| 1 | 1 | | 88R4700 AMB-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hughes S.R. No. 4 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Marshall community lost a beloved educator, |
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| 7 | 7 | | trailblazing civic leader, and friend to many with the passing of |
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| 8 | 8 | | former city commissioner Willie Jean Birmingham on October 23, |
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| 9 | 9 | | 2022, at the age of 93; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Born to Willie and Edna Perry in Coldspring on |
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| 11 | 11 | | January 3, 1929, the former Jean Perry grew up with five siblings, |
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| 12 | 12 | | Douglass, Dolphus, Altha, Mervin, and Ervin; she began her |
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| 13 | 13 | | education at the age of three in a one-room school built after |
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| 14 | 14 | | Emancipation; because there was no local high school for Black |
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| 15 | 15 | | children, she attended Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston, |
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| 16 | 16 | | graduating as valedictorian at the age of 15; she went on to |
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| 17 | 17 | | graduate magna cum laude from Prairie View A&M University; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, She wed her college sweetheart, Edwin Locke, and |
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| 19 | 19 | | they became the parents of a son, Gene; tragically widowed at 18, |
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| 20 | 20 | | she soldiered on, beginning her teaching career in Goodrich and |
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| 21 | 21 | | earning her master's degree at Prairie View; she was fortunate to |
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| 22 | 22 | | find love a second time with Roy Marshall, and their marriage was |
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| 23 | 23 | | blessed with a daughter, Rhonda; in 1952, they settled in Marshall, |
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| 24 | 24 | | where she began teaching business at Pemberton High School; she |
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| 25 | 25 | | transferred to the newly desegregated Marshall High School in 1970; |
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| 26 | 26 | | over the course of four decades, she gave countless students the |
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| 27 | 27 | | confidence to reach their full potential and mentored many younger |
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| 28 | 28 | | educators; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, With her marriage to Samuel Birmingham, she gained |
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| 30 | 30 | | two more daughters, Janice and Cheryl; the couple owned |
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| 31 | 31 | | Birmingham's Barbecue and Birmingham's Department Store, and they |
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| 32 | 32 | | were very active in the business community; after assisting her |
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| 33 | 33 | | husband in his successful campaigns to become Marshall's first |
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| 34 | 34 | | Black city commissioner and first Black mayor, Mrs. Birmingham |
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| 35 | 35 | | became the first Black woman elected to the city commission; she |
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| 36 | 36 | | represented District 1 with skill and dedication for 14 years, |
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| 37 | 37 | | working tirelessly in behalf of her fellow citizens; her sweet |
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| 38 | 38 | | nature and warm smile endeared her to all, and her contributions |
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| 39 | 39 | | fostered an atmosphere of positive change, helping to bridge |
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| 40 | 40 | | divides in the community; and |
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| 41 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Over the years, Mrs. Birmingham served in numerous |
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| 42 | 42 | | leadership roles, including president of the Harrison County |
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| 43 | 43 | | Historical Museum board and member of the State Commission on |
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| 44 | 44 | | Judicial Conduct and the Harrison County Historical Commission; she |
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| 45 | 45 | | was instrumental in securing Marshall's designation as an |
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| 46 | 46 | | All-America City and gave generously of her time and talents to such |
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| 47 | 47 | | organizations as the Marshall NAACP, Greater Marshall Chamber of |
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| 48 | 48 | | Commerce, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and League of Women Voters; |
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| 49 | 49 | | among numerous accolades, she received the East Texas Baptist |
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| 50 | 50 | | University Sam B. Hall Jr. Civic Service Award and the Harrison |
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| 51 | 51 | | County Historical Commission Award of Merit; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. Birmingham was a treasured member of Galilee |
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| 53 | 53 | | Missionary Baptist Church; she served as Sunday school |
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| 54 | 54 | | superintendent, and fellow congregants often went to her for wise |
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| 55 | 55 | | advice; in her last years, when health concerns prompted a move to |
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| 56 | 56 | | Houston, she joined her son and his wife at Wheeler Avenue Baptist |
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| 57 | 57 | | Church; she loved taking part in Bible study and attended virtual |
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| 58 | 58 | | services faithfully during the pandemic; above all, she was devoted |
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| 59 | 59 | | to her family, which grew to include 11 grandchildren, who called |
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| 60 | 60 | | her "Precious," and many great-grandchildren and |
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| 61 | 61 | | great-great-grandchildren; and |
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| 62 | 62 | | WHEREAS, The life of Jean Birmingham stands as an inspiring |
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| 63 | 63 | | example of joyful service to others, and she will always be |
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| 64 | 64 | | remembered with deep admiration and great affection by all who were |
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| 65 | 65 | | fortunate enough to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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| 66 | 66 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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| 67 | 67 | | hereby pay tribute to the memory of Willie Jean Birmingham and |
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| 68 | 68 | | extend sincere sympathy to all who mourn her passing; and, be it |
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| 69 | 69 | | further |
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| 70 | 70 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 71 | 71 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns this |
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| 72 | 72 | | day, it do so in memory of Jean Birmingham. |
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