A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR STANLEY MYERS FOR HIS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Whereas, a South Carolina native, Stanley Myers had an enormous impact on his community. He was a partner at the law firm of Moore Bradley Myers, a lieutenant colonel in the South Carolina Army National Guard, and the first ever African American to become a military judge in South Carolina; and

Whereas, Stanley grew up in the Swansea area, and in a 2021 profile as part of News19's "Seat at the Table" series, he credited his small-town roots for his success. Expanding upon his upbringing he said, "I came up in a small church, as well, and the preacher used to always say, 'pride cometh before the fall'… to see where I've come from, I always think about how quickly I can go back there. No matter how many accolades I have, no matter how far I have come in life, it is so easy just to forget the fact that it took hard work to get here, and if I don't continue to work hard, I can be right back where I started."; and

Whereas, Stanley attended The Citadel, where he was a four-year starting quarterback for the Bulldogs, and graduated from the South Carolina Corps of Cadets in 1998 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He went on to earn his juris doctorate from the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington, D.C. in 2003. He later returned to his alma mater to serve on The Citadel's Board of Visitors; and

Whereas, he was commissioned as an infantry officer out of The Citadel and deployed as a captain to Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008 with the 218^th Infantry Brigade to support Operation Enduring Freedom. He then became a judge advocate general in the military, working as a trial counsel, defense counsel, and finally as a judge; and

Whereas, on being the first African American military judge for the National Guard in South Carolina, Stanley told News19 that being the first held a lot of weight and responsibility. "My goal is to make sure to stay the course, that I do the best job that I can so that I can give other individuals an opportunity to come in… I want to make sure that I properly pass on the baton," said Stanley; and

Whereas, a well accomplished man, Stanley was a member of the South Carolina Bar and was licensed to practice in both state and federal courts. He was named a South Carolina Super Lawyer and a Midlands Legal Elite, was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, was a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and was the founder of the Swansea Mentoring Program which helped young people learn the importance of making good choices. Stanley also served on the Lexington Medical Center's Board of Directors; and

Whereas, Stanley passed away unexpectedly at the age of forty-seven on September 27, 2023, and is survived by his wife, Tashia, and two young children. The South Carolina House of Representatives takes great pride this Black History Month in honoring Stanley Myers for his groundbreaking achievements. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Stanley Myers for his many accomplishments and contributions to the State of South Carolina and to the United States of America.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Stanley Myers.

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