PRINTER'S NO. 620
No. 104 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY WILLIAMS, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BISHOP, BLACKWELL,
BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, CORRIGAN, CRUZ, DALEY, DeWEESE, EACHUS,
D. EVANS, FORCIER, FRANKEL, GABIG, GOOD, GOODMAN, GRUCELA,
HARHAI, HERSHEY, JAMES, KIRKLAND, LEDERER, MARKOSEK, PALLONE,
PETRARCA, PISTELLA, RIEGER, ROSS, THOMAS, WALKO, WHEATLEY,
WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD, FEBRUARY 15, 2005
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
FEBRUARY 15, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Commemorating the life of Octavius Catto and his contributions
2 to political activism.
3 WHEREAS, Octavius Valentine Catto was born in Charleston,
4 South Carolina, in 1840 and died on October 10, 1871, in
5 Philadelphia; and
6 WHEREAS, Octavius Catto was a scholar, an athlete and an
7 African-American political activist; and
8 WHEREAS, Octavius Catto graduated valedictorian at the
9 Institute for Colored Youth and was immediately added to the
10 staff as assistant to the principal and teacher of English
11 Literature, Higher Mathematics and Classical Languages; and
12 WHEREAS, Octavius Catto was founder, captain and shortstop of
13 the finest baseball team in Philadelphia, the Pythian Baseball
14 Club; and
15 WHEREAS, Octavius Catto founded the Banneker Literary
1 Institute and the Equal Rights League; and
2 WHEREAS, Octavius Catto was a member of the Franklin
3 Institute, Philadelphia Library Company, 4th Ward Black
4 Political Club and the Union League Association; and
5 WHEREAS, Facing violence and intimidation, Octavius Catto
6 courageously cast his vote on October 10, 1871, in the first
7 local election after the 15th Amendment enfranchised certain
8 African Americans; and
9 WHEREAS, Octavius Catto worked to protect the voting rights
10 and safety of others before he was fatally shot on that violent
11 election day; therefore be it
12 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate the
13 life and achievements of Octavius Catto and his contributions to
14 political activism in American history; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge all public
16 and private educational institutions in this Commonwealth, the
17 State Library, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
18 and the Department of Education to promote the study of Octavius
19 Catto's life and contributions to American society.
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