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Councilmember Anita Bonds C ouncilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie 2
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Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Matthew Frumin 6
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Councilmember Vincent C. Gray C ouncilmember Janeese Lewis George 10
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C ouncilmember Charles Allen 14
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 17
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 21
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To commemorate and recognize the contributions that the award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright 26
has made to the District of Columbia as a native Washingtonian. 27
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WHEREAS, Jeffrey Wright grew up in Southeast Washington, D.C. with his mother and 29
aunt; 30
WHEREAS, Jeffrey Wright graduated from St. Albans School and received a bachelor’s 31
degree in political science from Amherst College; 32
WHEREAS, Jeffrey Wright gained his first job working at Douglass Pool through the 33
Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program at the age of 15 years old; 34
WHEREAS, Jeffrey Wright landed a role in Arena Stage’s 1988 production of Lorraine 35
Hansberry’s “Les Blancs” in Washington, D.C.; 36
WHEREAS, in 1994, Jeffrey Wright won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding 37
Debut Performance for his role in the Broadway production, Angels in America; 38
WHEREAS, in 1994, Jeffrey Wright won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding 39
Supporting Actor in a Play for his role in the Broadway production, Angels in America; 40
WHEREAS, in 1994, Jeffrey Wright won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a 41
Play for his role as Belize in the Broadway production, Angels in America; 42 WHEREAS, in 1996, Jeffrey Wright gained widespread acclaim for his first starring role 43
as Jean-Michel Basquiat in the film, Basquiat, directed by Julian Schnabel; 44
WHEREAS, in 2000, Jeffrey Wright played the role of Detective Peoples Hernandez in 45
the film Shaft ; 46
WHEREAS, in 2002, Jeffrey Wright was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in 47
a Play for his role as Lincoln in the Broadway production, Topdog/Underdog; 48
WHEREAS, in 2004, Jeffrey Wright won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an 49
Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television 50
for his role in Angels in America; 51
WHEREAS, in 2004, Jeffrey Wright won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding 52
Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his role as Belize in the Broadway production 53
and HBO miniseries, Angels in America; 54
WHEREAS, in 2022, Jeffrey Wright was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for 55
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for his role as The Watcher in the Disney+ 56
Marvel Studios television show, What If…? ; 57
WHEREAS, in 2024, Jeffrey Wright is nominated by the Golden Globe Awards for Best 58
Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his starring role in 59
the 2023 film, American Fiction; 60
WHEREAS, Jeffrey Wright was nominated for his first Oscar award on March 10, 2024 61
for playing Thelonious “Monk” Ellison in American Fiction ; 62
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 63
resolution may be cited as the “Jeffrey Wright Ceremonial Recognition Resolution of 2024”. 64
Sec. 2. The Council recognizes Jeffrey Wright in the District of Columbia for his 65
outstanding contributions to film; 66
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in 67
the District of Columbia Register. 68
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