A senate RESOLUTION

 

TO RECOGNIZE July 30, 2023 AS "Senator Clementa Pinckney day of service" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

 

Whereas, the Honorable Clementa Carlos Pinckney of Ridgeland, senior pastor of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and member of the South Carolina Senate was attacked by a gunman while leading a prayer meeting and Bible study at Emanuel AME when he and eight of his fellow church members were slain on June 17, 2015; and

 

Whereas, Senator Pinckney was born the son of John Pinckney and the late Theopia Stevenson Pinckney on July 30, 1973. Early showing his commitment to the Christian roots implanted in him, he began preaching at the age of thirteen and was first appointed pastor at eighteen. A fourth-generation minister, he was named pastor of Emanuel AME in 2010; and

 

Whereas, just one year after graduating magna cum laude from Allen University in 1995, this Princeton University Research Fellow (summer 1994) was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives and became, at the age of twenty-three, the youngest African American elected to this great State's legislature. In furtherance of his education, he earned his master's degree in public administration from the University of South Carolina in 1999 and later his Master of Divinity at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. In 2000, he was elected to the South Carolina Senate; and

 

Whereas, during his years in the Senate, Senator Pinckney, a nineteen-year state legislator, proved his worth as a member of the Banking and Insurance, Corrections and Penology, Education, Finance, and Medical Affairs committees and championed causes important to him. He fought to expand Medicaid and supported public education. He helped bring to fruition the South Carolina Healthy Bucks program, which provides vouchers for the purchase of healthy foods at the farmer's market; and

 

Whereas, recognizing July 30, 2023 as "Senator Clementa Pinckney Day of Service" honors Senator Pinckney's selfless dedication to the people and the State of South Carolina.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the Senate:

 

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize July 30, 2023 as "Senator Clementa Pinckney Day of Service" in South Carolina.

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