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2006 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 348
Commending Marie G. Young.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 24, 2006
Agreed to by the Senate, March 2, 2006

 

WHEREAS, Marie G. Young, one of the founding members of the Women of Virginia's Third Force, a voter registration group founded in 1960, is honored for her lifelong dedication to civil rights and her role in the elimination of the poll tax; and

WHEREAS, along with the group's president, the late Evelyn Butts, Marie Young helped Norfolk's citizens register to vote, taught them how to vote, and transported them to the polls so that they could vote; and

WHEREAS, Evelyn Butts earned acclaim as the plaintiff in the court case that ultimately led to the Supreme Court decision on March 24, 1966, that eliminated the state poll tax; and

WHEREAS, one of two surviving members of the Women of Virginia's Third Force, Marie Young continues to encourage voter registration by advising elderly and disabled voters of available voter assistance programs; and

WHEREAS, Marie Young has long been active in the civil rights movement, leading protests and picketing against a Norfolk grocery chain that failed to employ African Americans despite its presence in African-American neighborhoods, against the Washington Redskins when the team had no African-American players, and against the Norfolk Public Schools to convince them to end segregation; and

WHEREAS, Marie Young also appealed to the Catholic Church hierarchy to end segregation at DePaul Hospital; and

WHEREAS, Marie Young has been active in her community as a former volunteer with the Norview Recreation Community Center, as a member of the Post Office Advisory Board and the Coronado Inglenook Civic League, and as a valued advisor to lower income residents who need help with federal, state, and local assistance programs; and

WHEREAS, March 24, 2006, marks the 40th anniversary of the end of the poll tax in Virginia and it is fitting to honor the lifetime achievements and commitment to justice of a dedicated Virginian, Marie G. Young; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Marie G. Young for her contributions to the demise of the poll tax and for her numerous achievements on behalf of her fellow citizens; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Marie G. Young as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration, gratitude, and best wishes.