Philadelphia City Council, Resolution No. 260767, Recognizing Black Bottom (introduced September 24, 2026)

The resolution itself, not the press account of it. Operative clause: the Council “Hereby recognizes ‘Black Bottom’ as the first and official name of the neighborhood” within the stated boundaries, “ensuring that future communication or action on the part of the City of Philadelphia acknowledge this community’s importance to our City.” Its recitals state that the 1960s clearance used federal Urban Renewal funds “on behalf of the West Philadelphia Corporation, an entity controlled by the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and other local colleges and hospitals,” and put the scattered residents at “up to 10,000 predominantly African American.” The resolution contains no appropriation and no right of return; its last words ask only that an engrossed copy go to elder leaders of the community.

Quoted verbatim in RECOGNIZED (checked against the PDF, sha256 prefix 9e37787ee32a1653): the operative clause (“Hereby recognizes ‘Black Bottom’ as the first and official name of the neighborhood in West Philadelphia bounded by 32nd Street to the east, 40th Street to the west, University Avenue to the south, and Lancaster Avenue to the north”); the recitals “used federal Urban Renewal funds to acquire and demolish homes on behalf of the West Philadelphia Corporation, an entity controlled by the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and other local colleges and hospitals”, “institutional in nature and renamed ‘University City,’”, “the up to 10,000 predominantly African American residents were scattered to other parts of the city”, “Every year since 1974, Black Bottom community members and descendants have gathered for a reunion, one of the longest running events of its kind”, and “their efforts deserve recognition and the opportunity to return home”; the resolving clauses “ensuring that future communication or action on the part of the City of Philadelphia acknowledge this community’s importance to our City” and “That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to elder leaders of the Black Bottom community as a symbol of Council’s gratitude and appreciation for their impact.” The resolving clauses carry no compensation or return term.