January 2, 2024, is a date I will never forget as long as God allows me to use my memory. As an African American woman, it was an amazing day to be able to sit in the auditorium of The Met Philadelphia and witness the swearing-in of Philadelphia’s Centennial Mayor, Cherelle L. Parker. History was indeed made because she became the first woman Mayor this city has ever had, and just the fact that she’s the 100th Mayor is history in and of itself. The line to get inside the Met on inauguration day wound from Poplar Street down and around Broad Street on the front side of the historic Met.
Initially, I thought that Mayor Parker’s inauguration was the first time the Met was used for a Mayoral swearing-in. However, I thought wrong. Former Mayor Jim Kenney used the Met in January 2020 when he was sworn in for his second four-year term.
Now it’s Mayor Cherelle Parker’s time, and from where I sit, she’s gotten off to a great start, looking out for 1.6 million people who live in this great city we call home. She definitely hit the ground running from the second she was sworn in. In fact, before she was sworn in, Mayor Parker was making Mayoral moves because she had to. You cannot come into leadership as Mayor of the nation’s 6th largest city and not walk in prepared and having already started doing the job.
Mayor Parker was actually sworn into office on January 1, 2024, because Mayor Kenney’s last day in office ended at midnight on December 31, 2023. We couldn’t have a large metropolis like Philadelphia without the top Executive Officer (the Mayor) in place, so she had to be sworn in on the first day of the new year. It was a private affair. January 2, the world got to witness Mayor Parker being sworn in by Marsha Fudge, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in the Joe Biden Administration. It took 341 years for Philadelphia to have its first woman Mayor, and many of the people I spoke with, waiting to get inside The Met for the ceremony, said it is about time to allow a woman to lead our city forward.
Julie Haywood stated, “This is really special as an African American woman to see the first African American woman become the Mayor. It’s a really special day, and I’m glad that I’m here.
Another Philadelphia resident, Maisha Jackson, standing in line to get inside the Met, spoke with me and shared, “I feel wonderful to see that progress is being made. I was at the swearing-in for the first Black Mayor of Philadelphia 40 years ago, W. Wilson Goode, and now I’m here today to watch the swearing-in of Cherelle Parker. I’m looking forward to substantive changes that will improve the lives of Philadelphians”. Maisha Jackson has worked in a number of past Mayoral Administrations in Philadelphia, and she said she knows what it takes to help run this city. She said it takes a lot of work, strategic planning, good sense, and committed elected officials to strengthen the city.
Here’s a short breakdown of what took place at The Met in terms of the order of the program on January 2. The invocation was done by Reverend Mark Kelly Tyler from Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. There was a presentation of Colors by the Combined Color Guard, Philadelphia Police, Fire, and Prisons. Then, the Star Spangled Banner was sung by students from the Girard Academic Music program concert choir. Next, the Black National Anthem was sung by Boys Latin of Philadelphia, Brothers in Song. Next, a unity prayer for the city was offered by Bishop James Darrell Robinson from Yesha Ministries, Reverend Bonnie Camarda, Director of Partnerships, Salvation Army, Amir Qasim Rashad, United Muslim Masjid, and by Rabbi Solomon Isaacson, Congregation Beth Solomon.
**********
Thank you for reading an excerpt of Thera Martin’s article on scoopusamedia.com. To read more of the article, “Don’t throw shade on my Philly Shine,” please subscribe to Scoop USA Media. Print subscriptions are $75.00 and online subscriptions (Print, Digital and Vizion) are $90. (52 weeks/1 year)
