House Resolution 46

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND LEGACY OF CALVIN WINDELL HUEY, A UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY ACADEMIC AND FOOTBALL PHENOMENON.

WHEREAS, Calvin Windell Huey, a native of Pascagoula, Mississippi, dreamed of receiving a notable college education and of playing college sports in an era when African Americans were not admitted to America's most prominent institutions of higher learning; and

WHEREAS, influenced by his uncles who schooled him in math and his mother who enrolled him in academic summer programs, Mr. Huey was a gifted student interested in science, particularly in chemistry; and

WHEREAS, only 19 years old when federal marshals were ordered into the Magnolia State to enforce a federal court order allowing James Meredith to enroll at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and, Mr. Huey, hoping to enroll in a prestigious university, attended The Tuskegee Institute briefly before transferring to Oakland City College in California; and

WHEREAS, while at Oakland, Mr. Huey was an honorable mention All-American quarterback, and after being encouraged by a friend who recognized his talent for football to pursue an academy appointment, he contacted a Mississippi Congressman who immediately denied his request given the tumultuous history surrounding Mr. Meredith's enrollment at Ole Miss; and

WHEREAS, not to be deterred by the dismissal of the Mississippi representative, Mr. Huey contacted a California representative to nominate him on his own academic accord and scholastic wherewithal rather than as a football recruit; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Huey tried out for the Navy Football Team having no prior contact with the coaching staff and made the team and passionately committed himself to his athletics and academic pursuits, determined to make a positive impression as a learned and capable midshipman and football player; and

WHEREAS, unaware of the progress being made in the Civil Rights Movement while trying to survive as underclassman within the gates of Annapolis' military institution, with fellow midshipman, Emerson Carr, Mr. Huey believed that his skin color did not subject him to extra harassment, but rather thinks that he had it easier as a standout athlete; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Huey did not encounter instances of discrimination on the football field either, often noting that his coaches, Carl Schuette, Lee Corso and Steve Belichick, cared about athletic performance and a lack of mistakes on the football field, not about skin color; and

WHEREAS, hailed in his senior year biography for "poised under fire," as "an outstanding pass receiver and determined downfield blocker," even though he was a quarterback at heart, he was a receiving compliment to the passing of Roger Staubach; and

WHEREAS, astute in the classroom and equally savvy on the playing field, Mr. Huey's shrewd improvisation for a fleeting moment made one of Navy football's most memorable plays against the University of Maryland in 1964, albeit in a game that eventually ended in a loss for Navy; and

WHEREAS, putting his athleticism aside, Mr. Huey unknowingly created touchstones for future generations at the Naval Academy, making him a hero in his own right; and

WHEREAS, while Mr. Huey was making his way up and down the football fields of Navy and their opponents, the nation was progressing in its own way, ratifying the 24th Amendment to the Constitution and passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and

WHEREAS, graduating from the Naval Academy in 1967, Mr. Huey was assigned to the U.S.S. Perry in Mayport, Florida, and later deployed for two tours of Vietnam before returning to continue his quest for collegiate matriculation, ultimately earning a Ph.D. in Chemistry; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Huey joined the ranks of his former teachers when he returned to the Naval Academy as a professor in 1973, and later joined the computer giant, IBM in 1976, working with the company until 1997; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to commend leaders amongst its citizens and native sons, such as Mr. Calvin Windell Huey, who pave the way for future generations to enjoy successes and freedoms unknown at the time, to answer a higher calling from a nation whose citizens stood on uneven ground:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and recognize the historic and heroic achievements of Mr. Calvin Windell Huey, a United States Naval Academy academic and football phenomenon and extend sincerest gratitude and appreciation for his undaunted courage.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mr. Huey, the United States Naval Academy and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.