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2002 SESSION

021872460
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 233
Offered February 11, 2002
On the death of Dr. Jean Louise Harris.
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Patrons-- Marsh, Barry, Blevins, Bolling, Byrne, Chichester, Colgan, Deeds, Edwards, Hanger, Hawkins, Houck, Howell, Lambert, Lucas, Martin, Marye, Maxwell, Miller, K.G., Miller, Y.B., Mims, Newman, Norment, Potts, Puckett, Puller, Quayle, Rerras, Reynolds, Ruff, Saslaw, Stolle, Stosch, Ticer, Trumbo, Wagner, Wampler, Watkins, Whipple and Williams; Delegates: Baskerville, Bland, Christian, Crittenden, Jones, J.C., Miles, Sears and Spruill
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WHEREAS, Dr. Jean Louise Harris, a native daughter of the Commonwealth and a pioneer in medicine who broke the color and gender barriers during the time of the segregated South, died on December 14, 2001, in Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Harris was reared in Richmond, Virginia, by her parents, Dr. Vernon J. and Jean Pace Harris, who instilled in her that she could accomplish anything that she desired and worked diligently to achieve; and

WHEREAS, inspired by the care and concern rendered to patients and persons in the community by her father, a prominent Richmond dentist, Dr. Harris determined to devote her considerable gifts and talents to the practice of medicine; and

WHEREAS, she was educated in the Richmond City Public Schools and at Virginia Union University, and in 1951, before school segregation was found unconstitutional and before women began organizing for equal rights, Dr. Harris overcame the challenges posed by the social order and legal constraints of her day to become the first African-American to apply and be admitted into the independent Medical College of Virginia, now part of the Virginia Commonwealth University; and

WHEREAS, this groundbreaking achievement was recognized by Virginia Commonwealth University in 1993 with the establishment of the Jean Harris Scholars Program that supports undergraduate and graduate students in the medical school; and

WHEREAS, during Dr. Harris' distinguished career she served as Chief of the U.S. Bureau of Resources Development, as a consultant on health issues to the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the U.S. Agency on International Development and to the Congress during the Johnson and Nixon administrations, and she also held academic positions at Howard University and Johns Hopkins University; and

WHEREAS, after serving as executive director of the National Medical Association Foundation, Dr. Harris returned to Richmond where she became the first full-time African-American faculty member at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, in 1978, she was named Secretary of Health and Human Resources by Governor John Dalton, and during her tenure as Secretary, Dr. Harris co-chaired President Carter's Task Force on Alcoholism and Alcoholic Disorders, and was appointed by President Reagan to the Task Force on Private Sector Initiatives; and

WHEREAS, following her distinguished service in state and federal government, Dr. Harris relocated to Minnesota where she served as vice president and health lobbyist for Control Data Corporation, was appointed to numerous state task forces on government reform and health care in Minnesota before developing and leading a medical research foundation for the St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Harris was director of medical affairs at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic, served on the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, was an active participant in the U.S. Conference of Mayors, was the first African-American candidate for statewide office in Minnesota, and at the time of her death, was the mayor of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, the fastest growing suburban area in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area; and

WHEREAS, despite having to overcome racial and gender barriers and despite an extraordinarily busy professional life, Dr. Harris gave unselfishly of her time and talents to several civic and community boards and organizations to be “a positive influence for others”; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with sadness the passing of an exceptional Virginian, Dr. Jean Louise Harris; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Dr. Jean Louise Harris as an expression of the esteem in which her memory is held by the members of the General Assembly.