Golden Valley City Council Celebrates Black History Month With Music

In Golden Valley, officials celebrated Black History Month with a song during this week’s city council meeting.

Mary Harris, a singer and friend of Golden Valley Mayor Roslyn Harmon, kicked off the meeting with a performance of “Lift Every Voice” by former NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson. The song is often referred to as the Black National Anthem.

Harmon acknowledged herself, Golden Valley Police Chief Virgil Green and Golden Valley Assistant Police Chief Alice White for their historic leadership roles within the city.

Mary Harris performs “Lift Every Voice and Sing” for the Golden Valley City Council.

Harmon is Golden Valley’s first Black mayor. Green and White are the first Black chief and Black woman in command, respectively.

She also recognized Rudy Perez as the police department’s first Latino assistant chief.

Harmon also shared some city history dating back to the 1980s.

“Golden Valley was the first city to start Black History Month programming, thanks to former Council Member John Mitchell, who was the first Black council member to sit on this dais,” Harmon said.

Golden Valley