2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 151
BY SENATORS PETERSON, ALARIO, ALLAIN, APPEL, BARROW, BISHOP,
BOUDREAUX, CARTER, CHABERT, CLAITOR, COLOMB,
CORTEZ, DONAHUE, ERDEY, FANNIN, GATTI, HENSGENS,
HEWITT, JOHNS, LAFLEUR, LAMBERT, LONG, LUNEAU,
MARTINY, MILKOVICH, MILLS, MIZELL, MORRELL, MORRISH,
PEACOCK, PRICE, RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH, TARVER,
THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHITE
A RESOLUTION
To celebrate the life memories of Kenneth Rene Michael Carter.
WHEREAS, the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana greatly honors and
commemorates the life of Kenneth Rene Michael Carter who, at the age of seventy-four,
passed away on August 3, 2018; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Carter was born on July 22, 1944, in New Orleans, Louisiana,
to Richmond Sr. and Catherine "Kate" Carter; and
WHEREAS, he attended Saint Monica Elementary School and distinguished himself
early in life as a promising basketball player, thus earning basketball scholarships to Xavier
Preparatory High School and Loyola University where he was one of the first five African-
American students admitted to its undergraduate program in 1962; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Carter ultimately graduated from the University of New
Orleans having earned his bachelor's degree in political science in 1976 and his Juris Doctor
from Loyola University in 1978; and
WHEREAS, he began his legal career at Herman, Herman and Katz Law Firm, then
opened his own law firm, Carter and Cates, while becoming a renowned attorney; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Carter, a trailblazer, was a man of many firsts; he was the first
African-American elected assessor in the state of Louisiana, serving from 1985 until 1994,
and the first African-American president of the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association; he
founded the Black Organization of Leadership Development (BOLD), and served as a board
member and leader of the Dryades Street YMCA which served Central City youth and their
families; and
Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 151 ENROLLED
WHEREAS, he served as the first president of the Freret Street Development
Corporation and as chair of the New Orleans Alcoholic Beverage Control Board; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Carter was a leader in the historic National Tobacco Litigation
Settlement, which successfully reformed the tobacco industry and redefined multidistrict
litigation; and
WHEREAS, he was a member of the first and oldest African-American greek-letter
fraternal organization known as Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, the "Boule"; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth and his beloved wife of fifty-three years, Gwendolyn "Gigi"
Carter, have three daughters: Tara Hernandez, Karen Carter-Peterson, and Eileen Carter; and
WHEREAS, in May 2015, his daughter, Senator Peterson, along with other state
senators, presented the couple with a resolution honoring their golden anniversary as they
celebrated fifty years of marriage; and
WHEREAS, he leaves behind his wife, three daughters, three grandchildren, two
brothers, and one sister; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Carter was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, trailblazer
and exceptional statesman who leaves behind many wonderful memories that will be
treasured and celebrated forever by his family and countless friends.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby honor and commemorate the life of Kenneth Rene Michael Carter.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
daughter, Senator Karen Carter-Peterson.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2