Bill Text: SC S0260 | 2013-2014 | 120th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Late Honorable Matthew J. Perry Jr. portrait
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-17 - Referred to Committee on Finance [S0260 Detail]
Download: South_Carolina-2013-S0260-Introduced.html
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
TO AUTHORIZE THE COMMISSIONING OF A PORTRAIT TO BE PLACED IN AN APPROPRIATE PLACE IN THE STATE HOUSE AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE HOUSE COMMITTEE OF THE LATE HONORABLE MATTHEW J. PERRY, JR., DISTINGUISHED SOUTH CAROLINA LAWYER, CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER, AND FEDERAL JUDGE.
Whereas, the late Honorable Matthew J. Perry, Jr. was a distinguished South Carolina lawyer, civil rights pioneer, and federal district court judge; and
Whereas, born in Columbia on August 4, 1921, he was the son of the late Matthew J. and Jennie Lyles Perry, and he was educated in public schools in Columbia, graduating in 1939 from Booker T. Washington High School; and
Whereas, he served in the United States Army with distinction during some of the darkest hours of our Nation's history from 1942 to 1946; and
Whereas, in 1948, he graduated from South Carolina State College with a bachelor's degree in business administration and in 1951 from his alma mater's School of Law; and
Whereas, from 1951 to 1961, he was in private law practice in Spartanburg and then in Columbia from 1961 to 1976; and
Whereas, Matthew Perry led the successful court case in 1963 to integrate Clemson University, which led to the integration of the University of South Carolina the following year, and he also led a major case for reapportionment in South Carolina in 1973; and
Whereas, in 1975, he was nominated by President Gerald Ford and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate to serve on the United States Court of Military Appeals; and
Whereas, President Jimmy Carter nominated him to serve as a United States District Judge, and he was again unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 1979 and became the State's first African American federal judge; and
Whereas, on October 1, 1995, he took senior judge status, and in 2004, the new federal courthouse in Columbia was dedicated the "Matthew J. Perry United States Courthouse" in his honor; and
Whereas, among the honorary degrees conferred on him are Doctor of Laws from Princeton University, South Carolina State College, the University of South Carolina, The Citadel, and Central Michigan University, as well as Benedict, Voorhees, and Claflin Colleges; Doctor of Humanities from Clemson University; and Doctor of Humane Letters from Wofford and Presbyterian Colleges; and
Whereas, in 1986, he received the Order of the Palmetto, the State's highest civilian award, from Governor Richard W. Riley, and he was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame in 1995, and the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 2007; and
Whereas, he received the 1972 and 1980 Distinguished Alumnus Award from South Carolina State University and the William R. Ming Advocacy Award from the NAACP and was named South Carolinian of the Year from Cosmos Broadcasting Company and the 1967 Distinguished Native Son from the South Carolina Conference of Branches of the NAACP; and
Whereas, he was awarded the 2005 War Horse Award from the Southern Trial Lawyers Association, the 2005 Sarah T. Hughes Civil Rights Award from the Federal Bar Association, the 2006 Soaring Eagle Award from the American Trial Lawyers Association, and the 2007 Thurgood Marshall Award from the American Bar Association; and
Whereas, the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina are grateful for the legacy that the Honorable Matthew J. Perry, Jr. has left to the Palmetto State and for the standard of excellence he set in jurisprudence and believe that a portrait of him placed in the State House is a fitting tribute to this distinguished South Carolinian. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly authorize the commissioning of a portrait to be placed in an appropriate place in the State House as determined by the State House Committee of the late Honorable Matthew J. Perry, Jr., distinguished South Carolina lawyer, civil rights pioneer, and federal judge.
Be it further resolved that the committee shall be comprised of three members of the Senate to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and three members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The senior member of the committee from the Senate shall serve as its chairman.
Be it further resolved that the committee shall handle the arrangements and details regarding the portrait including, but not limited to, an appropriate ceremony to commemorate the unveiling and dedication of the portrait. The cost of obtaining the portrait must be paid by private contributions.
Be it further resolved that the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representative shall provide assistance and services as the committee shall direct.
