South Carolina General Assembly
123rd Session, 2019-2020

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Bill 818


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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE PORTION OF UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 178 FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE ORANGEBURG/DORCHESTER COUNTY LINE TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 15 "COUNCILMAN WILLIE RICHARD DAVIS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS ALONG THIS PORTION OF HIGHWAY CONTAINING THESE WORDS.

Whereas, Councilman Willie Richard Davis was born on July 11, 1950, to the late Willie Summers and Idella Simmons. He later was adopted by the late Cranston and Alice Pinckney. A humble and courageous man, he peacefully slipped away on July 26, 2018; and

Whereas, Mr. Davis grew up in the St. Mark community in St. George where he was an honor graduate of Williams Memorial High School, senior class president, a school bus driver, member of the year book staff, and a member of the Future Farmers of America. He was a 1972 graduate of Claflin University, and earned a master's degree from South Carolina State University; and

Whereas, Mr. Davis enjoyed a nearly forty-year career as an educator in Colleton County where he served as teacher, mentor, and administrator. He was a cofounder of the Institute for Adolescent Male Responsibility, and received special recognition from then Governor Jim Hodges for having the best Safe and Drug Free Schools Program in the State of South Carolina; and

Whereas, as president of the St. George branch of the NAACP from 1997 until his death, Mr. Davis was instrumental in providing area youth with scholarships to attend college. He also established the Martin Luther King, Jr., parade; and

Whereas, Mr. Davis' roots ran deep in the community: he was president of the Community Development Corporation, executive director of the Rosenwald School Renovation Project in St. George, director of the Summer Feeding Program for Dorchester School District Four, and a Democratic Party supporter, making sure registered citizens had transportation to go to the polls to vote; and

Whereas, in 1991, Mr. Davis became the first African American elected to the Dorchester County Council. As a councilman, he promoted initiatives that included education, housing, and economic development, and served on a myriad of committees, among them the Dorchester County Audit Committee, Dorchester County Budget, Finance, and Purchasing Committee, Planning, Development and Building Committee, and Dorchester County Public Works, among others; and

Whereas, his lifelong commitment to Christ began as a child when he joined St. Mark United Methodist Church in St. George. He served faithfully as a Sunday school teacher, lay servant minister, member of the United Methodist men's choir, former finance secretary, and building fund captain. Mr. Davis also was a trustee for Shady Grove Camp Meeting, a member of Oakvilla Lodge No. 8, and a member of the Upper Dorchester chapter of Claflin University Alumni; and

Whereas, a devout family man, Mr. Davis cherished time spent with his devoted wife, Dr. Joyce W. Davis, their daughter, Jasmin W. Davis, son, Willie Bowman, and extended family and friends; and

Whereas, with a life well lived and a legacy of devotion to God, family, and his community, it is only fitting and proper that members of the South Carolina General Assembly honor Councilman Willie Richard Davis by naming a portion of highway in his memory. Now, therefore,

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

That members of the South Carolina General Assembly request the Department of Transportation name the portion of United States Highway 178 from its intersection with the Orangeburg/Dorchester County line to its intersection with United States Highway 15 "Councilman Willie Richard Davis Memorial Highway" and erect appropriate markers or signs along this portion of highway containing these words.

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

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