SR904: SR904 Veal I, Reverend Henry; honor

This resolution is a ceremonial honor rather than a change to Georgia law. It recognizes Reverend Henry Veal I, born in 1847, who took the 1867 Voter Registration Oath in Baldwin County and became a pastor, mortgage broker, and community leader after the era of enslavement. It traces his descendants' contributions to education, including six siblings who together gave 170 years of teaching service, Frank R. Veal's leadership roles at Paul Quinn College, Allen University, and Emanuel AME Church, and later family members who earned advanced Ivy League and doctoral degrees. The resolution builds on a prior 2011 Senate resolution that honored the family as 'Founders of Education in Georgia.' It formally commends the family's legacy and directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to the family. It does not create any new law, funding, or program.

• Formally honors Reverend Henry Veal I and his descendants for their contributions to education in Georgia and beyond.
• Commends the family, known as The Masters of Education: Hidden Figures in Education, for their collective legacy in teaching and academic achievement.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the family.
• References and builds on Senate Resolution 343 from 2011, which previously honored the family.

The resolution directly names and honors the descendants of Reverend Henry Veal I, including educators, academics, and family members recognized in the text. It has no regulatory or financial effect on any broader group of Georgians.

The resolution carries symbolic weight rather than practical consequences: it creates an official state record honoring one family's multigenerational contributions to education, but it does not change any law, create funding, or impose obligations on anyone.

• The resolution opens with several 'WHEREAS' clauses detailing the family's history, starting with Reverend Henry Veal I's 1867 Voter Registration Oath and pastoral service.
• It cites the Veal Six siblings' combined 170 years of teaching service to Georgia children.
• It notes Frank R. Veal's roles as president of Paul Quinn College and Allen University and as pastor of Emanuel AME Church.
• It references Annie Veal Brooks and Juanita Veal Madison's use of 'Negro Scholarships' from the University of Georgia Regents System during segregation.
• The resolving clause formally honors the family's legacy on behalf of the Senate.
• A further resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to the family.

1. 2026-03-04Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2026-03-03Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Emanuel Jones (D, SD-010)Primary sponsor
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)

• ceremonial resolution
• education history
• Georgia Senate honors
• African American history