HR 396 — Commemorating the life and legacy of Ella Louise Stokes Hunter, Ed.D.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 23106120DHOUSE IRESOLUTION HOUSOfferedNO. February 21, 2023 N Commemorating the life and legacy of Ella Louise Stokes Hunter, Ed.D.

––––––––––396 TE Patron––HudsonCommemorating Rthe ––––––––––life Oand WHEREAS,legacy of Ella Louise Stokes Hunter, Ed.D.,Ed.D. a trailblazing mathematics educator and longtime professor at Virginia State University, made history as the first Black woman to earn a degree Drom the UniWHEREAS, Louise Hunter was born and raised in Petersburg, where she excelled academically from an early age, drawing the attention of her teachers and peers;

andN WHEREAS,Agreed Louiseto Hunterby graduatedthe magnaHouse cumof laudeDelegates, withFebruary a23, bachelor's2023 degreeR inO mathematicsprofessor Cat fromVirginia HowardState UniversityUniversity, beforemade earninghistory aas master's degree in education from Harvard University inE1925, becoming perhaps the first Black woman to graduateearn a degree from thatthe institution;University of Virginia;

and L WHEREAS, atLouise theHunter Universitywas ofborn Virginiaand (UVA),raised in Petersburg, where she excelled academically from an WHEREAS, Louise Hunter developedgraduated researchmagna focusedcum onlaude Dwith dissertation,a "Pre-freshmanbachelor's Mathematicsdegree in Statemathematics CollegesE andfrom Universities,"Howard University before earning a master's degree in 1953education andfrom graduatingHarvard thatlUniversity samein year;1925, D becoming perhaps the first Black woman to graduate from that institution;

and WHEREAS, Louiseat Hunterthe beganUniversity teachingof mathematicsVirginia at(UVA), whatLouise isHunter todaydeveloped Virginiaresearch Statefocused Universityon dissertation, "Pre-freshman Mathematics in 1920,State remainingColleges withand theUniversities," institutionin until1953 herand retirementgraduating inthatl 1968;same year;

and WHEREAS, Louise Hunter began teaching mathematics at what is today Virginia State University in 192WHEREAS, Louise Hunter and her husband, John McNeile Hunter, who was also on the faculty at R Virginia State University, were compassionate and caring mentors to many students at the school, 9 guiding them not only in their academic pursuits but also through the challenges they would face durinE the Jim Crow era;

and inR their academic pursuits but also through the challenges they would facR during WHEREAS, Louise Hunter was a charter member of the Delta Omega graduate chapter of Alpha 9 Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., in Petersburg and remained actively involved with the organization 6 throughout her life;

and WHEREAS, Louise Hunter's legacy has been preserved in part through the Hunter Student Research Conference,Development an annual student research conference at UVA's School of Education and Human DevWHEREAS, the steely persistence and unwavering commitment to serving others that Louisewas Hunterrenamed demonstrated in her lifehonor willin continue2020; to inspire Virginians for generations to come;

now,andVA's therefore,School be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates,Education That the life and legacyHuman ofWHEREAS, Ellathe Louisesteely Stokespersistence Hunter,and Ed.D.,unwavering thecommitment first Black woman to graduateserving fromothers thethat UniversityLouise ofHunter Virginiademonstrated andin anher influentiallife memberwill ofcontinue theto Virginiainspire StateVirginians Universityfor community,generations herebyto become; commemorated on the 70th anniversary of her :

35now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the life and legacy of Ella Louise Stokes Hunter, the Virginia State University community, hereby be commemorated on the 70th anniversary of hermber of historic achievement;

and, be it 37RESOLVED forFURTHER, presentationThat to the familyClerk of Ellathe LouiseHouse Stokesof HunterDelegates asprepare ana expressioncopy of thethis Houseresolution of Delegates' 38 high regard for her place in history and her many contributions to the Commonwealth.Commonwealth.House of Delegates'