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TO REMEMBER AND HONOR JUANITA MITCHELL WHITE, A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, FOR HER LEGACY OF DEVOTED SERVICE TO HER COMMUNITY, TO JASPER AND BEAUFORT COUNTIES, AND TO THE PALMETTO STATE.
Whereas, it is altogether fitting that the South Carolina House of Representatives should pause in its deliberation to remember the contributions that the late Juanita Mitchell White, our friend and former colleague, made during her time in this chamber; and
Whereas, born in Hardeeville on October 12, 1929, Juanita White was reared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and even while she was in high school, she would get people registered to vote and later became a committee woman where she learned about politics; and
Whereas, when she returned to Jasper County, she was credited with many beneficial changes to the Levy community, such as working to improve the drinking water through the development of the Levy-Limehouse-Bellinger Hill Water Company. She also served as assistant to the director of Special Projects for Beaufort-Jasper Comprehensive Health Services, where her skill in identifying grants and services benefitted the growing Beaufort and Jasper communities; and
Whereas, in 1980, Ms. White was elected to serve District 122 in Jasper and Beaufort counties in the House of Representative and served until 1995, introducing such key legislation as a bill to allow senior citizens to vote early or by mail; and
Whereas, she served on the Ways and Means Committee and was active with the Legislative Black Caucus. In March 1987, she was appointed deputy majority whip of the House and three months later became the first African American to chair a major committee, the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee; and
Whereas, affectionately known as the Mother of the Black Caucus, Representative White was honored in 1988 with selection by the state Democratic Party as one of its eight presidential electors, and in 1996, she was presented the Order of the Palmetto by then Governor David Beasley; and
Whereas, although known by many for her political acumen, she was a devoted mother first, raising her children and grandchildren to know the difference between right and wrong and serving her family and her community with dedication; and
Whereas, a faithful member of St. Stephen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Hardeeville, Representative White was diagnosed ten years before her death with inclusion body myositis, a progressive, debilitating disease of the muscles found in fewer people than fifteen per million, so she learned how to deal with it, but while she still had breath, it could not stop her; and
Whereas, she passed away in 2011, but Juanita White continues to inspire new generations of South Carolinians, and the South Carolina House of Representatives reveres the memory of her courage and determination. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, remember and honor Juanita Mitchell White, a member of the South Carolina General Assembly, for her legacy of devoted service to her community, to Jasper and Beaufort counties, and to the Palmetto State.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Juanita Mitchell White.
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