MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2019 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Horhn, Butler, Jordan, Turner-Ford, Dawkins, Simmons (12th), Simmons (13th), Blackmon, Jackson (32nd), Witherspoon, Norwood, Blount, Frazier, Jackson (11th)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A "JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE REPRESENTATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN RELEVANCE IN THE NEW CAPITOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS" TO DEVELOP A RECOMMENDATION ON PLACING AN APPROPRIATE MONUMENT ON THE GROUNDS OF THE NEW CAPITOL BUILDING TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY IN MISSISSIPPI; TO DIRECT THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE AND THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE OF THE MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATION SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION OR DONATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, Sections 29-5-2, 29-5-3, 29-5-79 and 29-5-81, Mississippi Code of 1972, give the Legislature the exclusive authority to allocate office space and to designate the appropriate use of the grounds of the New Capitol Building, by resolution of the combined Senate Rules Committee and the House Management Committee, meeting as a joint committee; and
WHEREAS, there is no existing statute, memorial or plaque in the New Capitol Building or on its grounds relating to the relevance of the African-American population of Mississippi in the political history of the state; and
WHEREAS, the Senate Rules Committee and the House Management Committee will address the inclusion of artwork that portrays African-Americans' contributions to and presence in Mississippi somewhere within the Capitol and/or the Capitol grounds, or both. It is not being suggested that any existing artworks or artifacts, especially if they are original to the building, be replaced to achieve this goal; rather, what is being proposed is that there be an augmentation to existing depictions in order to reflect a more accurate representation of Mississippi's history and people. In order not to disrupt existing depictions that use such forms as stained glass and portraiture, this augmentation could be done in the form of sculpture; and
WHEREAS, the New Capitol Building is undergoing a major renovation of the building and its grounds, and there is a master plan to revise the driveway design and use of grounds of the New Capitol Building; and
WHEREAS, the Bicentennial Celebration of the State of Mississippi was marked on December 20, 2017, and there is an opportunity to correct this deficiency in the observance of African-American political history in the State of Mississippi in an appropriate manner:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That:
(1) There is hereby established a "Joint Committee on the Representation of African-American Relevance in the New Capitol Building and Grounds" consisting of the following seven (7) members:
(a) An expert in African-American history appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(b) An expert in African-American history appointed by the Speaker of the House;
(c) Three (3) members of the Mississippi Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(d) Three (3) members of the Mississippi House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; and
(e) Honorable Reuben Anderson, former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice.
(2) The Joint Committee shall meet as soon as practicable after adoption of this Resolution and organize for business by selecting Co-Chairmen (one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Joint Committee appointed from the Senate and one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Joint Committee appointed from the House of Representatives) and establishing rules of procedure for adopting recommendations. The Department of Archives and History shall provide necessary clerical and research assistance and staff for meetings of the Joint Committee which shall meet on the call of the Chairman.
(3) The Joint Committee shall conduct necessary public hearings and research for the purpose of recommending to the Senate Rules Committee and the House Management Committee an appropriate statue, structure, plaque or other appropriate memorial which portrays African-American contributions to the political history of Mississippi in, or on the grounds of, the New Capitol Building. This recommendation shall not replace or change any statue, structure or other memorial presently existing in, or on the grounds of, the New Capitol Building. The recommendation shall include sufficient detail regarding the type of material to be used, the method in selecting the creator of the memorial and the estimated cost of the memorial which shall be a 50/50 match of public and private funds. Upon submitting its recommendation, the Joint Committee shall be dissolved.
(4) The Senate Rules Committee and the House Management Committee shall meet jointly to receive the recommendation of the Joint Committee on the Representation of African-American Relevance in the New Capitol Building and Grounds, and shall proceed to implement this recommendation within one (1) year subject to the availability of public and private funds therefor.
(5) Copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to the Governor, the Secretary of State, the Department of Finance and Administration, and the Department of Archives and History.