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First Extraordinary Session, 2011 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 17
BY SENATOR MURRAY
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
passing of civil rights activist, Henry Hubbard of New Orleans, Louisiana, a stalwart
veteran of the Modern Civil Rights Movement.
WHEREAS, it is a privilege to honor the memory of Henry Hubbard whose life was
dedicated to the betterment of all mankind by his exceptional contributions as a community
leader and active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP) and the Southern Organization for Unified Leadership (SOUL), a former
Ninth Ward political action organization; and
WHEREAS, Henry Hubbard was an extraordinary individual of profound moral
character, a self-taught scholar, and a pioneer for a cause that he knew to be just and
righteous, the concept that all human beings were to be afforded equal protection before the
law; and
WHEREAS, he was, first and foremost, a man of God and a member of the St. Mark
Missionary Baptist Church; his Christian faith gave him strength of purpose to remain
steadfast in his beliefs and to help others; and
WHEREAS, as an advocate for change in the early days of the civil rights movement,
Henry Hubbard would not be deterred by threats of bodily harm as he went door-to-door
encouraging others to exercise their constitutional right to register and vote; and
WHEREAS, he was born of humble beginnings in 1919, to parents, Adolph Hubbard
and Melinda Price Hubbard; and
WHEREAS, Henry Hubbard served his country with distinction when called to
military duty, attaining the rank of sergeant in the United States Army and serving in both
World War II and the Korean Conflict; and
WHEREAS, Henry Hubbard was employed as a freight handler for the Illinois
Central Railroad for thirty-six years; and SR NO. 17 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, during retirement he kept busy, working as a handyman within his
neighborhood, helping out at church, offering sage advice, and showing concern for his
fellow man; and
WHEREAS, he was married for fifty-six years to the late Thelma Reason Hubbard
and their union was blessed with a son, Don Hubbard, precious grandchildren, great-
grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, fond friends, and extended family; and
WHEREAS, Henry Hubbard shall long be celebrated and remembered for his legacy
of activism in defiance of long-standing segregation laws in housing and educational
opportunities and his tireless challenges to defeat the social, economic, and legal oppression
of racial discrimination; and
WHEREAS, Henry Hubbard was a pillar of the community, an eloquent, charming
man filled with great kindness, known as Mr. Henry or "Dadie" to all of his family and
friends; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Henry Hubbard remains an inspirational figure for us all, for his
advocacy for "the cause" resonates within the hearts and minds of all of us who seek change
for the disenfranchised; and
WHEREAS, he has found his place in the firmament with his Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ, and with all the great activists who have gone before him, both well-known and
unknown.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby express heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of civil rights activist
and community leader, Henry Hubbard.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
hereby recognize the lifetime of devotion to racial equality that Henry Hubbard has wrought;
for he made the world a more humane and compassionate place in which to live and his
devotion to the civil rights movement reminds us of how far we all have come.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
son, Don Hubbard.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE