Senate Concurrent Resolution 521

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE EXEMPLARY MISSISSIPPI HISTORIC PRESERVATION SERVICE OF H.T. "HANK" HOLMES, SIXTH DIRECTOR OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY, ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.

WHEREAS, H.T. "Hank" Holmes, Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History since 2005, has announced his plan to retire in early 2015; and

WHEREAS, H.T. Holmes began his term as the sixth Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History on January 1, 2005. Holmes succeeded Elbert R. Hilliard, who served 31 years in the position; and

WHEREAS, Holmes began his association with MDAH in 1969 as a college intern. He went on to serve as Oral Historian, Archivist, Records Analyst, Manuscript Curator, Map Curator, Head of the Special Collections Section, and Director of the department's Archives and Library division from 1988 through 2004. A native of Winona, Holmes earned his B.A. in English from Millsaps College in 1973 and a Master's degree in Library Science from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1982; and

WHEREAS, nearly two decades ago, Hank T. Holmes oversaw the release of records from the former Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, a segregationist agency that monitored the actions of civil rights workers. Holmes and his staff had to get the boxes of reports and yellowed newspaper clippings into a computerized form that could be searchable while preserving the identities of those who sought to have their names redacted under a federal court order. Preparing for release of the Sovereignty Commission files was an onerous task. "One of the most touching things was that older folks would come in with their grandchildren and talk with them about the way things were," Holmes said. "Those were things that showed me we were fulfilling the mission of preserving our history"; and

WHEREAS, "Hank Holmes will leave a remarkable legacy of innovation and growth," said MDAH Board of Trustees President Kane Ditto. "Under his leadership, the department developed its electronic records section into a national model, greatly expanded the state's commitment to preserve and honor the Mississippi American Indian history, oversaw a $26 Million historic preservation grant program in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, opened the Eudora Welty House and Garden, and is now in the midst of its largest and most significant construction project of the Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum"; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi is proud of the work done daily by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. MDAH administers programs and operates museums and historic sites that in most other states are the responsibility of four, five, six or more agencies; and

WHEREAS, Hank's historic preservation energy and intellect enriched the lives of all his colleagues and it is with great pride that we pay tribute to this legacy of leadership and dedication to the citizens in Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize the exemplary Mississippi history preservation service of H.T. "Hank" Holmes, sixth Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, on the occasion of his retirement, and extend the best wishes of the Legislature to Hank and his family on this auspicious occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Hank Holmes, forwarded to the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.