(Memphis) Memphis City administration rescinded a proclamation recognizing “Moorish American Week,” signed last year by Mayor A C Wharton.
“Now that we’ve identified this group is really not about values, what I think the vast majority of our citizens are for, and most Americans for that matter, we are rescinding this proclamation,” said Memphis Chief Administration Officer George Little.
Moorish Americans are known in Memphis due to the infamous Moorish American Tabitha Gentry.
Gentry is accused of squatting in million dollar East Memphis home and now faces charges for theft.
Mayor Wharton’s office released this statement, “Generally, proclamations are issued by the Office of the Mayor to recognize events, groups or people. Proclamations are ceremonial and just as a “Key to the City” does not open any doors, a proclamation only provides recognition. It is not a legal document and does not entitle the recipient to anything.
The proclamation in question was presented to Mayor Wharton for his signature. Mayors from other major cities have signed the same proclamation from this group which demonstrates that most mayors’ offices do not routinely investigate every group or individual that requests this document. We did not issue a proclamation to this group in 2013.”
“It has no legal standing, it certainly does not represent an endorsement by this city or this mayor of this group in terms of their values,” said Little.
“We will scrutinize the groups a little bit more closely. We’re not going to run background checks on every individual,” said Little.
The Southern Poverty Law Center noted in 2011 that Moorish Americans were considered sovereign citizens who “subscribe to an anti government philosophy.”
