House Resolution 121

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING LANIER HIGH SCHOOL ON THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION OF ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY.

WHEREAS, Lanier High School, a public school boasting a rich history in the Capital City of Jackson, Mississippi, is celebrating an extraordinary milestone this year as the highly revered educational institution marks the 100th anniversary of the school's creation; and

WHEREAS, first organized in 1925 as Lanier Junior-Senior High School in the Jackson Colored Public Schools, the school, then providing instruction to students in the seventh through twelfth grades, was named for the distinguished William Henry Lanier, born a slave in 1851 yet ultimately becoming President of Alcorn College and the first Supervisor of the Jackson Colored Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, over the course of the last century, Lanier, having always been open to Black students, even when most high schools in Jackson were not, has supported generations of Black families, often during challenging times of immense hardship and social unrest, with many students at Lanier having been highly active in the Civil Rights Movement; and

WHEREAS, while the original school's facilities were located on East Ash Street, in 1954, a new chapter in Lanier's history was written when the school moved into the new Lanier Junior-Senior High School building, designated a Mississippi Landmark in 2007 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014, which is located at 833 West Maple Street; and

WHEREAS, the student body at Lanier, also fondly known as "833" since its 1954 relocation, has changed over the years, with the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordering the school to be designated as a center for tenth through twelfth graders in 1972 and the addition of ninth graders beginning in 1991; and

WHEREAS, today Lanier High School is bolstered by the unparalleled support of the Lanier High School National Alumni Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit established in 1998 to support and increase the success of all students academically, economically and socially; and

WHEREAS, recognized as the largest and strongest alumni association per capita among Historically Black High Schools in the country, the Lanier association, which donates thousands of dollars annually to support student scholarships and educational needs, has been honored to receive the Governor's Award for Exemplary Partnership in Education for five years; and

WHEREAS, many notable Lanier alumni have brought honor and prestige to the school, with just a few of the more recent ones being: Attorney Daryl Jones, an Air Force fighter pilot who graduated from the Air Force Academy and was later nominated by President Bill Clinton to be Secretary of the Air Force; Lawrence B. Johnson, Jr., Manager of Regional Customer Service and Governmental Affairs for Entergy Mississippi, Inc.; the Honorable Fred L. Banks, Jr., former Mississippi State Supreme Court Justice; Michael Matlock, who retired from State Farm Insurance Company as Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President; Monta Ellis, former professional basketball player who was a McDonald's All-American and first team Parade All-American while a student at Lanier; and Beverly Harris-Williams, the first African-American female assigned to the FBI's Mississippi field office; and

WHEREAS, with the 100th anniversary of Lanier being a once in a lifetime celebration, the Lanier Junior-Senior High School Centennial Steering Committee, comprised of 13 active alumni, was formed in 2022 as a nonprofit entity to plan and develop celebratory and memorial events stretching from homecoming activities in October 2024 to the Finale Weekend in June 2025, all under the inviting theme, "W.H. Lanier Celebrating a Century of Resilience, Excellence and Future Possibilities"; and

WHEREAS, Lanier High School is truly a place that has withstood the test of time and witnessed the struggles and triumphs of its community, surviving decades of segregation, the Civil Rights Movement and changes in the educational landscape within the City of Jackson, all the while deserving much acclaim for the remarkable accomplishments of its faculty, staff and alumni; and

WHEREAS, on the occasion of Lanier High School's 100th anniversary, it is most appropriate to give special recognition to this outstanding educational institution which, from its humble beginnings to this day, has been a constant center of academic excellence, hope and support, in good times and bad, for not only its community, but the entire City of Jackson and State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Lanier High School on the occasion of its 100th anniversary and extend best wishes to the school, its faculty and staff, and students for continued success in all their future endeavors for countless years to come.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Lanier High School, Jackson Public School District and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.