SLS 17RS-483 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 22
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Clifton Lemelle Sr. for induction into the St. Landry
Parish Democratic Party Hall of Fame.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend and congratulate Clifton Louis Lemelle Sr. upon the occasion of being named
3 to the St. Landry Parish Democratic Party Hall of Fame.
4 WHEREAS, Clifton Louis Lemelle Sr. was born in Iota, Louisiana, to the late Joseph
5 and Elena Lemelle on September 7, 1935, was educated in the public schools of Eunice, and
6 graduated from Charles Drew High School in 1955; and
7 WHEREAS, Mr. Lemelle received his bachelor's degree from Grambling State
8 University in education and his master's degree and thirty additional graduate level classes
9 from Southern University; and
10 WHEREAS, Clifton Lemelle Sr. devoted thirty-six years of his life to the education
11 and the nurturing of the boys and girls of St. Landry Parish as a teacher, coach, and
12 administrator; and
13 WHEREAS, Mr. Lemelle strives to embody his personal philosophy that states,
14 "Strong faith and integrity will enable one to meet the challenges of serving humanity", and
15 he leads by example, modeling this philosophy in his teaching career and his life in St.
16 Landry Parish; and
17 WHEREAS, Clifton Lemelle Sr. has lead a wide range of organizations throughout
18 his public life in St. Landry Parish and the Acadiana region, including: president of Child
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SLS 17RS-483 ORIGINAL
1 Development Council of Acadiana, president of St. Landry Head Start program, president
2 of Iota Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity in Opelousas, executive secretary of the St.
3 Landry Parish Federal Credit Union, founder of St. Landry Parish Education Association,
4 past president of Black Men Make a Difference in Eunice, past commander of St. Landry
5 Bi-Racial Committee, and commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3786 and the
6 Seventh district; and
7 WHEREAS, Clifton Lemelle Sr. is the second and longest serving president of the
8 J. K. Haynes Foundation Legal Defense Fund, Inc. and Education Division, an entity that
9 works to champion the civil rights of individuals and groups primarily in St. Landry Parish;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, Mr. Lemelle has held membership in many civic, civil rights, and
12 military organizations, including the Veterans' of Foreign Wars Post 3786, past member of
13 the Louisiana State Commission on the Education of Student Drop-outs, and past member
14 of the Louisiana State Commission on Teacher Certification and Evaluation; and
15 WHEREAS, Clifton Lemelle Sr. has received numerous awards and commendations,
16 including: St. Landry Parish School Board award for distinguished service, the Martin
17 Luther King Jr. Award presented by the city of Eunice by proclamation on "Clifton Lemelle
18 Day" in March, 2003, African American Hall of Fame inductee, and the St. Landry branch
19 of NAUW's award for "Leading the Struggle against Racism"; and
20 WHEREAS, Clifton Lemelle Sr. has spoken to various organizations and educational
21 institutions across the state and the nation, and has conducted educational seminars on school
22 desegregation, racism in the workplace, and affirmative action; and
23 WHEREAS, true to his mission of serving his fellow man, Clifton Lemelle continues
24 to mentor young educators, youth of the community, and civil rights activists throughout
25 Louisiana always remaining true to his personal philosophy that "strong faith and integrity
26 will enable one to meet the challenges of serving humanity"; a mantra that Clifton Lemelle
27 has proven everyday to the people of St. Landry Parish and beyond; and
28 WHEREAS, Clifton Lemelle Sr. who was entrusted with the sacred flame of striving
29 for truth and justice in education, has honored that trust by keeping that flame burning
30 brightly through tumultuous times and has served his community, parish, state, and nation
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1 with a strong faith and unwavering integrity; and
2 WHEREAS, the St. Landry Democratic Parish Executive Committee annually names
3 persons of high ethical and moral character who have promoted the principles of
4 constitutional equality, personal liberty, economic opportunity, and government and fiscal
5 responsibility whose impact has positively influenced in the entire parish and the state; and
6 WHEREAS, the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, who is then considered to
7 be a member of the St. Landry Democratic Party Hall of Fame, is also a person who
8 recognizes and respects the diversity of all Americans and promotes the common unity of
9 all, leading his political party and displaying strong leadership throughout his career; and
10 WHEREAS, Clifton Lemelle Sr. has demonstrated a devotion to all of these
11 principles of the St. Landry Democratic Party with a lifetime of efforts in the education and
12 legal arenas championing these principles that are so essential to the ideals of American
13 democracy.
14 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
15 does hereby commend and congratulate Clifton Louis Lemelle Sr. upon the occasion of
16 being named to the St. Landry Parish Democratic Party Hall of Fame.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
18 Clifton Louis Lemelle Sr.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
SR 22 Original 2017 Regular Session Boudreaux
Commends Clifton Louis Lemelle Sr. upon the occasion of being named to the St. Landry
Parish Democratic Party Hall of Fame.
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