Bill Text: MS HR143 | 2011 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Dr. Gene Young; commend life and legacy upon his passing.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-04-07 - Enrolled Bill Signed [HR143 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-HR143-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Clarke, Coleman (65th), Buck (72nd), Calhoun, Wooten
House Resolution 143
(As Adopted by House)
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, DR. GENE C. YOUNG, AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.
WHEREAS, Dr. Gene C. Young, a lifelong Jackson resident and monumental civil rights icon, the third of 10 children born to Mrs. Beatrice Young and the late James I. Young, departed this earthly life on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the age of 60 years, to enter into eternal rest with his Heavenly Father, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family and friends; and
WHEREAS, a pioneer of the legacy of the youthful contributions so many made to the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Young became an early activist in the movement, emerging onto the scene in 1963 at the tender age of 12 years when he spoke at a gathering at the Masonic Temple in Jackson, Mississippi, adding his voice to the massive civil rights protest; and
WHEREAS, having personally known civil rights legend and martyr for civil equality, Medgar Evers, Young was undeterred by threats to his life in his relentless pursuit to gain the assurance that equal dignities would be afforded to all mankind, despite one's race, nationality or creed, and was twice arrested for involvement in demonstrations; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Young, the former Director of Black Studies at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and later assistant professor of speech and English at Jackson State University, received national attention when he desegregated a Kansas City barbershop in 1964, soon after the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and continued to remain active in the movements, compiling a formidable record of activism; and
WHEREAS, with his older brothers, James and John, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., when the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, Dr. Young, affectionately known as "Jughead" by his friends, was a living definition of civil rights for the City of Jackson and the State of Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, during his active involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, Young was arrested several times for participation in sit-ins, testified before Congress in June 1964 about police brutality, having his testimony placed in the Congressional Record of the United States House of Representatives along with such notables as Fannie Lou Hamer and Bob Moses; and
WHEREAS, heralded by City of Jackson Alderman Kenneth Stokes and State Representative Credell Calhoun as a people's champion who strived to make life better for the African-American community through his social activism, political involvement and natural concern for the plight of the blacks, Young is credited with helping the implementation of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Banquet, for which he served as the speaker for the first five or six years and cemented the affair as "a first-class activity"; and
WHEREAS, a father of two and a staunch supporter of his alma maters, Lanier High School, of which he was a 1968 graduate, and Jackson State University, of which he was a 1972 honors graduate and later taught, Dr. Young's legacy of reputable service will continue to be cherished in the lives and memories of his surviving family, friends, colleagues and countless students whose lives were touched by his presence; and
WHEREAS, a recipient of masters and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Dr. Young shared his expertise, passion and experience through stories and pictures of his inspired life of activism with audiences both in and out of the state, and through his participation in such noteworthy events and acknowledgments, including: the Board of Directors of the West Jackson Community Development Corporation; Martin Luther King Holiday Commission for the State of Mississippi; Medgar Evers Statue Fund; Board of the Alamo Theatre/Smith Robertson Museum; host committee for the 30th Anniversary Freedom Riders Conference; steering committee for the 30th Anniversary Freedom Summer Revisited Conference at Tougaloo College; recipient of a Mississippi Association of Broadcaster's Gold Medal; spotlighted as Jackson State University's representative in Black Excellence Magazine for his active participation in the Civil Rights Movement; speaker at the African-American History Program at the United States Department of Justice in Washington, where he was welcomed to the podium by former United States Attorney General John Ashcroft; and presented with a resolution by the City Council of Jackson, Mississippi, for his many contributions to Black History and human rights; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend the life of such a remarkable individual as Dr. Young, whose exemplary life and service contributed to making our state richer, communities better and lives brighter:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the life and legacy of civil rights icon, Dr. Gene Young, and express deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the surviving family of Dr. Young and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
