--- title: HR 841. Black, Charles; outstanding contributions to civil rights, education and community service; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr841 cite_as: HR 841, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr841 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr841.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr841/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71833 date: 2025-03-27 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr840.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr842.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr841.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 841 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-27 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Eric Bell - El-Mahdi Holly - Bryce Berry - Mekyah McQueen - Inga Willis text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR841/2025 upstream_id: 2016150 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - civil rights - Morehouse College - community service - Georgia House resolution --- # HR 841. Black, Charles; outstanding contributions to civil rights, education and community service; commend ## Text 25 LC 112 3530 House Resolution 841 By: Representatives Bell of the 75 th, Holly of the 116th, Berry of the 56th, McQueen of the 61st, and Willis of the 55th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Charles Black for his outstanding contributions to civil rights,1 education, and community service; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, Charles Black, a native of Miami, Florida, has dedicated his life to the pursuit3 of justice, equality, and civic engagement, leaving an indelible mark on the State of Georgia4 and the nation; and5 WHEREAS, he is an esteemed alumnus of Morehouse College, where he distinguished6 himself as a scholar and leader, serving as a member of the varsity debate team, editor of the7 college newspaper, president of the senior class, and chairman of The 1960's Atlanta Student8 Movement; and9 WHEREAS, Charles Black played a pivotal role in the Civil Right s Movement, being a10 signer and co-author of the Appeal for Human Rights, a foundational document advocating11 for the desegregation of public spaces and the advancement of human rights; and12 WHEREAS, he was among only eight students privileged to study under Dr. Martin Luther13 King Jr., further cementing his commitment to nonviolent activism and the fight for racial14 justice; and15 H. R. 841 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3530 WHEREAS, Charles Black is a 1971 alumnus of Leadership Atlanta and has served as16 chairman of the Boards of Illien Adoptions International, Freed om University, and The17 Foundation for Our Children, demonstrating his unwavering commi tment to social justice18 and education; and19 WHEREAS, he has held numerous leadership roles, including past chairman of the Board20 of Hammonds House Museum, past editor of The Atlanta Inquirer Newspaper Inc., and past21 CEO of the national consulting firm Frontiers Unlimited Inc., which he co-founded alongside22 civil rights icons John Lewis, Julian Bond, and Lonnie King Jr.; and23 WHEREAS, his influence extends into the political and civic are nas, having served as an24 advisor and manager of numerous campaigns, mentoring younger generations of community25 and political activists on matters of civil and human rights; and26 WHEREAS, beyond his activism, Charles Black is a veteran actor of stage, screen, and27 television, starring in a series of faith-based films with trai ning guides used in over 3,00028 churches nationwide, further impacting communities through the arts; and29 WHEREAS, in recognition of his lifelong dedication to community service and civil rights,30 Charles Black was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor by Pr esident Barack Obama,31 a testament to his enduring impact on the nation; and32 WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this body rec ognize the exceptional33 achievements of Charles Black and extend gratitude for his cont ributions to the State of34 Georgia and the broader global community.35 H. R. 841 - 2 - 25 LC 112 3530 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that36 the members of this body recognize and commend Charles Black fo r his outstanding37 contributions to civil rights, education, and community service as well as express their38 sincere appreciation for his lasting influence.39 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized40 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution ava ilable for distribution to41 Charles Black.42 H. R. 841 - 3 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution formally commends Charles Black, a Morehouse College alumnus and civil rights activist, for his lifelong work in civil rights, education, and community service. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial honor passed by the Georgia House of Representatives. It does not change any Georgia law; instead it recognizes Charles Black, a native of Miami who attended Morehouse College and took part in the Civil Rights Movement, including co-authoring the Appeal for Human Rights and studying directly under Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The resolution details his later career, including leadership roles with organizations such as Illien Adoptions International, Freedom University, and Hammonds House Museum, his work as a civil rights era political advisor, his acting career in faith-based films, and his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Honor. The House formally commends him and directs the Clerk of the House to provide him a copy of the resolution. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Charles Black for his contributions to civil rights, education, and community service. - Recounts his role in the Civil Rights Movement, including co-authoring the Appeal for Human Rights and studying under Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Charles Black. - Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute; it is a ceremonial statement of the House's appreciation. ### Who it affects The resolution directly concerns Charles Black, an individual honored by the Georgia House. It has no regulatory effect on other Georgians, businesses, or government agencies beyond directing the Clerk of the House to distribute a copy of the document. ### Why it matters Because this is a commendation rather than a law, it does not change any rights, duties, or funding in Georgia. Its practical effect is limited to publicly honoring Charles Black's civil rights and community service record through an official state legislative document. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Charles Black's biography, including his time at Morehouse College and role in the Atlanta Student Movement. - The whereas clauses note his co-authorship of the Appeal for Human Rights and his study under Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. - The resolving clause formally commends Black for his contributions to civil rights, education, and community service. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy available for distribution to Charles Black. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-27) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-03-27) - Sponsors: Eric Bell, El-Mahdi Holly, Bryce Berry, Mekyah McQueen, Inga Willis - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71833 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr841.md?full=1