HomeMy WebLinkAbout14469 1 RESOLUTION NO. 14,469
2
3 A RESOLUTION TO ASK THE LITTLE ROCK DELEGATION TO THE
4 91s' ARKANSAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO SPONSOR LEGISLATION
5 TO REPEAL THE REFERENCE TO A JANUARY HOLIDAY IN HONOR
6 OF THE BIRTHDAY OF ROBERT E. LEE SO IT WILL BE
7 EXCLUSIVELY IN HONOR OF THE BIRTHDAY OF THE REVEREND
8 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING,JR.; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
9
10 WHEREAS,pursuant to Ark.Code Ann. § 1-5-101 (a)(2)states that the third Monday in January shall
11 be celebrated as the birthday of Robert E. Lee, one of the Generals in charge of the Army of Northern
12 Virginia during the American Civil War, and as the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
13 a central force in the American Civil Rights Movement; and,
14 WHEREAS, pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 14-43-601 (a) (1) (G), the setting of State Holidays is a
15 matter of State concern that cannot be changed or modified by a local ordinance; and,
16 WHEREAS,as the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Dr. King was a voice
17 of moral authority and the ability to achieve change through non-violent means,and in this capacity had an
18 important role in many of the major civil rights movements in the 1960's, including, but not limited to: the
19 Albany Movement; the Montgomery Bus Boycott; and return marches to the Edmond Pettus Bridge in
20 Selma, Alabama, to promote the right to vote and the development of a strategy to unite voices and point
21 out to all Amercians the need for significant civil rights legislation, and has a left a legacy which still
22 flourishes today; and,
23 WHEREAS,as a result of this work, he received a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts; and,
24 WHEREAS,the celebration of his birthday as a State and National Holiday, in and of itself and for no
25 other purpose,is an appropriate step towards achievement of the day freedom is allowed to ring"from every
26 village and every hamlet, from every state and every city..."; and,
27 WHEREAS, it has been too long in Arkansas that a holiday to celebrate just his birthday has not been
28 in place; and,
29 WHEREAS,because the basis for a State Holiday is something that can only be changed by an Act of
30 the General Assembly;
31 NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CITY
32 OF LITTLE ROCK,ARKANSAS:
33 Section 1. The Mayor and Members of the Board of Directors of the City of Little Rock, Arkansas,
34 respectfully request that the Little Rock delegation to the 91" Arkansas General Assembly introduce and
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1 pursue to adopt legislation that refers only to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr., for a holiday in January
2 to commemorate his birthday.
3 Section 2. The Mayor and City Clerk as directed to send copies of this resolution to the members of
4 the Little Rock delegation to the 91s'General Assembly.
5 Section 4. Severability. In the event any title, section, paragraph, item, sentence, clause, phrase, or
6 word of this resolution is declared or adjudged to be invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration or
7 adjudication shall not affect the remaining portions of the resolution which shall remain in full force and
8 effect as if the portion so declared or adjudged invalid or unconstitutional were not originally a part of the
9 resolution.
10 Section 5. Repealer. All laws, ordinances, resolutions,or parts of the same,that are inconsistent with
11 the provisions of this resolution,are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
12 ADOPTED: December 6,2016
13 ATTEST: APPROVED:
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15
2nL UlX �/ /1t
16 Toya 1Vobinson,Duty City Clerk Mark Stodola,Mayor
17 APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
18 6.440k.„
19 ,�
20 Thomas M. Carpenter,City Attor/ey b
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