H*5331 Concurrent Resolution, By Harvin, Kennedy and G.M. Smith
 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME
 THE INTERCHANGE LOCATED AT EXIT 108 ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 95 IN CLARENDON
 COUNTY THE "BRIGGS, DE LAINE, PEARSON INTERCHANGE" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS
 OR MARKERS AT THIS INTERCHANGE CONTAINING THE WORDS "BRIGGS, DE LAINE, PEARSON
 INTERCHANGE".

   05/19/04  House  Introduced HJ-347
   05/19/04  House  Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
                     Resolutions HJ-347
   05/20/04  House  Committee report: Favorable Invitations and
                     Memorial Resolutions HJ-113
   05/25/04  House  Adopted, sent to Senate HJ-60
   05/26/04  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-8
   02/21/06         Scrivener's error corrected

TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE INTERCHANGE LOCATED AT EXIT 108 ALONG INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 95 IN CLARENDON COUNTY THE "BRIGGS, DELAINE, PEARSON INTERCHANGE" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS OR MARKERS AT THIS INTERCHANGE CONTAINING THE WORDS "BRIGGS, DELAINE, PEARSON INTERCHANGE".

Whereas, African American families that resided in this State in the 1940's and 1950's were subjected to the harsh conditions imposed upon them by a segregated society; and

Whereas, a group of courageous Clarendon County community leaders, parents, children, and families dedicated themselves toward building better lives for themselves as well as future generations by being part of the first legal challenges that attacked racial segregation in the public schools in our State and nation. Their efforts led to the filing of Pearson vs. County Board of Education, Briggs vs. Elliott, and ultimately Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, which struck down the doctrine of "separate but equal" in public education and paved the way for the integration of public schools throughout this nation; and

Whereas, led by Reverend Joseph Armstrong DeLaine, the following brave Clarendon County parents of children who were forced to receive their education in a segregated school system which was clearly separate and unequal placed their names and the names of their children on legal petitions that demanded that a quality education be afforded all students of Clarendon County: Levi Pearson, Harry Briggs, Annie Gibson, Mose Oliver, Bennie Parson, Edward Ragin, William Ragin, Lucrisha Richardson, Lee Richardson, James H. Bennett, Mary Oliver, William M. "Bo" Stukes, G.H. Henry, Robert Georgia, Rebecca Richburg, Gabriel Tindal, Susan Lawson, Frederick Oliver, Onetha Bennett, Hazel Ragin, and Henry Scott; and

Whereas, it is fitting and proper for the members of the General Assembly to permanently recognize the unselfish acts of this courageous group of individuals by naming an interchange along Interstate Highway 95 in Clarendon County in honor of Reverend Joseph Armstrong DeLaine, Levi Pearson, and Harry Briggs, three of the most prominent individuals among this group that led the battle to desegregate the public schools in South Carolina. Now, therefore,

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

That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, request that the Department of Transportation name the interchange located at Exit 108 along Interstate Highway 95 in Clarendon County the "Briggs, DeLaine, Pearson Interchange", and erect appropriate signs or markers at this interchange containing the words "Briggs, DeLaine, Pearson Interchange".

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.