LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Anne Pope upon the occasion of receiving
the Third Age Achievement Award in the category of Arts and Culture from
the Senior Services of Albany Foundation on November 17, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend the senior
citizens of the Empire State who, as they reach the fullness of years,
continue to be active and vital participants in the life of their commu-
nity; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Anne
Pope upon the occasion of receiving the Third Age Achievement Award in
the category of Arts and Culture from the Senior Services of Albany
Foundation on November 17, 2009; and
WHEREAS, A civil rights and community advocate, Anne Pope recently
retired from her position as Director of the African American Institute
of the State University of New York, where she worked for 20 years; and
WHEREAS, Anne Pope grew up in Shubuta, Mississippi, where she attended
segregated schools and experienced racial discrimination firsthand;
these life experiences motivated her to eradicate injustice and discrim-
ination wherever it exists; and
WHEREAS, Today, Anne Pope is the Regional Director of the New York
State National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and
Vice Chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture
Series on Race and Nonviolent Social Change of Siena College; and
WHEREAS, Anne Pope is also active in her church, Union Missionary
Baptist, where she serves as Director of Christian Education, and past
president of the Albany Branch of the NAACP, where she served for 20
years, during which time she organized a rally against the Ku Klux Klan
at the State Capitol, drawing together more than 2500 people in protest
to the appearance of the Klan; and
WHEREAS, A champion for the voting rights of African Americans, Anne
Pope used the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964
to successfully spearhead the fight to increase the number of majority-
minority legislative districts in Albany County to ensure the minority
community the ability to elect representatives of its own choosing; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Anne Pope was in the forefront of bringing
justice to a mentally ill African American man who was wrongfully shot
and killed by Albany police; the protests and public forums engaged in
by the Albany NAACP under her leadership resulted in the creation of a
Community Police Relations Board and ultimately the establishment of a
Civilian Review Board and a Trauma Unit to handle incidences involving
mentally ill citizens; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when seniors of
such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our attention, they
should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of the great
State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Anne Pope upon the occasion of receiving the Third Age Achievement
Award in the category of Arts and Culture from the Senior Services of
Albany Foundation on November 17, 2009, and to wish her continued
success in all of her future endeavors; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Anne Pope.