first African-American Mayor of the city at a time when it was a majority non-black city is an achievement in itself;” Now, therefore be it,
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the dedicated service of Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. to The City of Philadelphia is honored and the 2400 block of North 59th Street shall henceforth also be known as “W. Wilson Goode, Sr. Way.”
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Sr. as evidence of the sincere respect and appreciation of this legislative body.
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