South Carolina General Assembly
124th Session, 2021-2022

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H. 3912

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Garvin, Dillard, King, Simrill, B. Newton and Huggins
Document Path: l:\council\bills\lk\9021cm21.docx

Introduced in the House on February 18, 2021
Adopted by the House on February 18, 2021

Summary: House Resolution recognizing Winthrop University Alumnae Cynthia Plair Roddey

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   2/18/2021  House   Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 55)

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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/18/2021

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR DR. CYNTHIA PLAIR RODDEY, MEMBER OF THE WINTHROP UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 1967, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER FOR BEING SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE WINTHROP UNIVERSITY ALUMNI DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD AS THE UNIVERSITY CELEBRATED FIFTY YEARS OF RACIAL INTEGRATION.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that Dr. Cynthia Plair Roddey has been honored by Winthrop University with the Alumni Distinguished Service Award; and

Whereas, the Alumni Distinguished Service Award recognizes Winthrop alumni who significantly contribute to the quality of life in their community, the development of values and morals within others, and who serve as outstanding citizens. Cynthia Plair Roddey is one of four alumnae who were the 2017 recipients of this award; and

Whereas, Dr. Roddey, a native of Rock Hill, was Winthrop's first African American woman to enroll as a graduate student. Seeking admittance to Winthrop in the summer of 1964, she already held two bachelor's degrees from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C. She was joined that fall by two other African American women, Delores Johnson of Columbia and Arnetta Gladden of Rock Hill, and in the spring of 1965, they all were joined by Sue Frances Meriwether, who transferred from Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State University, now known as Tennessee State University, in Nashville. The latter three women all sought and earned undergraduate degrees; and

Whereas, Dr. Roddey was a married teacher with two young sons at the time of her enrollment. With a dedicated work ethic, however, she still managed to graduate from the program in 1967. In 1990, she again furthered her education, earning a Doctorate of Ministry with an emphasis in church administration; and

Whereas, throughout the course of her working career, Dr. Roddey spent fifty-five years as an educator from Head Start to the collegiate level before retiring in April of 2017. During its Fall Convocation, Clinton College recognized her for twenty-three years of diligent and dedicated service. During her time there, she was a professor, college librarian, director of Information Services, head of faculty, chair of the English Department, and head of the Community Technology Outreach to senior citizens. She's a lifetime member of the National Teachers Association and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and has been the recipient of numerous educational and community awards; and

Whereas, Dr. Cynthia Plair Roddey's legacy lives on at her alma mater where she was a member of the first Black Alumni Advisory Committee. As a former advisor to Xi Beta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the chapter continues to sponsor a scholarship bearing her name. She also shares in the honor of a university scholarship named for her, Delores Johnson Hurt, Arnetta Gladden Mackey, and Sue Frances Meriwether Steed, the three other African American women who enrolled in 1964. In addition to all the aforementioned honors, the Roddey-McMillan Record, a monthly multicultural student newspaper, also carries her name.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives values the tremendous burden Dr. Cynthia Plair Roddey undertook in becoming the first African American graduate student to enroll at Winthrop University during an uncertain period of racial integration in both South Carolina and the nation's public school system. Her bravery and sacrifice have contributed in immeasurable ways to today's academic environment and serve to inspire all those who follow in her footsteps. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Dr. Cynthia Plair Roddey, member of the Winthrop University Class of 1967, and congratulate her for being selected to receive the Winthrop University Alumni Distinguished Service Award as the university celebrated fifty years of racial integration.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Cynthia Plair Roddey.

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This web page was last updated on February 19, 2021 at 11:17 AM