HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-24-0072City of Miami
Resolution R-24-0072
Legislation
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
File Number: 14898 Final Action Date: 2/22/2024
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CODESIGNATING
NORTHWEST 19TH AVENUE BETWEEN NORTHWEST 54TH STREET AND
NORTHWEST 55TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA AS "REVEREND CANON J.
KENNETH MAJOR WAY," PURSUANT TO SECTION 54-137, OF THE CODE
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; FURTHER DIRECTING
THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE
HEREIN DESIGNATED OFFICES.
SPONSOR(S): Mayor Francis X. Suarez, Commissioner Christine King
WHEREAS, Reverend Canon J. Kenneth Major, D.D. ("Father Major") was born in
Miami, Florida on January 4, 1936, the son of immigrant parents, Joseph Wakefield Major and
Alice Rebecca Taylor from Long Island, Bahamas; and
WHEREAS, Father Major was baptized and later confirmed at St. Agnes Episcopal
Church in Overtown; and
WHEREAS, Father Major received his elementary school education at Saint Francis
Xavier Catholic School and graduated from Booker T. Washington Junior -Senior High School,
where he was elected president of the Student Government Association, in 1955; and
WHEREAS, Father Major was awarded a full college scholarship from Wometco
Enterprises with the stipulation that he return to Miami to serve his community; and
WHEREAS, in 1959, Father Major, graduated from St. Augustine's College in Raleigh,
North Carolina, where he was inducted as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, and was
then admitted to Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University to study for the priesthood, where
his studies were interrupted when he accepted a position as a social caseworker with the New
York City Department of Social Services; and
WHEREAS, in 1960, Father Major married Peggy Currin and they had three children
together who they adored, Allison, Kenneth, Jr., and Karen; and
WHEREAS, Father Major then resumed and completed his studies in theology at Mercer
Seminary, Garden City, Long Island, New York in June 1968, and was ordained to the
diaconate at St. Philip's Church, Brooklyn, New York; and
WHEREAS, in July,1968, Father Major arrived in Miami to assist with the pastoral work
at the Church of the Incarnation, located in the heart of Miami's Model City, and in August of
1968, a few days after his arrival, rioting broke out when the Republican National Convention
convened at Miami Beach; and
City of Miami Page 1 of 4 File ID: 14898 (Revision:) Printed On: 2/29/2024
File ID: 14898 Enactment Number: R-24-0072
WHEREAS, Father Major had the task of trying to bring calm to the Liberty City streets
during the day, and at night spent countless hours monitoring the local jail to ensure the safety
of those who had been arrested; and
WHEREAS, Father Major was subsequently ordained a priest on January 25, 1969, at
the Church of the Incarnation, was elected as Vicar of the congregation on April 15, 1969, and
was instituted as the first rector of the parish on June 2, 1974; and
WHEREAS, his first noteworthy contribution was elevating the church to a self-
sustaining parish by paying off its outstanding debt; and
WHEREAS, in 1977, the Board of Directors elected Father Major president and
chairman of the Board of Directors of Economic Opportunity Family Health Center (now known
as Jessie Trice Community Health Center), a position he held for more than a decade, from
1977 to 1988, during which time he convinced the Dade County power structure to construct the
first "state of the art" community health center in the Model City area to replace the old,
dilapidated trailers it was previously located; and
WHEREAS, on February 14, 1980, Father Major married Betty Jean Davis in Miami,
Florida and had a daughter, Nicole; and
WHEREAS, when riots erupted again in May 1980 and December 1982, Father Major
worked with others to bring calm to the area; he was humbly proud of rescuing a man, who
happened to be white, who was pulled from his car by a crowd after mistakenly driving into
Overtown; and
WHEREAS, in 1988, Father Major was invited to attend a seminar at Canterbury
Cathedral in England during Holy Week, and he preached in the cathedral while there; and
WHEREAS, in 1993, Father Major was appointed by the Metro -Dade County Board of
County Commissioners to serve as a Board Member at Jackson Memorial Hospital Public
Health Trust, a position he held for two (2) terms, until 1996; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure at Church of the Incarnation, the congregation was
transformed into a vibrant center of outreach where programs such as the Helping Hands, the
Caring Hearts, and Affirmative Aging ministries were established, forums and musical programs
were hosted featuring choirs of such universities as Florida Memorial, Fisk, Xavier, and
Bethune-Cookman; and
WHEREAS, Father Major introduced an annual service commemorating Martin Luther
King, Jr., formed the Coalition of Episcopal Congregations of Greater Miami and secured their
sponsorship of the Annual Series of the Joint Lenten Services, with the collected offering given
to needy domestic or foreign causes; and
WHEREAS, Father Major maintained that one of his proudest moments was when the
congregation built and moved into a new building, which was dedicated in October 1995, and
converted the parish's former edifice into the parish hall which now bears his name: J. Kenneth
Major Hall or JKM Hall; and
WHEREAS, Father Major served his entire ministry at the same congregation for nearly
half a century, until his retirement in 2010, where the vestry bestowed the title of Rector
Emeritus upon him in 2012 — the only priest in the parish to receive this honor; and
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File ID: 14898 Enactment Number: R-24-0072
WHEREAS, Father Major was named a Living Legend by the Booker T. Washington
National Alumni Association in 2003, and an AT&T Miami -Dade County African American
History Calendar honoree in the 2008/2009 calendar; and
WHEREAS, Father Major's additional ministry through the church, the community, and
the diocese, included the Board of the Liberty City Community Revitalization District Trust, the
Episcopal Church Commission for Black Ministries, Dean of the North Dade Deanery;
Chairman, Companion Diocese Commission; Clergy Deputy, the Episcopal Church General
Convention; the Diocese's Standing Committee, the Executive Board of the Diocese and
Examining Chaplain; Directors of Economic Opportunity past board member of the Youth
Industries, Inc., founding board member of Opportunities Industrialization Center, President and
founding board member of the Charles L. Williams Memorial Scholarship Foundation, and
President of the Advisory Board of C.O.P.E. Center; and
WHEREAS, a longtime advocate for social justice, Father Major was a person of faith,
who was committed to the liberation of oppressed people and who, with God's help, embraced
every assignment with complete dedication and served as a "father" to many, was well known
for his story telling and quick wit, and was deeply loved by many; and
WHEREAS, Father Major was called home by the Lord on February 16, 2023 and is
greatly missed by many; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the City honor and celebrate the legacy of Father
Major and his selfless contributions to the City and its residents by co -designating Northwest
19th Avenue between Northwest 54th Street and Northwest 55th Street, Miami, Florida as
"Reverend Canon J. Kenneth Major Way";
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this section.
Section 2. Northwest 19th Avenue between Northwest 54th Street and Northwest
55th Street, Miami, Florida is hereby co -designated as "Reverend Canon J. Kenneth Major
Way," pursuant to Section 54-137 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended ("City
Code").
Section 3. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to the
Departments of Police, Fire -Rescue, and Solid Waste; the Miami -Dade County Department of
Transportation and Public Works; the United States Postal Service; and, if a State of Florida
road, to the Florida Department of Transportation, District Six, for sign installation within the
newly designated roadways.
Section 4. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
City of Miami Page 3 of 4 File ID: 14898 (Revision:) Printed on: 2/29/2024
File ID: 14898 Enactment Number: R-24-0072
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
City of Miami Page 4 of 4 File ID: 14898 (Revision:) Printed on: 2/29/2024