House Resolution 76

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MRS. AURELIA NORRIS YOUNG AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HER PASSING.

WHEREAS, Mrs. Aurelia Jeannette Norris Young, a true music prodigy, departed this earthly life on October 17, 2010, at the blessed aged of 94 causing great sorrow and loss to her family and many friends; and

WHEREAS, born in Knottsville, Kentucky, on December 9, 1915, and at the age of five, Mrs. Young's parents moved to New London, Ohio, so that she and her two brothers could receive better educational opportunities; and

WHEREAS, during her elementary and secondary school years, Mrs. Young began formally perfecting and sharpening her dynamic musical skills, studying piano with Letha Spade and violin with John Richards and in high school, she was the pianist for the glee clubs and played violin in the orchestra; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Young, after graduating from high school in the top ten of her class, attended Wilberforce University on a State of Ohio scholarship and studied music theory with Anna Terry, organ with Grace Wailes, French horn with James McCray, served as an accompanist for the university and played French horn in the ROTC band, that proved a testament of her musical talents; and

WHEREAS, after graduating with honors from college in 1937, Mrs. Young served as Choral Director at Campbell College for four years, and from 1941 to 1943 she taught piano, music and fundamentals and was an accompanist at Tougaloo College, and after giving birth to her two children, she returned to the prestigious college where she marvelously directed the band and orchestra, taught piano and instrumental classes and accompanied the choir; and

WHEREAS, after making vast contributions to the Eagle Queen, Tougaloo College, Mrs. Young, in 1947, was invited by Dean Henry T. Sampson of Jackson College to help establish a bachelor of music program, and in 1954, the President of Jackson College encouraged her to plan a bachelor of music education degree program, that is currently being offered; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Young, after helping establish several programs at Jackson College, earned a master in music degree in music theory and musicology from Indiana University in 1955; and

WHEREAS, as the ultimate traveler and explorer, Mrs. Young spent five weeks in France, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, studying methods of teaching music theory in 1965, and in 1973, received a United States Department of State Grant that allowed her to engage in study and conduct research projects for six weeks at East Africa universities; and

WHEREAS, due to her passion for art, music and travel, Mrs. Young voyaged to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Mexico, Italy, Turkey and Greece, and she spent a month in the Peoples' Republic of China in October of 1978 where she shared her knowledge of Afro-American music with Chinese professors; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Young, who was a civil rights activist in her own right, participated, along with her husband, in the first sit-in in Jackson, Mississippi, in March of 1961, which occurred at the city's municipal library; and

WHEREAS, knowing the importance of documenting history, Mrs. Young kept daily clippings and dairies of the civil rights activities, and she dated and catalogued a huge collection of data, that has been donated to the Tougaloo College Library and has been utilized by attorneys, journalists, students and professional writers from various states and nations; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Young, in addition to being an educator, was also an active member of her community where she was a member of numerous boards and commissions, and she held leadership positions in diverse state and national organizations; and

WHEREAS, as one with a pioneering spirit and wanting to help her fellow man, Mrs. Young was a charter member of the Jackson Links, Inc., and a charter member and the first President of the Jackson Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, throughout over 40 years of teaching, Mrs. Young, a great composer, lecturer, poet and world traveler, was most proud of organizing and directing numerous vocal groups that performed locally and across the state and will be fondly remembered by many of her former students; and

WHEREAS, throughout all of her endeavors, Mrs. Young was supported by her loving late husband, Attorney Jack H. Young, and their two successful children, the late Attorney Jack H. Young, Jr., and Hilda Jeannette Young Hall; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend the life of a great leader in both academia and community involvement such as Mrs. Aurelia N. Young who has touched countless lives as an educator, has assisted in documenting the fight for equal rights for all, and will be treasured for generations to come:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the life and contributions of Mrs. Aurelia Norris Young and express deepest sympathy to her family and friends upon her passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Mrs. Aurelia N. Young and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.