House Concurrent Resolution 54

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING MR. NOAH HARRIS FOR BEING ELECTED AS HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT.

WHEREAS, a proud Mississippian, Mr. Noah Harris was elected as Harvard University's first African-American male student body president on November 12, 2020, and was sworn in on December 6, 2020, for the 2021 term, a truly momentous accomplishment and an amazing reflection on the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, while his hometown is Hattiesburg, Mr. Harris has close family ties to Natchez, where his parents, Mr. Anthony and Mrs. Frankie Harris, first met and where his grandparents, Don Gordon, Sr., who owns Don's Barber Style Shop, Myrtis Gordon and Juanita Byrd Harris, reside; and

WHEREAS, as an all-around impressive and distinguished individual, Mr. Harris is a violin and piano player, an Eagle Scout, and played baseball and basketball at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, where he graduated in 2018; and

WHEREAS, remarkably, Mr. Harris wrote and self-published a children's book that Pearl River Community College has used as part of its Early Childhood Learning Academy called "Successville," which teaches kids about setting goals and working hard in school, ideals he found were very helpful to his success; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Harris had the opportunity to play sports in college, but wanted to go to a school known for its academics, and when his mother suggested he look at Ivy League schools, he toured Princeton University, Yale University and Harvard University, where he ultimately chose to attend because of its small town feel; and

WHEREAS, throughout his life, Mr. Harris's parents have been excellent role models for his academic success, as his father attended Tougaloo University and Georgia Tech University, and his mother attended Alcorn State University and the University of Southern Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, admirably dedicated to public service, Mr. Harris's time as a defense intern with Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker taught him how to serve Mississippi on the federal level, and as a junior at Harvard, he plans to attend law school in the future and would like to be an attorney in Mississippi as a way to serve his community; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Harris follows two other African-American students who have headed Harvard's Undergraduate Council, but he is the first African-American man to be elected by the student body; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Harris also co-chairs the Undergraduate Council's Black Caucus and serves as treasurer, and during his campaign for student body president, he and Jenny Gan, the newly elected vice president, ran on a platform of diversity and inclusion, improving student life and focusing on students' mental and physical health; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend superb Mississippi students, especially those such as Mr. Harris, whose phenomenal accomplishments, stellar dedication to academic excellence and exceptional commitment to serving others brings great honor to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize and commend Mr. Noah Harris for being elected as Harvard University's first African-American male student body president, and express our most sincere wishes for success in all of his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Noah Harris and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.