House Resolution 142

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, DR. GENE YOUNG, AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.

WHEREAS, Gene Young, a lifelong Jackson resident and monumental civil rights icon, departed this earthly life on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the age of 60 years, to enter into eternal rest with his Heavenly Father, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family and friends; and

WHEREAS, an activist since childhood, having known civil rights legends such as Medgar Evers and getting arrested for involvement in demonstrations starting when he was a seventh grader, Dr. Young received national attention when he desegregated a Kansas City barbershop in 1964; and

WHEREAS, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., when the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, Dr. Young, affectionately known as "Jughead" by his friends, was a living definition of civil rights for the City of Jackson and State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, during his active involvement during the Civil Rights Movement, Young was arrested several times for participation in sit-ins, later testified before Congress about police brutality, and loved to share stories and pictures of his inspired life of activism with audiences both in and out of the state; and

WHEREAS, heralded by City of Jackson Alderman Kenneth Stokes and State Representative Credell Calhoun as a people's champion who strived to make life better for the African-American community through his social activism, political involvement and natural concern for the plight of the blacks, Young is credited with helping the implementation of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Banquet, for which he served as the speaker for the first five or six years and cemented the affair as "a first-class activity"; and

WHEREAS, a father of two and a staunch supporter of his alma maters, Lanier High School and Jackson State University, where he had taught, Dr. Young's legacy of reputable service will continue to be cherished in the lives and memories of his surviving family, friends, colleagues and countless students whose lives were touched by his presence; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend the life of such a remarkable individual as Dr. Young, whose exemplary life and service contributed to making our state richer, communities better and lives brighter:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the life and legacy of civil rights icon, Dr. Gene Young, and express deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.

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