South Carolina General Assembly
115th Session, 2003-2004

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H. 4394

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution
Sponsors: Rep. Harvin
Document Path: l:\council\bills\nbd\11824ac03.doc

Introduced in the House on June 5, 2003
Adopted by the House on June 5, 2003

Summary: Brown vs. Board of Education Organizing Committee

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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    6/5/2003  House   Introduced and adopted HJ-23

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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

6/5/2003

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

TO COMMEND THE CLARENDON COUNTY FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THEIR STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN CELEBRATING THE LANDMARK UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DECISION BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH INCLUDED THE COMPANION CASE OF BRIGGS VS. ELLIOT FROM SUMMERTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, the United States 107th Congress has enacted Public Law 107-41 to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education; and

Whereas, Clarendon County Fiftieth Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education Organizing Committee members, the Town of Summerton, Clarendon District One, Clarendon Hall, and the Scott's Branch 76 Foundation Community Development Corporation recognizes Summerton's historical role in this landmark case with the Summerton case of Briggs vs. Elliot joining the Brown vs. Board of Education appeal; and

Whereas, in 1947, twenty African American parents from Clarendon County sought to improve their children's schools, which were merely wooden shacks, to be equal to those of white children, and they also sought increased salaries for their teachers. Additionally, after the school board denied the request of African American parents to provide school buses for their children, some of whom had to walk eight miles to school each way, the parents collected donations for the purchase of a bus; and

Whereas, these parents, with the help of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) lawyers, issued a challenge to find the courage to test the legality of these discriminatory practices aimed at African American school children, as well as the requirement that they attend schools separate from schools of white children; and

Whereas, in May of 1950 with the help of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the case of Briggs vs. Elliot was filed. The court ruled against the petitioners, focusing on equalizing the schools, while ignoring the broader question of the constitutionality of segregation. This decision was appealed to the United States Supreme Court, and the Briggs case became part of Brown vs. Board of Education; and

Whereas, the organizing committee supports the Town of Summerton's economic tourism efforts to revitalize the central business district to prepare the Township for its participation in the national celebration; and

Whereas, the organization committee seeks worldwide participation in honoring the heroes of this landmark decision, which changed the landscape of public education across the nation, with a commemorative streetscape memorial; and

Whereas, the members of the House of Representatives are proud to recognize the Clarendon County Fiftieth Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education Organizing Committee for their efforts to commemorate this historic event. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives, by this resolution, commend the Clarendon County Fiftieth Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education Organizing Committee for their statewide campaign celebrating the landmark United States Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education, which included the companion case of Briggs vs. Elliot from Summerton, South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Clarendon County Fiftieth Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education Organizing Committee.

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