Georgia CommonsHR 1553: Toliver, Ms. Pearlie; life, leadership, and enduring contributions; role in advancing civil rights, community development, economic empowerment, and leadership in the Macon-Bibb region; commend
Last action March 3, 2026 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution formally commends Pearlie Toliver of Macon for her role in integrating Mercer University and Macon-Bibb schools and for her decades of civic and banking leadership.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This is a commendation resolution passed by the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Ms. Pearlie Toliver of the Macon-Bibb region. It recounts her history as one of the first Black female students to help integrate Mercer University in 1965 and her earlier role helping integrate public schools in Macon-Bibb County. It also details her 37-year career in retail banking and mortgage lending, including work reinvesting in Macon neighborhoods, and her service on boards such as the Macon Housing Authority and the Georgia Student Finance Commission. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally states the House's recognition of her contributions and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Ms. Toliver.
What the bill does
- Formally commends Ms. Pearlie Toliver for her life of service and civil rights contributions, with no changes to Georgia law.
- Recounts her history integrating Mercer University in 1965 and Macon-Bibb County public schools before that.
- Documents her 37-year banking career and community reinvestment work in Macon neighborhoods.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Ms. Toliver.
Who it affects
This resolution directly names and honors Ms. Pearlie Toliver. It also references Mercer University, Macon-Bibb County public schools, the Macon Housing Authority, and several civic and banking organizations she was involved with, but creates no obligations for them.
Why it matters
The resolution has no legal or regulatory effect; it is a symbolic honor. Its significance lies in publicly recording Ms. Toliver's role in desegregation history and community development in the Macon-Bibb region as part of the official record of the Georgia House.
Key provisions
- The whereas clauses detail Ms. Toliver's role integrating Mercer University in 1965 and Macon-Bibb County public schools before that.
- The whereas clauses describe her 37-year banking career, including service as vice president for Branch Banking and Trust Co.
- The whereas clauses list her civic leadership roles, including chairing the Macon Housing Authority board and serving on the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
- The resolving clause formally commends Ms. Toliver for her service and contributions to the Macon-Bibb region.
- The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to Ms. Toliver.
From the bill
“the members of this body commend Ms. Pearlie Toliver for her extraordinary life of service, her role in advancing civil rights and educational access, and her lasting contributions to the economic and social fabric of the Macon-Bibb region”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
- Anissa Jones (D, HD-143)
- Miriam Paris (D, HD-142)
Topics
- civil rights history
- Macon-Bibb County
- Mercer University
- community leadership
- House commendation resolution