Title
Proclaiming March 10, 2012 to be Marvin Davidov Day in the City of Saint Paul.
Body
WHEREAS, Marvin Davidov, was a lifelong fighter for peace, justice, and environmental causes until he passed away on January 14, 2012 at the age of 80; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Davidov worked tirelessly towards the causes he believed in. Mr. Davidov became a Freedom Rider and organizer for integration in 1961, for which he was jailed in Mississippi, where he spent nearly two months in the maximum-security Parchman prison; and
WHEREAS, in 1969 Mr. Davidov joined the African American Action Committee in support of its sit-in at Morrill Hall, the University of Minnesota's administration building; and Marv was a central figure in a University-community coalition which formed in support of the AAAC students, actions which led to the creation of the Africa American African History and American Indian Studies Departments; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Davidov founded the Honeywell Project in 1968, a worldwide movement to stop the production of indiscriminate weapons of war, which included initiating a weekly vigil at the corporate headquarters of the Honeywell Co. in 1981 that lasted for nine years; and
WHEREAS, although his beloved mother, Gerty, liked to joke how her son never had a real job, Mr. Davidov did work for a time as a model for University of Minnesota art classes. Since the models were underpaid at $1.69 an hour, he organized a workers strike and threatened to picket. And as a result, these efforts were rewarded with a 50% pay increase. Later he helped the Hotel and Restaurant Employees win their strike in Minneapolis in 1991; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Davidov started Liberty House, a store selling handmade goods from Mississippi; this location became a center for progressive organizing in the Midwest during the late 60s and early 70s, housing Hundred Flowers community newspaper, Twin Cities Draft Information Center, Minnesota Eight Defense Committee and numerous other organizations; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Davidov helped found Northern Sun Alliance in 1977, served as a leader of the Midwest Institute for Social Transformation in the 1990s, helped found the Minnesota Campaign to Ban Land Mines in 1995; the international organization was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1997;
WHEREAS in 2007, the Justice Studies Association chose Mr. Davidov for the Chomsky Award for his work dedicated to nonviolence, equality, and social justice. The award cited his 51 arrests for nonviolent civil disobedience and a total of six months in jails and prisons across the country; and
WHEREAS Mr. Davidov gave hundreds (if not thousands) of speeches promoting human rights, fair labor practices, peace, and environmental protection, and mentored as many younger activists through his teaching of active nonviolence courses at St. Cloud State, Carlton College, and St. Thomas University;
Now, Therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council recognizes Mr. Davidov's decication to the nonviolent causes of peace, justice, and environmental protection and proclaims Saturday, March 10, 2012, to be: Marvin Davidov Day in the City of Saint Paul.