Today in Wheeling History: October 6—City of Wheeling becomes the first in West Virginia to declare racism a public health crisis (2020).
On October 6, 2020, the City of Wheeling made history by becoming the first municipality in the state to officially declare racism a public health crisis. The resolution was unanimously passed by Wheeling City Council and spearheaded by Councilwoman Rosemary Ketchum, one of the first openly transgender elected officials in the state. The declaration aligned Wheeling with national public health organizations—including the American Public Health Association and the American Medical Association—that recognize racism as a systemic threat to public health. The resolution called for a comprehensive review of city policies and procedures to identify and eliminate racial bias, mandated implicit bias training for all municipal employees, and emphasized building a more inclusive and representative workforce. The initiative was supported by local advocacy groups such as the YWCA Wheeling and Men of Change, who highlighted the long-standing racial disparities in housing, education, employment, and healthcare. The resolution also acknowledged Wheeling’s history of civil rights protections while recognizing that institutional racism persists and must be actively addressed. This landmark decision positioned Wheeling as a leader in equity-driven governance in West Virginia and set a precedent for other cities to follow.
To learn more: West Virginia Public Broadcasting article (https://tinyurl.com/huc5n9dx), City of Wheeling official resolution PDF (https://tinyurl.com/bdwbyt89), WTRF News coverage (https://tinyurl.com/ycx44966)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; West Virginia Public Broadcasting, City of Wheeling
On October 6, 2020, the City of Wheeling made history by becoming the first municipality in the state to officially declare racism a public health crisis. The resolution was unanimously passed by Wheeling City Council and spearheaded by Councilwoman Rosemary Ketchum, one of the first openly transgender elected officials in the state. The declaration aligned Wheeling with national public health organizations—including the American Public Health Association and the American Medical Association—that recognize racism as a systemic threat to public health. The resolution called for a comprehensive review of city policies and procedures to identify and eliminate racial bias, mandated implicit bias training for all municipal employees, and emphasized building a more inclusive and representative workforce. The initiative was supported by local advocacy groups such as the YWCA Wheeling and Men of Change, who highlighted the long-standing racial disparities in housing, education, employment, and healthcare. The resolution also acknowledged Wheeling’s history of civil rights protections while recognizing that institutional racism persists and must be actively addressed. This landmark decision positioned Wheeling as a leader in equity-driven governance in West Virginia and set a precedent for other cities to follow.
To learn more: West Virginia Public Broadcasting article (https://tinyurl.com/huc5n9dx), City of Wheeling official resolution PDF (https://tinyurl.com/bdwbyt89), WTRF News coverage (https://tinyurl.com/ycx44966)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; West Virginia Public Broadcasting, City of Wheeling
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