A senate RESOLUTION

 

to recognize and commend former senator Robert Ford for decades of service to the citizens of Charleston County and the State of South Carolina.

 

Whereas, Robert Ford was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 26, 1948, to parents who were leaders in the African American community; and

 

Whereas, he attended Wayne State University and Grambling State University. Deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement, he served on the staff of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1966 to 1972 and worked for Martin Luther King Jr. as a member of an advance team of the 1968 Poor People's Campaign; and

 

Whereas, Senator Ford was elected to serve on the Charleston City Council, where he served from 1974 to 1992. He was elected to serve in the South Carolina Senate on November 3, 1992, taking office in 1993 and serving until May 2013. In the Senate, he served on various committees during his tenure: Banking and Insurance; Corrections and Penology; General; Invitations; Judiciary; and Labor, Commerce and Industry. He was the ranking Democrat on several committees; and

 

Whereas, a member of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus, Senator Ford led the initiative to have the Confederate flag removed from the South Carolina State House, the last state capitol to display a Confederate battle flag. Following years of debate, the flag was moved to a nearby monument with the adoption of a compromise bill authored by Ford; and

 

Whereas, he was instrumental in securing an African American History Monument on the State House grounds, and he was responsible for the passage of a 1998 act that paired Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Confederate Memorial Day as paid holidays with the hope that the legislation would improve race relations in South Carolina; and

 

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are grateful for the years of service that Robert Ford provided to the citizens of Charleston County 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 and commend former Senator Robert Ford for decades of service to the citizens of Charleston County and the State of South Carolina.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to former Senator Robert Ford.

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