S*1229 Resolution, By Matthews, Patterson, Washington, Ford, Glover, Jackson and 
Anderson
 A SENATE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE, COMMEND, HONOR, AND EXPRESS THE GRATITUDE OF
 THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND ESPECIALLY THE SENATE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE
 BLACK CAUCUS, TO CHIEF JUSTICE ERNEST A. FINNEY, JR., ONE OF THE FOUNDERS AND
 THE FIRST CHAIRMAN OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, AND AN EXTRAORDINARILY
 TALENTED LEGAL PRACTITIONER AND JURIST, FRIEND, NEIGHBOR, AND STATESMAN, FOR
 HIS YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE, PERSONAL SACRIFICE, AND SPECIAL ROLE HE HAS
 PLAYED IN THE LIVES OF ALL SOUTH CAROLINIANS, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE OF AFRICAN
 DESCENT, UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM SERVICE IN THE JUDICIARY, AND TO WISH HIM A
 RETIREMENT THAT IS EQUALLY REWARDING AND BENEFICIAL TO HIM AND THE CITIZENS OF
 THE STATE.

   03/09/00  Senate Introduced and adopted SJ-7

TO RECOGNIZE, COMMEND, HONOR, AND EXPRESS THE GRATITUDE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND ESPECIALLY THE SENATE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, TO CHIEF JUSTICE ERNEST A. FINNEY, JR., ONE OF THE FOUNDERS AND THE FIRST CHAIRMAN OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, AND AN EXTRAORDINARILY TALENTED LEGAL PRACTITIONER AND JURIST, FRIEND, NEIGHBOR, AND STATESMAN, FOR HIS YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE, PERSONAL SACRIFICE, AND SPECIAL ROLE HE HAS PLAYED IN THE LIVES OF ALL SOUTH CAROLINIANS, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE OF AFRICAN DESCENT, UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM SERVICE IN THE JUDICIARY, AND TO WISH HIM A RETIREMENT THAT IS EQUALLY REWARDING AND BENEFICIAL TO HIM AND THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE.

Whereas, Ernest A. Finney, Jr., was born and reared in the South at a time of extremely challenging vicissitudes for persons of African descent; and

Whereas, Ernest A. Finney, Jr., was blessed at an early age with a firm belief in his own self-worth and his God through the loving guidance of his parents, the late Ernest A. and Collen Godwin Finney; and

Whereas, Ernest A. Finney, Jr., yearned, learned, persevered, and performed in outstanding fashion as a secondary school student, an undergraduate, and law student in the public schools of Washington, D.C. and South Carolina, Clafin College of South Carolina, and South Carolina State College School of Law; and

Whereas, he maintained his desire to be a professional who could make a difference in the lives of his neighbors and his State; and

Whereas, he began his law career in the epochal year of 1954 and willingly placed his training and skills in the arsenal for equality under the law; and

Whereas, Chief Justice Finney was elected to the House of Representatives in 1972. While in the House of Representatives he founded the Legislative Back Caucus and served as its first chairman. He was elected to the Circuit Court for the Third Judicial Circuit in 1976, to the South Carolina Supreme Court in 1985, and took the position of Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court in 1994 in an election by acclamation; and

Whereas, throughout his legal career, Chief Justice Finney has continued the legacy of honorable, committed, and visionary service by the elected and appointed officials of this State. He is a remarkably selfless and humble public servant and an example to all the citizens of South Carolina that through determination, hard work, and a consistent dedication to a goal, everyone has the potential to achieve and succeed. Chief Justice Finney summed up his legacy in his final address to the General Assembly when he said with humility that his legacy should be no more nor any less than the personal assessment of his own career by the late United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall who simply said, "I did the best I could with what I had." Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the members of the Senate, and especially the Senate members of the Legislative Black Caucus, that they recognize, commend, honor, and express their gratitude to Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, Jr., one of the founders and the first chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, and an extraordinarily talented legal practitioner and jurist, friend, neighbor, and statesman, for his years of dedicated service, personal sacrifice, and the special role he has played in the lives of all South Carolinians, and especially those of African descent, upon his retirement from service in the judiciary, and they wish him a retirement that is equally rewarding and beneficial to him and the citizens of the State.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, Jr., his lovely wife, Frances, and his family.