RESOLUTION NO. _______OF 2014 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO DEDICATE THE 100 THROU GH THE 1100 BLOCKS OF ALLEN AVENUE IN HONOR OF DR. C. O. SIMPKINS , D.D.S. AND TO OTHERWISE PROVIDE WITH RESPECT THERETO. BY: COUNCILWOMAN ROSE MCCULLOCH WHEREAS , Councilwoman Rose McCulloch has requested that the 100 through the 1100 blocks of Allen Avenue be dedicated in honor of Dr. C. O. Simpkins , D.D.S. ; and WHEREAS, Dr. Simpkins was born and reared in Mansfield, Louisiana; and WHEREAS , Dr. Simpkins is married to Dr. Elaine Shoemaker Simpkins and is the father of five children; and WHEREAS, Dr. Simpkins graduated from Wiley College in Marshall, Texas and Meharry Medical College, School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee; and WHEREAS, a fter graduating from medical school, Dr. Simpkins returned to Shreveport, Louisiana and set up practice with his father, a practicing dentist; and WHEREAS , Dr. Simpkins soon opened his own dental practice on Gary Street, an office later purchased by Dr. L. C. Pendleton; and WHEREAS, Dr . Simpkins was deeply involved i n civil rights activities : He worked with others to promote voter registration and citizenship education in the greater Shreveport area as well as equal resources for all schools; and WHEREAS, Dr. Simpkins was the first African American to run for a seat on the Caddo Parish School Board in 1954; and WHEREAS, Dr. Simpkins became friends with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. after m eeting him in Chicago, Illinois , and invited Dr. King to Shreveport for his first visit in August, 1958 for the United Christian Movement Conference on Registration and Voting ; and WHEREAS , Dr. Simpkins was a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference , and he served as Vice-President during a period of time when Martin Luther King, Jr. served as president; and WHEREAS , a fter the bombing of his property, his inability to get insurance for his home and dental practice, and because of his concern for his patients and other citizens, Dr. Simpkins decided to leave Shreveport; and WHEREAS , a fter 26 years of self-imposed exile, practicing dentistry and continuing his activism in New York City, Dr. Simpkins returned to Shreveport; and WHEREAS , Dr. Simpkins ran for mayor 1990 as the first serious African American candidate. He won the primary and narrowly lost in the run-off election; and WHEREAS , Dr. Simpkins then ran and won a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives where he served from 1992 to 1996. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Shreveport in due, legal and regular session convened, that the Mayor on behalf of the City is authorized to dedicate the 100 through the 1100 blocks of Allen Avenue in hon or of Dr. C. O. Simpkins to honor his contributions to this city and its citizens. BE IT FURTHER RES OLVED that if any provision or item of this resolution or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions, items or applications of this resolution which can be given effect without the invalid provisions of this resolution are hereby declared severable. Approved as to legal form: City Attorney’s Office.