Cecil J. Williams

2025-2026 Bill 5723: Cecil J. Williams - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5723
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Govan, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, 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-0469HDB-JAH26.docx
Introduced in the House on June 25, 2026
Adopted by the House on June 25, 2026
Summary: Cecil J. Williams
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

6/25/2026

House

Introduced and adopted

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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
06/25/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor cecil J.
Williams for his extraordinary contributions to Civil rights history,
photography, journalism, and the preservation of african american heritage.

W
hereas, Cecil J. Williams, a native of Orangeburg, overcame the
barriers of segregation to become one of the nation's most distinguished
photographers and historians of the Civil Rights Movement; and

W
hereas, for more than sixty years, he has documented the struggle
for freedom, justice, and equality, creating a collection of more than one
million photographs that represents the largest visual archive of racial change
in America; and

W
hereas, in 1960, while visiting New York City, Mr. Williams met Senator
John F. Kennedy, who intervened when hotel security attempted to remove him
from a press event because of his race, leading to a friendship that afforded
the young journalist unique opportunities to document history. Kennedy became
one of his most photographed subjects; and

W
hereas, his work has been featured in hundreds of publications, more
than one hundred solo exhibitions, and numerous documentary and motion picture
productions; and

W
hereas, as a photojournalist for JET Magazine, he documented pivotal
events and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, including the integration of
Clemson University by Harvey Gantt, the Orangeburg Massacre, Edwards v. South
Carolina, and the Charleston Hospital Workers' Strike; and

W
hereas, his lifelong commitment to preserving history led to the
founding of the South Carolina Civil Rights Museum in Orangeburg, the first and
only museum of its kind in South Carolina; and

W
hereas, his achievements have been recognized through more than two hundred
awards and honors, including the Governor's Award in the Humanities, the Order
of the Palmetto, and designation as The Times and Democrat's 2018 Person of the
Year; and

W
hereas, Mr. Williams is a devoted husband to Barbara J. Williams,
retired educator and president of the Orangeburg NAACP; and

W
hereas, throughout his life and career, Cecil J. Williams has
consistently transformed adversity into inspiration, using his talents to
advance understanding, preserve history, and promote freedom, justice, and
equality for all people. 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, recognize and honor Cecil J.
Williams for his extraordinary contributions to civil rights history,
photography, journalism, and the preservation of African American heritage.

B
e it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to
Cecil J. Williams.

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This web page was last updated on June 25, 2026 at 5:48 PM