R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The educational community lost an esteemed leader

 1-2     and a true friend with the death of Dr. Lincoln Jay Harrison, Sr.,

 1-3     on May 23, 1997, at the age of 77, and the Texas House of

 1-4     Representatives joins in mourning his passing; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, A 1938 graduate of Southern University, he went on

 1-6     to earn master's degrees at Atlanta University and the University

 1-7     of Illinois and to become the first African-American certified

 1-8     public accountant in Louisiana's history; in 1944 he embarked on

 1-9     his illustrious 40-year career as a business educator, teaching at

1-10     five universities throughout the country; and

1-11           WHEREAS, While teaching at Ohio's Central State University,

1-12     he fell in love with Joyce Elizabeth Bledsoe, and the couple

1-13     married in 1949; this distinguished gentleman experienced a year

1-14     full of milestones in 1953, as he completed his doctorate at Ohio

1-15     State University and welcomed the birth of his first child, Lincoln

1-16     Jay Harrison, Jr.; and

1-17           WHEREAS, Seven years later, after Dr. Harrison had returned

1-18     to his undergraduate alma mater to accept a position as director of

1-19     the school's business college, he and his wife were blessed with

1-20     the birth of another son, Huelon Andrew Harrison; Dr. Harrison

1-21     remained at Southern University for the next two decades, serving

1-22     with distinction as dean of the business college and as system vice

1-23     president for finance before retiring in 1980; and

1-24           WHEREAS, Dr. Harrison worked throughout his career to achieve

 2-1     greater ethnic diversity in the accounting field; the first

 2-2     African-American member of the Louisiana Certified Public

 2-3     Accountants, he went on to chair the minority recruitment committee

 2-4     of the American Institute for CPAs, and he and a colleague, Reynard

 2-5     J. Rochon, were jointly honored for their groundbreaking efforts

 2-6     with the establishment of the Harrison-Rochon CPAs Education

 2-7     Foundation, Inc., which will work to promote the entry of African

 2-8     Americans and other minorities into the accounting profession; and

 2-9           WHEREAS, Although his professional accomplishments were many,

2-10     Dr. Harrison continually credited the members of his family as the

2-11     source of his greatest happiness, and any remembrance of his life

2-12     would be incomplete without mentioning their special place in his

2-13     heart; Dr.  Harrison's presence is sorely missed, but his unique

2-14     spirit will endure in the hearts of all who knew him; now,

2-15     therefore, be it

2-16           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-17     Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Lincoln Jay Harrison,

2-18     Sr., and extend deepest sympathy to his family: to his beloved

2-19     wife, Joyce Bledsoe Harrison; to his sons, Lincoln J. Harrison,

2-20     Jr., and his wife Reva, and Huelon A. Harrison; to his grandsons,

2-21     Jay Fredrick Harrison and Julian Ray Harrison and his mother,

2-22     Felicia Pitre; to his brother, Elton C. Harrison; to his nephew,

2-23     Elton C.  Harrison III and his wife Nola; and to all the relatives

2-24     and friends of this eminent individual; and, be it further

2-25           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-26     prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas

2-27     House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of

 3-1     Lincoln J. Harrison, Sr.

                                                                       Hodge

                                             _______________________________

                                                   Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.R. No. 1301 was unanimously adopted by a

         rising vote of the House on June 2, 1997.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House