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7 <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Professor Ferris’ books include Give My Poor Heart Ease: Voices of the Mississippi 1 <br />Blues (2009) which was translated into French as Les Voix du Mississippi (2013); The Storied 2 <br />South: Voices of Writers and Artists, and The South in Color: A Visual Journal (2016); and 3 <br /> 4 <br />WHEREAS, Professor Ferris’ most recent publication, Voices of Mississippi received two 5 <br />Grammy Awards in 2019 for Best Liner Notes and Best Historical Album; and 6 <br /> 7 <br />WHEREAS, Professor Ferris has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Charles 8 <br />Frankel Prize in the Humanities, the American Library Association's Dartmouth Medal, the 9 <br />Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Award, the W.C. Handy Blues Award, the B. L. C. 10 <br />Wailes Award, which is given to a Mississippian who has achieved national recognition in the 11 <br />field of history by the Mississippi Historical Society, and the 2017 Mississippi Governor’s Arts 12 <br />Award for Lifetime Achievement; and 13 <br /> 14 <br />WHEREAS, the William R. Ferris Collection is located in the Southern Folklife Collection of the 15 <br />Wilson Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; 16 <br /> 17 <br />NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby recognize 18 <br />Professor William (Bill) R. Ferris for his contributions to the local and worldwide arts and history 19 <br />community. 20 <br /> 21 <br />This the 21st day of May 2019. 22 <br /> 23 <br />Dr. Ferris said he has taught southern music all his life, and being here at UNC, 24 <br />living in NC and in the great town of Chapel Hill is an honor due to the great history of 25 <br />music. He said this community is a well spring of music, and he is deeply grateful for this 26 <br />honor. 27 <br /> 28 <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Dorosin 29 <br />for the Board to approve and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation. 30 <br /> 31 <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS 32 <br /> 33 <br />b. Proclamation Recognizing Nathaniel Davis, Sr. 34 <br />The Board considered voting to approve a proclamation recognizing Nathaniel “Nate” 35 <br />Davis, Sr. for his services to Orange County. 36 <br /> Commissioner Price presented this item. 37 <br /> 38 <br />BACKGROUND: Nate Davis has been a civil rights pioneer, record setting athlete and 39 <br />respected leader throughout the Orange County community. 40 <br /> 41 <br />In December 2018, Nate Davis retired from employment with the Chapel Hill Department of 42 <br />Parks and Recreation, having devoted 45 years to the children, teenagers and adults at the 43 <br />Hargraves Community Center. 44 <br /> 45 <br />Nate Davis served on the Orange County Human Relations Commission as a member and 46 <br />Commission Chair. During his tenure, he participated in the drafting of the Orange County Civil 47 <br />Rights Ordinance. 48 <br /> 49 <br />Commissioner Price read the proclamation: 50