Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 32–Assemblymen Arberry, Anderson, Angle, Bache, Beers, Berman, Brower, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Cegavske, Chowning, Claborn, Collins, de Braga, Dini, Freeman, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Gustavson, Hettrick, Humke, Koivisto, Lee, Leslie, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, Mortenson, Neighbors, Nolan, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Parnell, Perkins, Price, Smith, Tiffany, Von Tobel and Williams

 

May 9, 2001

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Joint Sponsors: Senators Neal, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Coffin, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, O’Connell, O’Donnell, Porter, Raggio, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

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Read and Adopted

 

SUMMARY—Memorializes former Assemblyman and civil rights leader Woodrow Wilson. (BDR R‑83)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Memorializing former Assemblyman and civil rights leader Woodrow Wilson.

 

1-1     Whereas, The members of the Nevada Legislature were deeply

1-2  saddened by the death on December 25, 1999, of former Assemblyman

1-3  Woodrow Wilson; and

1-4     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson was born in Morton, Mississippi, on

1-5  August 28, 1915, and moved to Las Vegas in 1942; and

1-6     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson graduated from Piney Woods Junior

1-7  College in Mississippi in 1934, after working his way through school by

1-8  playing semiprofessional baseball; and

1-9     Whereas, After arriving in Las Vegas, Woodrow Wilson began

1-10  working for American Potash and Chemical Corporation, now Kerr-

1-11  McGee Chemical Corporation, and was employed there for 38 years,

1-12  retiring as a foreman; and

1-13     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson served as President of the Las Vegas

1-14  Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored

2-1  People and was appointed in 1957 to serve as Chairman of the Nevada

2-2  State Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; and

2-3     Whereas, In 1966, Woodrow Wilson was elected to the Assembly,

2-4  becoming the first African American to be elected to the Nevada

2-5  Legislature; and

2-6     Whereas, As a Legislator for three terms, Woodrow Wilson was

2-7  credited with pushing through the Nevada Fair Housing Law that outlawed

2-8  discriminatory practices in the sale of homes, and he helped pass

2-9  legislation that mandated fair employment practices, vocational education

2-10  and improved benefits for injured workers; and

2-11     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson served as Chairman of the Nevada Equal

2-12  Rights Commission and was a member of the Nevada State Commission

2-13  on Crime, Delinquency and Correction, Clark County Commission, Clark

2-14  County Economic Opportunity Board, Executive Board of the Boulder

2-15  Dam Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, Las Vegas Kiwanis Club and

2-16  Board of Trustees of the United Way of Clark County; and

2-17     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson was honored in 1971 as a Distinguished

2-18  Nevadan by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and in 1982, he received

2-19  the Jack of Hearts award, which recognizes outstanding service to the

2-20  Republican Party and the community; and

2-21     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson was the co-founder of the Westside

2-22  Federal Credit Union and worked as its treasurer-manager for 42 years,

2-23  remaining on its Board of Directors until his death; and

2-24     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson’s daughter JoAnn Conners paid tribute to

2-25  her father by describing him as “a civil rights leader, freedom fighter,

2-26  community leader, bank founder and equal rights organizer”; and

2-27     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson gained the admiration and respect of

2-28  Nevadans for his lifelong commitment to the protection of equal rights of

2-29  all Americans, regardless of color; and

2-30     Whereas, Woodrow Wilson is survived by his wife, Addie Mae, son,

2-31  Carl Wilson, daughters, JoAnn Conners, Rose Berry, Janice Murray,

2-32  Casandra Berry and Stephanie Lowery, all of Las Vegas, sister, Ollie

2-33  Savage of Hawthorne, California, brother, O’Dell Nicholes of Las Vegas,

2-34  and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; now, therefore, be it

2-35     Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the Senate

2-36  Concurring, That the members of the Nevada Legislature note the loss

2-37  of Assemblyman Woodrow Wilson with profound sorrow; and be it further

2-38     Resolved, That Woodrow Wilson will long be remembered as a man

2-39  who fought hard for equal justice for all and dedicated his life to helping

2-40  Blacks throughout the State of Nevada; and be it further

2-41     Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

2-42  a copy of this resolution to Woodrow Wilson’s loving wife, Addie Mae.

 

2-43  H