Sympathy Mr. Calvin Wright

2025-2026 Bill 5669: Sympathy Mr. Calvin Wright - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5669
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Cobb-Hunter, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Scott, Sessions, G.M. Smith, M.M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow
Document Path: LC-0284PH-JAH26.docx
Introduced in the House on May 7, 2026
Adopted by the House on May 7, 2026
Summary: Sympathy Mr. Calvin Wright
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

5/7/2026

House

Introduced and adopted (
House Journal-page 5
)

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legislative information
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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
05/07/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

to remember and honor the life of Mr. Calvin Wright
and to express the profound sorrow of the members of the South Carolina House
of Representatives to his loving family and many friends upon his passing.

W
hereas, Mr. Calvin
Wright was born on October 31, 1946, in Orangeburg and departed this life on
April 27, 2026, surrounded by his loving family; and

W
hereas, a 1965 graduate
of Wilkinson High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from
South Carolina State University, which later recognized him as a Distinguished
Alumnus; and

W
hereas, as a young man
he actively participated in the Orangeburg civil rights movement, advocating
for voting rights and social justice, and being arrested and jailed a dozen
times. He also served in leadership roles within the state NAACP Youth
Conference and was recognized by the American Friends Service Committee for his
work with the Voter Education Project in 1964. These experiences sealed his
lifelong commitment to social justice; and

W
hereas, he honorably
served his country in the United States Army, attaining the rank of sergeant in
less than ten months. Deployed to Vietnam in 1968, he was honored with a
Certificate of Military Combat by the 18th Military Police Brigade, 93rd
Military Police Company; and

W
hereas, he dedicated
his professional life to uplifting underserved communities through his work
with the Orangeburg Area Committee for Economic Progress, now known as the Orangeburg-Calhoun-Allendale-Bamberg
Community Action Agency, Inc. (OCAB) During his remarkable forty-eight-year
tenure, he transformed the organization into a pillar of hope and progress
throughout the region. Under his leadership, OCAB became more than an agency;
it evolved into a lifeline for families facing economic hardship, a voice for
the voiceless, and a catalyst for sustainable change across Orangeburg,
Calhoun, Allendale, and Bamberg counties; and

W
hereas, he held
numerous leadership roles in state and local organizations where he advocated
for community action, public health, and education. He founded the SC
Association of Community Action Partnerships, Inc. and served on the board, was
a lifelong member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and for ten years served as
Commander of Post 8166, served on the board of directors of the Family Health
Centers, Inc. and on Claflin University's Board of Visitors; and

W
hereas, his lifelong
commitment to service earned him numerous honors and recognitions, including
national and state awards for community service, civil rights advocacy, and
leadership. In 2001, Mr. Wright was named a "Hero" by the SC Year of the Child
for his exceptional dedication to the well-being of children in the State. In
2005, he was included in the 2005 Library of Congress exhibition, "Voices of
Civil Rights." And in 2024, he was awarded the Joe Biden Presidential Lifetime
Achievement Award, among others; and

W
hereas, Mr. Calvin
Wright attended New Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Orangeburg and was a devoted
husband, father, grandfather, and beloved family member. He leaves to cherish
his memory his devoted wife, Tonya Steward Wright; his daughters, Tyese Wright
and Chelsea Steward; and his granddaughter, Maya Wright; his sisters, Betty
(David) Smith and Glorious (Willie Clay) Hampton; his brothers, Whitaker Wright
and Charles (Faye) Wright; and a host of extended family members and friends;
and

W
hereas, the members of
the South Carolina House of Representatives honor and celebrate the life of Mr.
Calvin Wright for his unwavering commitment to justice, community empowerment,
and public service and know that his legacy will continue to inspire future
generations to serve with integrity, compassion, and dedication. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, remember and honor the life of Mr. Calvin Wright and
express their profound sorrow to his loving family and many friends upon his
passing.

B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Mr. Calvin Wright.

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This web page was last updated on May 7, 2026 at 11:25 AM