House Concurrent Resolution 88

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LEGENDARY VICKSBURG NAACP LEADER GEORGE LEE JEFFERSON IN RECOGNITION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION.

WHEREAS, after the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education on May 17, 1954, George Lee Jefferson, one of Mississippi's wealthiest black men, equipped with his faith in the United States Constitution, sought to ensure Mississippi's immediate compliance with the recent decision; and

WHEREAS, the favorite nephew and heir of turn-of-the-century philanthropist, businesswoman and civil rights crusader, Lucy C. Jefferson, George Jefferson was the owner and manager of the historic W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home, Chairman of the Vicksburg Branch NAACP and one of three Mississippi National Republican Committeemen; and

WHEREAS, Jefferson, who was equipped with a social conscience and a courageous talent for leadership in the political process, was a prominent driving force for progress in Vicksburg and was very adept at guiding the 1,200 registered black voters of Warren County to political respectability by using their bloc vote to swing local elections in their favor; and

WHEREAS, only 12 days after the Court's Brown ruling, NAACP leaders statewide announced their plan to submit petitions and letters to all school districts demanding compliance with the ruling to integrate public schools; and

WHEREAS, faced with the stonewalling tactics of high-ranking state elected officials, Jefferson committed himself to the cause, refusing to yield any ground on black people's Constitutional rights, in conjunction with NAACP Lead Counsel Thurgood Marshall, and filed one of the first petitions in the country calling for an end to segregation in a local school district; and

WHEREAS, in late March 1954, Jefferson announced his candidacy for a seat on the Vicksburg Board of Education, and was one of only two candidates to qualify, but was prevented from seeking the election by a piece of unconstitutional local and private legislation proposed by two Warren County legislators; and

WHEREAS, prior to allowing his life to become dominated by Brown v. Board of Education, Jefferson had secured a credit line that scaled into the millions for his dream of developing top-of-the-line housing for Vicksburg's emerging black middle-class; and

WHEREAS, engulfed by his other life goal of public school integration in Mississippi, Jefferson, who endured death threats, cross burnings and threats to his business establishment, was barred by the banks from using any of the money in his credit accounts, and was ultimately reduced to abject poverty; and

WHEREAS, very few Mississippians know the story of George L. Jefferson, who died in 1961, never seeing either of his dreams come into fruition, and of his Aunt Lucy, whose good works impacted the entire state; and

WHEREAS, Oakley Training School, Cedar Grove Home for the Aged, the Mississippi State Conference of Federated Colored Women's Clubs, NAACP respectability in Mississippi, pre-civil rights era voting rights for black people and the challenges to the segregated school system, all were real-world achievements of the Jeffersons and their cohorts across Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend works of notable Mississippians, such as the life and legacy of George Lee Jefferson, whose commitment to securing equality and a better means of living for black Mississippians was monumental in bringing about a social transformation in this state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the life and legacy of legendary Vicksburg NAACP leader and businessman, George Lee Jefferson, upon the 50th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Vicksburg Branch NAACP, the immediate survivors of George L. Jefferson and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.