Georgia CommonsSR 139: Morris Brown College Day; recognize March 21, 2025
Last action February 6, 2025 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution recognizes March 21, 2025 as Morris Brown College Day at the state capitol, honoring the historically Black college's founding and history.
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 Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate rather than a change to state law. It recounts the history of Morris Brown College, which was chartered by the State of Georgia in May 1885 and became the first institution in Georgia founded and run solely under African American leadership. The resolution notes the school opened in October 1885 and has educated students for more than 130 years. The Senate formally resolves that March 21, 2025 will be recognized as Morris Brown College Day at the state capitol. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Morris Brown College. The resolution creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties; it is a symbolic honor.
What the bill does
- Designates March 21, 2025 as Morris Brown College Day at the Georgia state capitol.
- Recounts the history of Morris Brown College, including its 1885 charter and founding by AME Church ministers in Georgia.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Morris Brown College.
- Creates no new statutory requirements, funding, or penalties since it is a ceremonial resolution.
Who it affects
Morris Brown College, its students, alumni, and administrators, who receive the formal recognition, and the Georgia Senate, which passes and distributes the ceremonial resolution.
Why it matters
The resolution has no legal or financial effect on Georgians, but it gives official state recognition to Morris Brown College's history as Georgia's first institution founded solely under African American patronage, marking a symbolic honor rather than a policy change.
Key provisions
- The whereas clauses describe Morris Brown College's 1885 charter from the State of Georgia and its founding by AME Church ministers.
- The resolution notes the school opened in October 1885 with Mrs. Mary McCree as principal and graduated its first class in 1890.
- The resolving clause formally recognizes March 21, 2025 as Morris Brown College Day at the state capitol.
- The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to the college.
From the bill
“Morris Brown College of the AME Church was granted a charter from the State of Georgia in May 1885, becoming the first institution in the state solely under African American patronage”
“the members of this body recognize March 21, 2025, as Morris Brown College Day at the state capitol”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Donzella James (D, SD-028)
- Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
- RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
- Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
- Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
- Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)
- Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
- Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
- Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
- Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
- Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
- Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
Topics
- Morris Brown College
- historically Black colleges
- commemorative resolution
- Georgia Senate
- higher education history