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1997 SESSION

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973560188
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 709 Offered January 28, 1997 On the death of Ruth Brown Blair. ----------
Patrons-- Cunningham, Cantor, Christian, Crittenden, Hall, Jones, D.C., Jones, J.C., Lovelace, McEachin, Melvin, Rhodes, Robinson and Spruill; Senators: Benedetti, Lambert, Lucas, Marsh, Maxwell and Miller, Y.B.
---------- Consent to introduce ----------

WHEREAS, Ruth Brown Blair died on December 12, 1996; and

WHEREAS, born in Portsmouth, Ruth Blair was Richmond's first black female police officer, sworn in as a Richmond officer December 15, 1949; and

WHEREAS, Ruth Blair, like other female officers of that time, became a detective in the juvenile division of the police department, earning commendations for her work with runaway and delinquent youth; and

WHEREAS, in 1963, Ruth Blair joined with the 19 other black officers to fight racial discrimination by the police department and helped end such policies as transporting black female prisoners in paddy wagons with male prisoners while white female prisoners were transported in squad cars; and

WHEREAS, Ruth Blair was also instrumental in overturning police policies which assigned black officers only to cases in black communities; and

WHEREAS, after resigning from the police department in 1966, Ruth Blair continued her work with Richmond's youth, first at John F. Kennedy High School, then as a youth counselor for the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and finally as a guidance counselor at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College until her retirement in 1987; and

WHEREAS, Ruth Blair demonstrated a lifelong commitment to justice, equal opportunity, and civic responsibility; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of Ruth Brown Blair and extend its sympathy to her family and many friends; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Ruth Brown Blair as an expression of the esteem in which her memory is held by the General Assembly and the people of Virginia.