Assembly Resolution No. 100

BY: M. of A. Meeks

MOURNING the death of The Reverend Franklin
Florence, renowned religious leader, local civil
rights icon, and devoted member of his community

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to bring full
recognition and just tribute to those men and women of religious
commitment who accept the responsibility of moral leadership and render
the wisdom of human understanding; and

WHEREAS, It is with profound intent that this Legislative Body is
moved to pay homage to a man of indomitable faith and dedication whose
purposeful life and accomplishments will forever stand as a paradigm and
inspiration for others; and

WHEREAS, Minister Franklin Florence, a true freedom fighter and
trailblazer for civil rights and social justice in his beloved community
of Rochester, New York, died on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at the age
of 89; and

WHEREAS, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Florence was born August 9, 1933,
in the black Overtown neighborhood of Miami; his mother was a domestic
worker and his father, a railroad worker and ice salesman, died when he
was just three years old; his mother went on to remarry and the family
read the Bible together every evening; and

WHEREAS, Minister Franklin Florence spent five years preaching in
Florida before taking a job in 1959, at the age of 25, as pastor at the
Reynolds Street Church of Christ in Rochester; he was paid $65 a week
with lodging upstairs from the sanctuary for him, his wife Mary, and his
children; and

WHEREAS, Upon his arrival to Rochester, Minister Franklin Florence
graced his community and the national stage with a dynamic voice that
championed the concerns of Black Americans and the universal causes of
social justice; he first gained local prominence as an advocate during a
series of police brutality cases involving the Rochester Police
Department; and

WHEREAS, Minister Franklin Florence was visiting his family in Miami
in July of 1964 when the Rochester uprising took place, but quickly
returned to the city and stood at the forefront of the newly urgent
demand for racial justice; his role in this vital movement was later
depicted in a 2006 documentary, "July '64"; and

WHEREAS, Authentic and unwavering in his principals, Minister
Franklin Florence was never afraid to get into "good and necessary
trouble" to expose racial and systemic injustice across a wide range of
issues, including quality housing, criminal justice and corrections,
fair labor practices, equitable education, child welfare and
generational poverty; and

WHEREAS, Among his many accomplishments was his founding of the
F.I.G.H.T. (Freedom, Independence, God, Honor, Today) organization in

1964; the organization advocated first for desegregation in the
Rochester City School District, then for the improvement of mostly-black
schools; and

WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of Minister Franklin Florence,
F.I.G.H.T. also took on Xerox and the Eastman Kodak Company over
discriminatory hiring practices, creating the foundation for a more
diverse corporate workforce today; and

WHEREAS, Through F.I.G.H.T. Square and F.I.G.H.T. Village, Minister
Franklin Florence provided housing to thousands; additionally, his
creation of Eltrex Industries was instrumental in the creation of
countless jobs in the Rochester community; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, he tirelessly advocated for greater black
representation in community agencies, investigation into police
brutality and the patronage of black-owned businesses; and

WHEREAS, A role model and mentor to many young Black leaders,
Minister Franklin Florence could always be counted on to stand with
people who were fighting for rights, whether it was supporting Black
students at SUNY Brockport, the University of Rochester, and Colgate
Divinity School, or protesting the Public Defender selection process in
2009; and

WHEREAS, Minister Franklin Florence was a giant among giants in
Rochester's proud legacy of social justice and civil rights; fittingly,
his name and image are now embedded into the city landscape on a mural
on the outer wall of East High School alongside Malcolm X and Connie
Mitchell, and as the namesake of the Minister Franklin D. Florence Civil
Rights Heritage Site at Baden Park; and

WHEREAS, Minister Franklin Florence's life was dedicated to the
preservation and enhancement of human dignity; this resolute gentleman's
finest legacy of greater social justice for all was truly reflected in
his devotion to serve and respect others, and in his steadfast love for
all humanity; and

WHEREAS, This extraordinary man selflessly fought the evils of
racism during the most terrible days of apartheid; he inspired an entire
nation with his words and his courage, truly reviving the people's hope
during the darkest of times; and

WHEREAS, An apostle of peace, Minister Franklin Florence fought
unrelentingly for the civil rights of all people, and taught us that
through non-violence, courage displaces fear, love transforms hate,
acceptance dissipates prejudice and mutual regard cancels enmity; and

WHEREAS, Minister Franklin Florence's monumental legacy will
continue to shine forth as a beacon of hope for all those who aspire to
create a just and peaceful world; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of The Reverend Franklin Florence, and to express its
deepest condolences to his family; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of The Reverend Franklin Florence.