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1 2 _______________________________ 3 Councilmember Zachary Parker 4 5 6 7 A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 8 9 _________________________ 10 11 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 12 13 _________________________ 14 15 16 To recognize honoree Philip Pannell during the 2026 celebration of DC Black Pride. 17 18 WHEREAS, Philip Pannell has been an outspoken resident of the District of Columbia 19 for over 50 years, and a lifelong leader in the struggle for LGBTQIA+ equality; 20 21 WHEREAS, as a Fordham University undergraduate, Philip Pannell was in Greenwich 22 Village on June 28, 1969, the first night of the Stonewall Rebellion, which ignited his 23 involvement in the struggle for LGBTQIA+ equal rights; 24 25 WHEREAS, in 1975, Philip Pannell moved to the District to join the staff of DC 26 Councilmember Arrington Dixon, where he immediately became involved in the movement to 27 end the practice of racial carding in the District’s gay bars; 28 29 WHEREAS, in 1976, Philip Pannell testified before the DC Council in support of same-30 sex marriage; 31 32 WHEREAS, in 1983, Mayor Marion Barry appointed Philip Pannell to the DC 33 Commission on Human Rights, marking the first appointment of a Black Gay man in that 34 position; 35 36 WHEREAS, Philip Pannell was always one to stand his ground, and was arrested along 37 with three other men for advocating for a Gay or Lesbian speaker to be included on the program 38 for the 20th Anniversary of the March on Washington – which resulted in Audre Lorde being 39 named a speaker; 40 41 WHEREAS, Philip Pannell was also arrested for demonstrating for the repeal of the 42 District’s sodomy laws, and faced three arrests while demonstrating for an effective federal 43 government in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic; 44
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45 WHEREAS, in 1991, Philip Pannell received the first Man of the Year Award at DC 46 Black Pride; 47 48 WHEREAS, in 2009, Philip Pannell introduced the resolution that resulted in the Ward 8 49 Democrats being the first DC Democratic Party organization to endorse marriage equality; 50 51 WHEREAS, Philip Pannell has been a member of a number of LGBTQIA+ 52 organizations, including the DC Coalition of Black Lesbians, Gay Men and Bisexuals, the Gay 53 and Lesbian Activist Alliance, the Capital Stonewall Democratic Club, and the Hughes - 54 Roosevelt Democratic Club; 55 56 WHEREAS, Philip Pannell makes it clear that he is as proud of his Gayness as he is of 57 his Blackness; 58 59 WHEREAS, DC Black Pride is an annual event to increase awareness of and showcase 60 pride in the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ populations in the African American community, and to 61 support organizations that focus on health disparities, education, youth, and families; 62 63 WHEREAS, as the very first Black Pride festival in the world, DC Black Pride fostered 64 the beginning of the Center for Black Equity and the “Black Pride Movement”; 65 66 WHEREAS, since the birth of DC Black Pride, more than 50 other Black Pride 67 celebrations now take place throughout the world and on 4 continents, with many using DC 68 Black Pride as a model; 69 70 WHEREAS, May 22, 2026, through May 25, 2026, marks the 35th annual DC Black 71 Pride celebration; 72 73 WHEREAS, the theme for this year’s celebration is “New Black Renaissance,” which 74 centers Black LGBTQIA+ “artists, leaders, healers, and organizers while confronting what still 75 makes Black Pride necessary, including HIV, inequity, homophobia, and transphobia;” 76 77 WHEREAS, for more than 30 years, DC Black Pride has been an opportunity for the 78 Black LGBTQIA+ community to gather and celebrate being both African American and 79 members of LGBTQIA+ communities; 80 81 WHEREAS, DC Black Pride is the oldest and one of the largest Black Pride events in the 82 world, drawing thousands of residents and visitors from around the globe; and 83 84 WHEREAS, DC Black Pride brings more than 500,000 people to the nation’s capital 85 from across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, South Africa, Great Britain, France, 86 Germany, and the Netherlands and will carry that tradition this year and into the future to 87 celebrate their shared community, raise awareness and funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, and 88 stand against homophobia inspired by violence and bigotry. 89
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90 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That 91 this resolution be cited as the “Black Pride Honoree Philip Pannell Recognition Resolution of 92 2026”. 93 94 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and celebrates Philip Pannell 95 during the 2026 celebration of DC Black Pride. 96 97 Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 98