Florida Senate - 2009 (NP) SR 2812 By Senator Joyner 18-05239-09 20092812__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution remembering Sam Horton as a champion of 3 equal opportunity for all in the Hillsborough County 4 public school district and for his dedication as a 5 teacher, administrator, and education reformer. 6 7 WHEREAS, Sam Horton was born in historic Bealsville, an 8 East Hillsborough County community settled by a dozen former 9 slaves, and 10 WHEREAS, Sam Horton attended Hillsborough County public 11 schools, graduating from Marshall High School in 1945, and 12 WHEREAS, Sam Horton earned a bachelor’s degree in education 13 at age 19 from Florida A & M College, and went on to earn his 14 master’s degree from Florida State University, and his Ph.D. 15 from Nova University, and 16 WHEREAS, Sam Horton worked in the Hillsborough County 17 School District for more than 42 years, first as an English 18 teacher and later as a coach and principal, and 19 WHEREAS, in 1978, Sam Horton became Hillsborough County’s 20 first black general director for secondary education, and 21 WHEREAS, Sam Horton consistently demonstrated his 22 commitment to improving the quality of life and education for 23 all students in the Hillsborough County public school district, 24 and 25 WHEREAS, in an effort to bring more African-American 26 educators to Hillsborough County, Sam Horton established a local 27 chapter of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, and 28 WHEREAS, Sam Horton served in the leadership of the NAACP 29 and remained committed in his opposition to practices and 30 policies that might have resulted in more segregated schools, 31 NOW, THEREFORE, 32 33 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 34 35 That Sam Horton be remembered as a champion of equal 36 opportunity for all in the Hillsborough County public school 37 district and for his dedication as a teacher, administrator, and 38 education reformer.