SJ 13 — Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Honorable Yvonne Bond Miller's service in the Virginia G.A

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24104328D I SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

13 OfferedE JanuaryCommemorating 10,the 202440th N Prefiled January 11, 2024 T ComGeneral Assembly.th anniversary of the Honorable Yvonne Bond Miller's service in the VirginiRVirginia ––––––––––N Patrons––Locke,General Aird,Assembly. Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Craig, Deeds, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, Ebbin, O Favola, French, Hackworth, Hashmi, Head, Jordan, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Mulchi, Peake, D Pekarsky, Perry, Reeves, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Stanley, Stuart, Subramanyam, Surovell, VanValkenburg and Williams Graves;

Delegates:R Agreed to by the Senate, January 25, 2024 O Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 29, 2024 L House of Delegates, becoming the first Black female legislator to serve in the Virginia General L Assembly;

Sickles and WardE UWHEREAS, ––––––––––Yvonne CMiller WHEREAS,was fortyborn yearson ago,July the4, Honorable1934, Yvonnein BondEdenton, MillerNorth wasCarolina, swornthe ineldest aschild aof member13 ofborn theto Assembly;John and Pency Bond;

andgates,and becomingD thelocal firstsegregated Blackpublic femaleschools; legislator to serve in the Virginia GeneralE WHEREAS, Yvonne Miller was born on July 4, 1934, in Edenton, North Carolina, the eldest child of 13 born to John and Pency Bond;

and WHEREAS, Yvonne Miller was raised in Norfolk after her family moved to the city and attended localWHEREAS, Yvonne Miller continued her education at the historically Black college Norfolk Division of Virginia State College (now known as Norfolk State University) for two years, then attended the historically Black college Virginia State College (now known as Virginia State University), graWHEREAS, Yvonne Miller began her career as a teacher in the segregated publicNorfolk schools;Public Schools;

andS WHEREAS,witnessing Yvonne Miller continued her education at the historicallyeffects Black college Norfolk Division of VirginiaMassive StateResistance Collegesparked (nowher knowninterest asin Norfolk State University) for two years, then attended the historicallyCivil BlackRights collegeMovement Virginiaand State1 Collegeequal (nowtreatment; known as Virginia State University), graWHEREAS, Yvonne Miller began her career as a teacher in the segregated Norfolk Public Schools;

witnessingand theE effectsWHEREAS, ofYvonne MassiveMiller Resistanceearned sparkeda hermaster's interestdegree at Teachers College, Columbia University in R the Civileducation Rightsfaculty Movementat 1ndNorfolk equalState, treatment;becoming a professor and head of the Department of Earlyined Childhood/Elementary Education;

and 3 WHEREAS, desirous to be of further service to the community and the Commonwealth, Yvonne Miller earnedran afor master'sand degreewas atelected Teachersto College,the ColumbiaHouse Universityof Delegates in 19621983 and abecame doctoratethe first Black woman to serWHEREAS, in education1988, fromYvonne Miller began serving in the UniversitySenate of PittsburghVirginia, also becoming the first Black woman to serve in 1973;the Senate;

sheand subsequentlyWHEREAS, joinedduring theher educationtenure, facultyYvonne atMiller Norfolkwas State,a becomingsteadfast achampion professorfor civil rights and headeducation, offighting against the Departmentradiating effects of Earlypoverty; Childhood/Elementary Education;

andshe WHEREAS,stood desirousup tofor bevoting ofrights, furtheropposing service to the communityVotWHEREAS, andin the1996, Commonwealth, Yvonne serveMiller inbecame the Housefirst ofwoman Delegatesto chair a Senate committee when sheshend beganbecame herchair firstof termthe inTransportation 1984;Committee;

andeand WHEREAS, at the firsttime Blackher womanservice toin WHEREAS,the General Assembly ended in 1988,2012, Yvonne Miller beganwas servingthe longest-serving woman in the SenateGeneral ofAssembly, Virginia,having alsoserved becoming28 theyears, firstand Blackwas womanranked tofourth serve in theoverall Senate;seniority;

and WHEREAS, during her tenure, Yvonne Miller was a steadfast champion for civil rights and :

32 education, fighting against the radiating effects of poverty;

she stood up for voting rights, opposing the 33 Voter ID law in 2012, which she compared to Jim Crow-era efforts to suppress minority votes;

and 34 WHEREAS, in 1996, Yvonne Miller became the first woman to chair a Senate committee when she 35 became chair of the Transportation Committee;

and longest-serving woman in the General Assembly, having served 28 years, and was ranked fourth ine overall seniority;

and WHEREAS, Yvonne Miller died while in office on July 3, 2012;

now, therefore, be it RESOLVEDHonorable byYvonne the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the 40th anniversary of the and, be itYvonne Bond Miller's service in the Virginia General Assembly hereby be commemorated;

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Honorable Yvonne Bond Miller and the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for her legacy.