Paul Mooney's death has created some urgency on the part of the Oakland City Council to figure out how to honor the comedic legend ... but TMZ's learned the idea for a tribute was hatched even before he passed away.
Several officials in Oakland -- where Mooney was raised and sadly died -- tell us the topic is already on the agenda for the June 1 City Council meeting.
The councilmembers we spoke with say some of the ideas for honoring Paul's life include an annual or regularly scheduled comedy event that puts the spotlight on Oaktown's best up-and-coming comedians ... following the path Mooney trailblazed.
There are also talks of creating a plaque with his face on it to be displayed somewhere in the Black Arts District ... or developing a college scholarship fund in his name.
The city officials tell us they also want to hear from Oakland citizens about what they want for a Mooney tribute ... something Councilmember Loren Taylor says has been discussed in his district well before the comedic legend died.
every time Paul Mooney showed up on Chappelle’s Show you knew it was gonna be hilarious (and correct)
— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) May 19, 2021
RIP pic.twitter.com/5sSgfoMhCH
That's because they all believe Mooney's legacy is more than comedy -- he also provided insight into social issues and politics.
As we reported ... Paul died at his Oakland home Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack.
Tributes from the comedy world and folks in Hollywood have been pouring in -- most notably Dave Chappelle told us he'll see to it that people don't forget about the legend that was Paul Mooney.