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2 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING <br /> FREDERICK LEWIS BATTLE <br /> WHEREAS, Frederick (Fred) Lewis Battle was a leader in Orange County and throughout his life worked <br /> tirelessly to improve the quality of life for the people of Orange County and beyond; and <br /> WHEREAS, our entire community mourns the passing of Fred Battle on April 1, 2019 and expresses our <br /> sincere sympathy to his family and friends; and <br /> WHEREAS, over the course of his lifetime, Fred Battle fought for justice and social equality, starting as <br /> early as the 1960's with a history making protest against Woolworth's in Greensboro, North <br /> Carolina, pushing forward the nationwide civil rights movement; and <br /> WHEREAS, as local activists, Fred Battle and Yonni Chapman co-founded the Orange County Rainbow <br /> Coalition of Conscience in 1982; and <br /> WHEREAS, continuing the fight for social justice, Fred Battle founded the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Branch <br /> of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1987, and <br /> served as its president for over 20 years; and <br /> WHEREAS, Fred Battle gave freely of his time, energy and talents in serving the community; and <br /> WHEREAS, he helped to improve the way of life for area residents by serving on the Orange County <br /> Board of Health, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority Board of Directors, the Solid <br /> Waste Advisory Board, the Joint Orange Chatham Community Action Board, the <br /> Intergovernmental Parks Work Group, and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools Board of <br /> Education; and <br /> WHEREAS, in the 2015 Salute to Community Heroes, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce <br /> recognized Fred Battle with the Irene Briggaman Lifetime Achievement Award; and <br /> WHEREAS, Fred Battle fought the fight to move forward the human rights of all people for equality and <br /> social justice and in his words, "the struggle continues"; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of <br /> Orange County, express our deep appreciation, gratitude and respect for the services <br /> rendered by Frederick Lewis Battle to the County and beyond over the course of his <br /> lifetime. <br /> This the l 61h day of April 2019. <br /> Penny Rich, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />