Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:4694 Primary Sponsor:Rogers Type of Legislation:CR Subject:Simkins, Modjeska Monteith Date Bill Passed both Bodies:Apr 08, 1992 Computer Document Number:436/12366.DW Introduced Date:Apr 08, 1992 Last History Body:House Last History Date:Apr 08, 1992 Last History Type:Received from Senate Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Rogers J. Brown Byrd Scott Taylor Waites Cromer Shissias Harrison Corning Quinn Type of Legislation:Concurrent Resolution
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN
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4694 House Apr 08, 1992 Received from Senate
4694 Senate Apr 08, 1992 Introduced, adopted, returned
with concurrence
4694 House Apr 08, 1992 Introduced, adopted, sent to
Senate
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TO EXPRESS THE DEEP SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MODJESKA MONTEITH SIMKINS, THE MATRIARCH OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN THIS STATE FOR FOUR DECADES, WHO DIED SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 1992.
Whereas, it is with much sadness that the members of the General Assembly learned of the death on Sunday, April 5, 1992, of Modjeska Monteith Simkins; and
Whereas, this fearless outspoken champion of the oppressed was an original organizer of the state chapter of the NAACP; and
Whereas, she was one of the architects of the Clarendon County desegregation case that became part of the United States Supreme Court's historic decision, Brown v. Board of Education in 1954; and
Whereas, in the words of United States District Judge Matthew J. Perry ". . . she probably will be remembered as a woman who challenged everyone."; and
Whereas, she was a powerful force for equality and served as an inspiration to all who came to know her; and
Whereas, her entire life was spent focusing on the liberation of people from the oppression of segregation, poverty, illiteracy, and disenfranchisement; and
Whereas, Mrs. Simkins, acting as a warrior not only in Columbia and on the state level, linked her reform movements to the national and regional levels; and
Whereas, the granddaughter of a slave, she was born in Columbia, December 5, 1899, and was graduated from Benedict College in 1921; and
Whereas, her long career as an activist began to congeal in the late 1930's when she became involved with a number of civil rights and service groups, among them the Civil Rights Congress, the United Negro and Allied Veterans of America, and the Southern Reform Council, a male dominated organization that paved the way for voter education in the 1960's; and
Whereas, of the many causes Modjeska Simkins championed, medical and mental health care for the underprivileged got much of her attention; and
Whereas, it is with great sadness we turn a page in the history of our State in witnessing the passing of this great humanitarian who leaves a legacy of civil rights victories which will not be equaled in the near future. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly wish to express their deep sorrow to the family and friends of Modjeska Monteith Simkins, the matriarch of civil rights activists in this State for four decades, who died Sunday, April 5, 1992.