--- title: HR 909. Blackshear, Reverend Franklin D.; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr909 cite_as: HR 909, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr909 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr909.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr909/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72012 date: 2025-04-02 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/hr908.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr910.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr909.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 909 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-04-02 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Carl Gilliard text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR909/2025 upstream_id: 2019477 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - condolence resolution - Savannah community - Georgia House of Representatives - education --- # HR 909. Blackshear, Reverend Franklin D.; condolences ## Text 25 LC 112 3616 House Resolution 909 By: Representative Gilliard of the 162nd A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens2 with the passing of Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear; and3 WHEREAS, Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear was born to Reverend W illiam and Mrs.4 Bessie Blackshear as the youngest of ten siblings and was reared in the Cuyler-Brownsville5 neighborhood of Savannah, Georgia, where service to others was instilled in him at an early6 age; and7 WHEREAS, Reverend Blackshear began his educational career as a mathematics teacher,8 and in 1965, he became a guidance counselor at A. E. Beach High School, where he served9 for 24 years until his retirement in 1989; and10 WHEREAS, he was baptized, licensed, and ordained at First Jerus alem Baptist Church,11 where he remained a lifelong member, and he was installed as pastor of Mt. Tabor Baptist12 Church in 1981, where he served faithfully for 43 years alongsi de his wife, Lady Ella13 Blackshear, and retired as pastor emeritus in May 2024; and14 H. R. 909 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3616 WHEREAS, he was a member of the Savannah Baptist Ministers Union, a recipient of the15 2024 Community Service Award of Appreciation from Second African Baptist Church, and16 a highly respected mentor, educator, and spiritual leader throu ghout the Savannah17 community; and18 WHEREAS, he gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern19 for his fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding he demonstrated to his20 family and friends were admired by others; and21 WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man who demonstrated his commitment to22 witnessing Christ through word and deed, Reverend Franklin D. B lackshear will long be23 remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who24 had the great fortune of knowing him.25 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that26 the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory o f Reverend Franklin D.27 Blackshear and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing.28 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized29 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the30 family of Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear.31 H. R. 909 - 2 - ## 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 honors the life of Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear, a longtime Savannah educator and pastor, and directs a copy be sent to his family. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a formal statement from the Georgia House of Representatives marking the death of Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear of Savannah. It recounts his life story: his upbringing in the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood, his 24 years as a mathematics teacher and guidance counselor at A. E. Beach High School, and his 43 years as pastor of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church before his retirement as pastor emeritus in May 2024. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally expresses the House's regret at his passing and honors his memory, and it directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to his family. ### What it does - Formally states that House members join in honoring Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear's life and memory and express regret at his passing. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare an official copy of the resolution for the Blackshear family. - Creates no new law, funding, or penalty; it is a ceremonial statement rather than a regulatory action. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the family of Reverend Franklin D. Blackshear, who will receive the official copy, and reflects a tribute from the Georgia House of Representatives to the Savannah community he served as an educator and pastor. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally; its practical outcome is a formal, permanent House record honoring Blackshear's decades of service and a keepsake copy given to his family. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses recount Blackshear's career as a mathematics teacher and guidance counselor at A. E. Beach High School for 24 years until 1989. - The whereas clauses describe his 43 years as pastor of Mt. Tabor Baptist Church starting in 1981 and his retirement as pastor emeritus in May 2024. - The resolved clause has the House formally honor his life and memory and express regret at his passing. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to his family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-04-02) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-04-02) - Sponsors: Carl Gilliard - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72012 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr909.md?full=1