Title
To commemorate Columbus City Council’s 2019 Black History Program by honoring and celebrating the lifetime achievements, contributions and transformational Leadership of James Preston Poindexter in Public Service.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus and the members of Columbus City Council are proud to honor and celebrate the legends, legacies, and trailblazers of this community as they represent the prosperity and the transformational leadership that has come to define the tradition of excellence that is Columbus; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council’s 2019 Black History Program is proud to honor the legacy and transformational leadership of James Preston Poindexter as a shining light in the field of public service - Poindexter was a clergyman, abolitionist, politician, and civil rights activist - he was born in Richmond, Virginia and spent his early years there, at the age of 10, he became an apprentice barber and worked in the profession throughout his life - ultimately he spent the majority of his life in Columbus creating a legacy in public service and activism; and
WHEREAS, Poindexter joined Second Baptist Church after arriving in Columbus - In 1847 Poindexter and others learned that a black family who had recently joined the church after also relocating to Columbus from Virginia had previously been slaveholders in Virginia - in protest Poindexter and forty other Second Baptist Church members withdrew to form an Anti-Slavery Baptist Church which he led for the next ten years until the congregation rejoined the Second Baptist Church in 1858 - Poindexter, now an ordained minister, became the pastor of the combined church and he remained in this position until his resignation in 1898; and
WHEREAS, Poindexter was a major supporter of the Underground Railroad in Ohio - he was an Underground Railroad conductor and helped fugitive slaves with their journey to Canada - during the Civil War he and his wife formed the Colored Soldiers Relief Society giv...
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