S*1596 Concurrent Resolution, By Matthews, Bryan, A.E. Carmichael, Cork, 
Courson, Courtney, Drummond, H.U. Fielding, Giese, F. Gilbert, Hayes, 
R.L. Helmly, D.L. Hinds, C.T. Hinson, Holland, Land, Leatherman, Leventis, 
I.E. Lourie, A.S. Macaulay, J.A. Martin, S.S. Martschink, McConnell, McGill, 
T.W. Mitchell, Moore, M.F. Mullinax, O'Dell, Passailaigue, Patterson, Peeler, 
T.H. Pope, Reese, M.T. Rose, Russell, Saleeby, Setzler, R.C. Shealy, J.V. Smith, 
N.W. Smith, H.S. Stilwell, Thomas, Washington, M.B. Williams and Wilson
 A Concurrent Resolution to recognize the Honorable Earl Matthew Middleton of
 Orangeburg County for his determination, hard work, and entrepreneurial skills
 in building a successful real estate business placing him in the forefront of
 black business leaders in the country by crossing racial lines in sales and
 hiring.

   06/02/92  Senate Introduced, adopted, sent to House SJ-7
   06/03/92  House  Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence HJ-2

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE THE HONORABLE EARL MATTHEW MIDDLETON OF ORANGEBURG COUNTY FOR HIS DETERMINATION, HARD WORK, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IN BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE BUSINESS PLACING HIM IN THE FOREFRONT OF BLACK BUSINESS LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY BY CROSSING RACIAL LINES IN SALES AND HIRING.

Whereas, Earl Middleton of Orangeburg was a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1975-1984; and

Whereas, Mr. Middleton, a descendant of slaves, runs Middleton & Associates, the largest real estate agency in Orangeburg; and

Whereas, success has placed the seventy-three year old Middleton in the forefront of black entrepreneurs now beginning to achieve a long-elusive goal of building businesses that cut across racial lines; and

Whereas, Mr. Middleton attended Claflin College where he studied sociology, excelled in sports, and was class president each of his four years there; and

Whereas, he entered the armed forces in 1942 serving in the Army; and

Whereas, upon returning to Orangeburg in 1946 he obtained employment at a local barbershop; the following year he bought his own barbershop and subsequently he and a partner began selling homes and insurance as a sideline from the back of the barbershop; and

Whereas, Mr. Middleton's tenacity and determination saw him through difficult times and his hard work as an entrepreneur, along with shifting race relations in the South, have helped him reach his position of success in the Orangeburg business community; and

Whereas, half of Mr. Middleton's fourteen-member sales force is black and half is white, with specialties ranging from farmland to neighborhoods, creating enough diversity to reach nearly any group and providing excellent service to its customers, half of whom are white and half of whom are black; and

Whereas, Middleton & Associates is the first black-owned affiliate of Sears Roebuck and Company's Coldwell Banker and has about twenty percent of the local real estate market in Orangeburg, often the sales leader of the town's fourteen agencies; and

Whereas, the General Assembly is pleased to recognize Mr. Earl Middleton for leadership and success, not only in the business community but also in promoting racial relations, equality, and opportunity for all. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the General Assembly, by this resolution, recognizes Mr. Earl Middleton of Orangeburg County for his determination, hard work, and entrepreneurial skills in building a successful real estate business placing him in the forefront of black business leaders in the country by crossing racial lines with both customers and employees.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Mr. Middleton.