09 LC 94
0195
House
Resolution 108
By:
Representative Brooks of the
63rd
A
RESOLUTION
Recognizing
and commending Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth has led the life of a dynamic trailblazer and
serves as a civil rights icon; and
WHEREAS,
Reverend Shuttlesworth was born in Montgomery County, Alabama, in 1922 and grew
up in rural Oxmoor, Alabama; and
WHEREAS,
at the age of 23, Reverend Shuttlesworth accepted his calling and began
preaching in the Alabama towns of Mobile, Selma, and Montgomery, accepting a
pastoral position at Birmingham's Bethel Baptist Church in 1952;
and
WHEREAS,
after spending some time in Birmingham, Reverend Shuttlesworth realized his true
purpose was to not only preach the word of God, but to lead by example against
the evil of prejudice; and
WHEREAS,
Reverend Shuttlesworth endured legal action, acts of violence against him, and
threats to the safety and lives of his family and himself in order to stand up
against racial prejudice and inspire others; and
WHEREAS,
considered by many historians to be one of the three most influential leaders in
the civil rights movement, alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Reverend
Ralph Abernathy, Reverend Shuttlesworth helped desegregate buses, restaurants,
and schools; and
WHEREAS,
throughout his lifetime, Reverend Shuttlesworth has been a driving force for
change, founding such organizations as the Alabama Christian Movement for Human
Rights and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute; and
WHEREAS,
Reverend Shuttlesworth's sacrifice and fortitude were honored with his receipt
of the Presidential Medal of Honor in 2001 for his lifetime of service;
and
WHEREAS,
Reverend Shuttlesworth now serves as Pastor Emeritus of the Greater New Light
Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, after retiring after 40 years of dedicated
service as Senior Pastor of the church in 2006.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body commend Reverend Fred L. Shuttlesworth for his unparalleled sacrifice
and dedication to the civil rights movement and his commitment to equal rights
for all.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Reverend Fred
L. Shuttlesworth.