House Resolution 1711
By: Representatives McClain of the 109th, Williams of the 168th, Mitchell of the 88th, Glaize
of the 67th, and Berry of the 56th
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the life and memory of Reverend Fred C. Bennette, Jr.; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens
with the passing of Civil Rights leader Reverend Fred C. Bennette, Jr.; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Bennette, was born on December 2, 1928, in Atlanta, Georgia, a
beloved son of Annie Mae McDowell Bennette and Columbus Bennette, Sr.; and
WHEREAS, he served as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty with the United
States Army, valiantly and courageously protecting his fellow Americans; and
WHEREAS, following his military service, Reverend Bennette attended Morris Brown
College and the Turner Theological Seminary at Morris Brown College; and
WHEREAS, in 1960, after meeting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and becoming close friends
with his brother, Reverend Bennette became a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement; and
WHEREAS, that year, he was a key organizer for the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference as well as a staff coordinator for the successful sit-in campaign to desegregate
Rich's Department Store; and
WHEREAS, from 1961 to 1964, Reverend Bennette served as the director of the All Citizens
Committee for Voter Registration and deputy director of the Georgia Voters League, paving
the way for a dramatic increase in Black registered voters; and
WHEREAS, during a 1961 Freedom Riders rally in Montgomery, Alabama, an unidentified
assailant threw a gas bomb at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., which Reverend Bennette, without
hesitation, picked up and threw off to the side; and
WHEREAS, in 1964, Dr. King appointed Reverend Bennette as the first director of the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Operation Breadbasket, that mobilized selective
buying campaigns to pressure businesses to hire thousands of minorities; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Bennette was instrumental in the campaigns and advisory councils
of several prominent politicians in the State of Georgia, including President Jimmy Carter
and Atlanta Mayor and Congressman Andrew Young; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Bennette remained an active member of the Board of Advisors of the
Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change; served as The King Center's
Director of Security; and was a dedicated member of Ebenezer Baptist Church; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Bennette gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals,
and deep concern for his fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding he
demonstrated to his family and friends were admired by others; and
WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man who demonstrated his commitment to
witnessing Christ through word and deed, Reverend Bennette will long be remembered for
his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great
fortune of knowing him.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Reverend Fred C.
Bennette, Jr., and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the
family of Reverend Fred C. Bennette, Jr.