Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 32–Assemblymen Arberry, Anderson, Angle, Bache, Beers, Berman, Brower, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Cegavske, Chowning, Claborn, Collins, de Braga, Dini, Freeman, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Gustavson, Hettrick, Humke, Koivisto, Lee, Leslie, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, Mortenson, Neighbors, Nolan, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Parnell, Perkins, Price, Smith, Tiffany, Von Tobel and Williams

 

Joint Sponsors: Senators Neal, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Coffin, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, O’Connell, O’Donnell, Porter, Raggio, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

 

FILE NUMBER..........

 

Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Memorializing former Assemblyman and civil rights leader Woodrow Wilson.

 

   Whereas, The members of the Nevada Legislature were deeply

saddened by the death on December 25, 1999, of former Assemblyman

Woodrow Wilson; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson was born in Morton, Mississippi, on

August 28, 1915, and moved to Las Vegas in 1942; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson graduated from Piney Woods Junior

College in Mississippi in 1934, after working his way through school by

playing semiprofessional baseball; and

   Whereas, After arriving in Las Vegas, Woodrow Wilson began

working for American Potash and Chemical Corporation, now Kerr-

McGee Chemical Corporation, and was employed there for 38 years,

retiring as a foreman; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson served as President of the Las Vegas

Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored

People and was appointed in 1957 to serve as Chairman of the Nevada

State Advisory Committee for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; and

   Whereas, In 1966, Woodrow Wilson was elected to the Assembly,

becoming the first African American to be elected to the Nevada

Legislature; and

   Whereas, As a Legislator for three terms, Woodrow Wilson was

credited with pushing through the Nevada Fair Housing Law that outlawed

discriminatory practices in the sale of homes, and he helped pass

legislation that mandated fair employment practices, vocational education

and improved benefits for injured workers; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson served as Chairman of the Nevada Equal

Rights Commission and was a member of the Nevada State Commission

on Crime, Delinquency and Correction, Clark County Commission, Clark

County Economic Opportunity Board, Executive Board of the Boulder

Dam Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, Las Vegas Kiwanis Club and

Board of Trustees of the United Way of Clark County; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson was honored in 1971 as a Distinguished

Nevadan by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and in 1982, he received

the Jack of Hearts award, which recognizes outstanding service to the

Republican Party and the community; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson was the co-founder of the Westside

Federal Credit Union and worked as its treasurer-manager for 42 years,

remaining on its Board of Directors until his death; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson’s daughter JoAnn Conners paid tribute to

her father by describing him as “a civil rights leader, freedom fighter,

community leader, bank founder and equal rights organizer”; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson gained the admiration and respect of

Nevadans for his lifelong commitment to the protection of equal rights of

all Americans, regardless of color; and

   Whereas, Woodrow Wilson is survived by his wife, Addie Mae, son,

Carl Wilson, daughters, JoAnn Conners, Rose Berry, Janice Murray,

Casandra Berry and Stephanie Lowery, all of Las Vegas, sister, Ollie

Savage of Hawthorne, California, brother, O’Dell Nicholes of Las Vegas,

and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; now, therefore, be it

   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the Senate

Concurring, That the members of the Nevada Legislature note the loss

of Assemblyman Woodrow Wilson with profound sorrow; and be it further

   Resolved, That Woodrow Wilson will long be remembered as a man

who fought hard for equal justice for all and dedicated his life to helping

Blacks throughout the State of Nevada; and be it further

   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

a copy of this resolution to Woodrow Wilson’s loving wife, Addie Mae.

 

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