Bill 1607

                    Current Status

Introducing Body:               Senate
Bill Number:                    1607
Primary Sponsor:                Lourie
Type of Legislation:            CR
Subject:                        Williams, A. P., Jr.
Date Bill Passed both Bodies:   Jun 04, 1992
Computer Document Number:       DKA/3994.AL
Introduced Date:                Jun 04, 1992
Last History Body:              Senate
Last History Date:              Jun 04, 1992
Last History Type:              Received from House
Scope of Legislation:           Statewide
All Sponsors:                   Lourie
                                Patterson
                                Courson
                                Giese
Type of Legislation:            Concurrent
                                Resolution

 Bill  Body    Date          Action Description              CMN
 ----  ------  ------------  ------------------------------  ---
 1607  Senate  Jun 04, 1992  Received from House
 1607  House   Jun 04, 1992  Introduced, adopted, returned
                             with concurrence
 1607  Senate  Jun 04, 1992  Introduced, adopted, sent to
                             House

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO EXPRESS SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY OF A. P. WILLIAMS, JR., OF COLUMBIA.

Whereas, A. P. Williams, Jr., died on Friday, May 29, 1992; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams was born in Columbia and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School and the Eckels College of Embalming and Sanitary Science; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams was only twenty-three years old when he joined the Colored Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association of South Carolina and he lived to be the oldest continuous member and held every state office the organization offered; and

Whereas, he was on the National Morticians Association Board of Directors in the 1940's and he worked to get black morticians recognized and put on the State Funeral Board; and

Whereas, he also worked to preserve the culture and heritage of the black funeral tradition; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams, as one of Columbia's most respected morticians, brought dignity to the end of life for those he buried; and

Whereas, he was active in politics and civil rights as a charter member of the Richland County Citizens Committee which facilitated peaceful integration of public schools and city buses; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams worked not only for hiring two black police officers in Columbia, which now has a black police chief, but also for equal pay for black employees and equal facilities for black patients in the state's mental hospitals; and

Whereas, during the era of lunch counter sit-ins and demonstrations, he paid the bonds for jailed students who participated in these activities; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams was one of the first blacks since Reconstruction to run for public office in the Southeast by seeking a seat on the Columbia City Council in 1950 and in the state legislature in 1954; and

Whereas, although unsuccessful, he encouraged political involvement among other blacks; and

Whereas, he was a life member of the NAACP, serving as president of the Columbia branch for eight years and vice president for fourteen years; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams was very active in Zion Baptist Church as a trustee for forty-four years and where he donated the lettering for the church name in memory of his parents; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams leaves his wife and family of two children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren; and

Whereas, Mr. Williams' death is a great loss to the community. Now, therefore,

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

That the members of the General Assembly express sympathy to family of A. P. Williams, Jr., of Columbia.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to his widow, Peggy Tucker Williams.