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Growing up in West Philly, Marcus Mitchell knew the name Octavius V. Catto — but not the history behind the namesake.
Ironically, Catto was the name of a neighborhood school synonymous not with glory, but with trouble. The students enrolled in the school at 42nd and Ludlow were there because they had been expelled from their own schools.
Few things dispersed a crowd of neighborhood youths quicker than word that a group of Catto students were headed in their direction, recalled Mitchell. For years, the name held a negative connotation in his community.
When Mitchell was 12, he decided on his own to find out who this Catto guy really was. What he discovered was one of the leading African-American civil-rights activists of his time, a leader from South Philadelphia who was assassinated in 1871.
"He was Martin Luther King 100 years before Martin Luther King," said Mitchell, adding Catto should be honored with more than a school namesake.
Now a business owner and the Republican leader of Mount Airy’s 50th Ward, Mitchell, 40, does his part to tell Catto’s story. When he talks to students, he dresses the part of the activist, and is accompanied by Temple University historian and Catto authority Andrew Waskie, who plays the part of former Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens.
The pair hope to establish a permanent place where students can learn about the activist at the former Catto School — now the school district’s Bartram School of Human Services at the Catto Education Center.
Mitchell also founded the O.V. Catto Society, a nonprofit organization seeking to erect a monument honoring his contributions to the city and promote Catto’s beliefs in education and political activism.
"Since he was a national figure and did some incredible things, I’m really surprised that he is not more recognized," said Mitchell.
Catto was born in Charleston, S.C., in 1840. He moved to Philadelphia as a child and was educated at the former Institute for Colored Youth, 915 Bainbridge St. Immediately after graduating as the school’s valedictorian in 1858, he was hired as a teacher, and years later became principal of the boys’ school.
The activist opened public schools for black youths in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. He was the first African-American board member of the Franklin Institute, and he staged a sit-in to protest the segregation of the city’s trolleys — not too different from what Rosa Parks did with buses — that led to the change in state law and integration of the transportation system.
During the Civil War, Catto joined Frederick Douglass’ effort to encourage black men to fight in the Union Army.
But Catto is best known for advocating black citizens’ right to vote. He was close to Congressman Stevens, a radical Republican who championed equality. Together they pushed for Pennsylvania to ratify the 15th Amendment of the Constitution giving blacks the right to vote.
The state ratified the law in October 1870. A year later, while manning the polling place in the Fourth Ward to ensure that blacks were allowed to vote, Catto heard about the murder of his neighbor, Isaac Chase. He first went to his school and instructed teachers to dismiss the students, then walked home to prepare to join his state National Guard unit.
He never made it to the National Guard. He never even made it home.
Just a few doors from his house on South Street, a man named Frank Kelly shot Catto twice in the back, historians say. One of bullets pierced Catto’s heart, killing him.
Kelly escaped to a nearby tavern and hid, and eventually fled to Chicago. Six years later, he was arrested and extradited for trial to Philadelphia, where he was acquitted of the murders of both Catto and Chase.
Mitchell’s push for recognition is gaining momentum. On Saturday, the ward leader hosted the third annual ceremony to honor the unheralded civil-rights activist at Mother Bethel Church, Sixth and Lombard streets. On display were citations recognizing Catto’s accomplishments from the White House, the Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives, and City Council.
Councilman-at-Large Jim Kenney, who has a picture of Catto hanging in his office, introduced the city resolution honoring the activist last month. Kenney also is a member of the board of the O.V. Catto Society, along with fellow Council members Michael Nutter and Marian Tasco. The board has nine members, and Mitchell hopes to increase that number to 17.
"He is someone we all should have known about by now," Kenney said of Catto, "and the fact is, we don’t get that kind of historical perspective because of the race situation in this country."
The councilman said he first read about Catto seven years ago, and describes him as contributing as much to the foundation of this country as any of the Founding Fathers.
"Frankly, I think it would make a great movie," Kenney said. "I could see Denzel Washington playing Catto."
The society estimates it will need as much as $300,000 to commission Catto’s statue and get it placed somewhere in the city. Kenney said he believes that won’t be too high of a hurdle. SPR
Those interested in contributing to the O.V. Catto Society can call 215-854-6410 for more information or send donations to P.O. Box 42667, Philadelphia, Pa. 19101.
