APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
___________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER HOUSTON
RESOLUTION TO COMMEMORATIVELY RENAME THE
INTERSECTION OF 99 TH AVENUE AND INTERNATIONAL
BOULEVARD AS “ARTHUR E. THOMPSON WAY” IN HONOR OF MR.
ARTHUR E. THOMPSON’S TREMENDOUS IM PACT SERVING THE
OAKLAND FAMILIES FOR NEARLY SIXTY YEARS THROUGH HIS
PROFESSIONAL CAREER AS THE FOUNDER AND OPERATOR OF
THOMPSON FUNERAL HOME
WHEREAS, Pursuant to California Government Code section 34091.1, whenever a legislative body finds that a name should be adopted and applied to any city street, or that the existing name of any city street should be changed, the legislative body may adopt a resolution designating a name for, or change the name of, such street; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Oakland City Council Resolution No. 77967 C.M.S. (passed July 15, 2003), the City Council may, on its motion, consider the renaming of a public street as a tribute to an individual or as a result of a significant event or activity, if one of the following criteria is met: (1) the individual has positively impacted the lives of a nation or the world or the name change is related to an economic development or redevelopment activity, or the renaming commemorates a significant historical event; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Arthur E. Thompson, born September 25, 1930, is the founding owner and operator of Thompson Funeral Home , located at 9900 International Boulevard, Oakland, California, and for nearly 60 years has provided compassionate service to the Oakland community since establishing his business in 1969, making Thompson Funeral Home one of longest-standing, Black-owned funeral businesses in Oakland; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Arthur E. Thompson, motivated by a great desire to make a difference in the lives in his community and shaped by the experience of grieving a loss of his own, discovered his professional passion to support families experiencing the loss of loved ones , and would go on to pursue a career for the funeral and mortuary industry; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from San Franscisco College of the Mortuary Sciences, Mr.
Arthur E. Thompson went on to work in a number of funeral home s as an embalmer during the Jim Crow Era in the United States, a period characterized by racial discrimination against African Americans, and through perseverance and dedication, Mr. Arthur E. Thompson successfully
2 established himself in the funeral and mortuary industry, exemplifying enduring strength and resilience in the face of systemic barriers and obstacles; and
WHEREAS, the impact of Mr. Arthur E. Thompson’s success is reflected in the very nature of his profession: providing dignified burials, a service historically denied to African Americans. Mr. Arthur E. Thompson has long supported families with minimal financial means , gifting many families the right to lay their loved ones to re st with care and dignity - a need that became especially urgent given the history segregation laws that at the time, prevented African Americans from patronizing funeral and mortuary services from white-owned establishments; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Arthur E. Thompson’s passion for his work and compassion for his community knew no bounds, he supported establishment of local, emerging funeral and mortuary businesses and provided assistance to funeral homes experiencing financial hardship, and dedicated his time to traveling across several states, teaching the importance of providing premier funeral and mortuary services; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Arthur E. Thompson opened doors for young people by creating career opportunities for mortuary students and provided meaningful educational experiences that helped cultivate new generations of young professionals equipped with the tools to pursue their own career goals and carry forward Mr. Arthur Thompson’s legacy of professional excellence; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Arthur E. Thompson dedicated much of his life to providing unwavering care and passion for families experiencing such profound difficulty, he maintains a legacy of consistency, kindness, and servitude towards many families. His impact is recognized by local and national leadership, including the late Bishop Frank Pinkard Jr., Senior Pastor of Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church; former Congresswoman and current Mayor, Barbara Lee, and former President, Barack Obama; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Arthur E. Thompson has passed the torch to new ownership, he remains the active operator of Thompson Funeral Home at the age of ninety- six and as this chapter ends , Thompson Funeral Home enters a new era to continue the original mission of Mr. Athur E.
Thompson; and
WHEREAS, to honor Mr. Arthur E. Thompson for his incredible service and the legacy that he has maintained , the of Intersection 99th Avenue and International Boulevard shall be commemoratively designated and renamed as “Arthur E. Thompson Way”; and be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council hereby approves the commemorative designation and renaming of the Intersection of 99th Avenue and International Boulevard to “Arthur E. Thompson Way” in honor of Mr. Arthur E. Thompson’s longstanding service and contributions to the Oakland community; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That this commemorative designation and renaming is honorary in nature and shall not constitute an official renaming of the intersection, nor require any change to official street names, postal addresses, legal records, or maps; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City Council authorizes the City Administrator and relevant departments to proceed with the designation and installation of commemorative plaques
3 recognizing “Arthur E. Thompson Way” at the intersection of 99th Avenue and International Boulevard upon payment of associated costs.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - BROWN, FIFE, GALLO, HOUSTON, RAMACHANDRAN, UNGER, WANG, AND
PRESIDENT JENKINS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
OCA DOCUMENT NUMBER / ATTORNEY INITIALS