Ben Masel Day
420 is Ben Masel Dayby Rokker
April 2012
Last May, Madison’s city council along with mayor Paul Soglin passed a resolution (legislative file #22458) “honoring the life of Bennett “Ben” Masel, his contributions to our community and declaring April 20th as “Ben Masel Day” in the City of Madison”. Ben Masel, the iconic Madison civil rights defender, passed away last April after a battle with cancer.
Here is the full text of the resolution from the city’s website, CityOfMadison.com:
“WHEREAS, Bennett “Ben” Masel was a fierce defender of personal and civil liberty, a champion of the Constitution, the rule of law and the founding faith that the freedoms outlined in the Bill of Rights were not just ideals, they were practical tools to be used on a daily basis to challenge power; and
WHEREAS, Ben Masel peacefully fought for his rights with courage, cleverness, and joy; and
