PRINTER'S NO. 188
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.20
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY KEARNEY, KIM, COLLETT, HAYWOOD, PENNYCUICK,
FONTANA, BROWN, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA AND SANTARSIERO,
FEBRUARY 4, 2025
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, FEBRUARY 4, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Commemorating January 15, 2025, as the 50th anniversary of the
Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation.
WHEREAS, January 15, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the
Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, an organization which
promotes and fulfills Dr. Philip Jaisohn's (Soh, Jai-pil) ideals
of humanity; and
WHEREAS, The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation has served
the Korean immigrant community and now the larger Asian American
and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the greater
Philadelphia area for 50 years; and
WHEREAS, The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation enriches the
community through a broad range of medical and health care,
senior employment training, social services, leadership
development, advocacy and cultural programs; and
WHEREAS, The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation formed the
Asian American Coalition for Health and Human Services (AACHHS)
with Indian, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, Pakistani,
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17 Bengali and Nepali community organizations to advocate for the
Asian-American community with a larger voice and to extend
resources to all underserved communities; and
WHEREAS, During the pandemic, the Jaisohn Center and AACHHS
hosted more than 130 vaccine clinics, provided 24,000 COVID-19
test kits and N95 masks to more than 50 organizations assisting
underserved communities and is currently completing the AAPI
Community Needs Assessment; and
WHEREAS, On June 19, 1890, Dr. Jaisohn became the first
Korean immigrant to acquire United States citizenship; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Jaisohn, a Korean political refugee who made his
home in Media, turned Philadelphia into a central overseas base
for supporting Korean independence; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Jaisohn was a pioneer for Korean-American
history and a champion of the Korean Independence Movement in
America, establishing the Korean Information Bureau to publish
the Korea Review for the cause of political and religious
freedom of Korea and the Far East; and
WHEREAS, Inspired by the First and Second Continental
Congress of the United States, Dr. Jaisohn, Syngman Rhee, who
was the first President of the Republic of Korea, and Henry Han
Kyong Chung organized the First Korean Congress in Philadelphia
from April 14 to April 16, 1919, where Dr. Jaisohn was elected
as the President of the Conference and the Korean Declaration of
Independence was proclaimed; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Jaisohn and Reverend Dr. Floyd W. Tomkins
founded the League of the Friends of Korea, organized in 21
American cities, as well as in London and Paris, with 25,000
members to educate the general public and community and
government leaders about the aspirations of the Korean people to
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30 gain independence for Korea; and
WHEREAS, Korean Americans have designated January 13 as
"Korean American Day" to acknowledge the first group immigration
of Koreans to Hawaii in 1903 and celebrate their contributions
to the United States; and
WHEREAS, Korean Americans and community friends come together
to celebrate January 13 as "Korean American Day" and the Philip
Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, along with the Korean American
Association of Greater Philadelphia, cosponsor this celebration;
and
WHEREAS, The influence of naturalized or natural-born
citizens of Korean-American heritage is found in all facets of
American life, including politics, industry, entrepreneurship,
volunteerism, the arts and education; and
WHEREAS, The Korean-American community is making important
contributions in distinguished career fields such as law,
medicine, business, engineering, education and architecture;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate c ommemorate January 15, 2025, as
the 50th anniversary of the Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the Philip Jaisohn
Memorial Foundation's accomplishments in the past and into the
future; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate support the goals and ideals of
Philip Jaisohn as the first Korean American and naturalized
immigrants and their involvement as active civic participants.
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