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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item Cover PageAGENDA ITEM COVER PAGE File ID: #14898 Resolution Sponsored by: Mayor Francis Suarez, Commissioner Christine Kinq 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. City of Miami Legislation Resolution Enactment Number: R-24-0072 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. 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 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 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. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: ndez, City r�,ttor ey ) 2/8/2024 NOTE #1: Pursuant to the resolution, this item became effective immediately upon adoption by the Commission. NOTE #2: Per Directive, City Clerk's Office transmitted on 2/29/2024.