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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 4
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In Memory |
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of |
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Willie Jean Birmingham |
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WHEREAS, The Marshall community lost a beloved educator, |
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trailblazing civic leader, and friend to many with the passing of |
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former city commissioner Willie Jean Birmingham on October 23, |
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2022, at the age of 93; and |
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WHEREAS, Born to Willie and Edna Perry in Coldspring on |
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January 3, 1929, the former Jean Perry grew up with five |
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siblings, Douglass, Dolphus, Altha, Mervin, and Ervin; she began |
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her education at the age of three in a one-room school built after |
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Emancipation; because there was no local high school for Black |
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children, she attended Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston, |
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graduating as valedictorian at the age of 15; she went on to |
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graduate magna cum laude from Prairie View A&M University; and |
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WHEREAS, She wed her college sweetheart, Edwin Locke, and |
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they became the parents of a son, Gene; tragically widowed at 18, |
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she soldiered on, beginning her teaching career in Goodrich and |
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earning her master's degree at Prairie View; she was fortunate to |
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find love a second time with Roy Marshall, and their marriage was |
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blessed with a daughter, Rhonda; in 1952, they settled in |
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Marshall, where she began teaching business at Pemberton High |
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School; she transferred to the newly desegregated Marshall High |
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School in 1970; over the course of four decades, she gave |
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countless students the confidence to reach their full potential |
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and mentored many younger educators; and |
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WHEREAS, With her marriage to Samuel Birmingham, she |
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gained two more daughters, Janice and Cheryl; the couple owned |
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Birmingham's Barbecue and Birmingham's Department Store, and |
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they were very active in the business community; after assisting |
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her husband in his successful campaigns to become Marshall's |
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first Black city commissioner and first Black mayor, |
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Mrs. Birmingham became the first Black woman elected to the city |
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commission; she represented District 1 with skill and dedication |
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for 14 years, working tirelessly in behalf of her fellow |
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citizens; her sweet nature and warm smile endeared her to all, |
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and her contributions fostered an atmosphere of positive change, |
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helping to bridge divides in the community; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, Mrs. Birmingham served in |
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numerous leadership roles, including president of the Harrison |
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County Historical Museum board and member of the State Commission |
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on Judicial Conduct and the Harrison County Historical |
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Commission; she was instrumental in securing Marshall's |
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designation as an All-America City and gave generously of her |
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time and talents to such organizations as the Marshall NAACP, |
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Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce, Alpha Kappa Alpha |
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Sorority, and League of Women Voters; among numerous accolades, |
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she received the East Texas Baptist University Sam B. Hall Jr. |
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Civic Service Award and the Harrison County Historical |
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Commission Award of Merit; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Birmingham was a treasured member of Galilee |
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Missionary Baptist Church; she served as Sunday school |
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superintendent, and fellow congregants often went to her for wise |
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advice; in her last years, when health concerns prompted a move |
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to Houston, she joined her son and his wife at Wheeler Avenue |
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Baptist Church; she loved taking part in Bible study and attended |
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virtual services faithfully during the pandemic; above all, she |
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was devoted to her family, which grew to include 11 |
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grandchildren, who called her "Precious," and many |
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great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, The life of Jean Birmingham stands as an inspiring |
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example of joyful service to others, and she will always be |
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remembered with deep admiration and great affection by all who |
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were fortunate enough to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Willie Jean |
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Birmingham and extend sincere sympathy to all who mourn her |
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passing; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns |
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this day, it do so in memory of Jean Birmingham. |
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Hughes |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on January 10, 2023, by |
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a rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |