City of Austin Honors General Marshall with Proclamation
February 27, 2021 proclaimed as General Marshall Day
Austin, Texas — This week, the City of Austin Texas is proudly celebrating the contributions of one of its most cherished lifelong residents. The late General Marshall will be honored with a proclamation celebrating his remarkable life and accomplishments including his work to save Lions Municipal Golf Course. The proclamation will declare his birthday, February 27, 2021 as General Marshall Day throughout the city.
General Marshall was a beloved member of the Austin community and a key proponent for saving the Lions Municipal Golf Course and preserving its unique civil rights history. His work with Save Muny was instrumental in achieving the course’s designation on the National Register of Historic Places. As someone who bore witness to the desegregation of the course and who spent a lifetime enjoying the game of golf there with his fellow citizens of all backgrounds, General Marshall was one of the great advocates for public golf in his hometown. His work to tell the story of how “Muny” played a critical role in the achievement of equal rights for African Americans in Austin was a defining part of his life.
Scotty Sayers, Co-Chair of Austin’s Muny Conservancy Board of Directors adds, “General Marshall is sorely missed by all his friends and colleagues, but this honor by the City of Austin helps to preserve his memory and further cement his legacy as one of Austin’s greatest proponents for publicly accessible golf.”
General Marshall is remembered fondly by those like Volma Overton Jr., a lifelong friend and Muny Conservancy Board member, who said, “General Marshall lived an amazing life and was a mentor to so many, including myself. It’s wonderful to have the city honor his legacy with a proclamation on his birthday. We miss him dearly, and memorializing him in this way will continue to inspire our community for generations to come.”
The official proclamation for General Marshall Day reads as follows:
Be it known that
Whereas, General Marshall has been recognized for his myriad contributions and commitment to the Austin community since his childhood in historic Clarksville.
Whereas, General Marshall was a Huston-Tillotson professor and golf coach, earned a MS and PhD in Mathematics, earned a full academic scholarship to Morehouse College, and was a proud L.C. Anderson Yellowjacket.
Whereas, General Marshall, local golf icon and lifelong advocate of Lions Municipal Golf Course since caddying as a youth, witnessed “Muny’s” desegregation in 1950 and was later instrumental in the national recognition of the course’s civil rights history.
Whereas, General Marshall led a life that inspires all who knew him and will be remembered forever in this city as one of its most beloved citizens.
Now, Therefore, I, Steve Adler, Mayor of the City of Austin, Texas, do hereby proclaim
February 27th, 2021 as General Marshall Day in Austin.
Due to continued restrictions on gatherings, there will not be a presentation of the proclamation at City Hall. However, everyone is encouraged to remember and celebrate General Marshall on this special day. Save Muny, which General Marshall was a longtime member of, has commissioned local muralist Chris Rogers to paint a “live” portrait of him on his day, Saturday the 27th, at Lions Municipal Golf Course.
General Marshall was a beloved member of the Austin community and a key proponent for saving the Lions Municipal Golf Course and preserving its unique civil rights history. His work with Save Muny was instrumental in achieving the course’s designation on the National Register of Historic Places. As someone who bore witness to the desegregation of the course and who spent a lifetime enjoying the game of golf there with his fellow citizens of all backgrounds, General Marshall was one of the great advocates for public golf in his hometown. His work to tell the story of how “Muny” played a critical role in the achievement of equal rights for African Americans in Austin was a defining part of his life.
Scotty Sayers, Co-Chair of Austin’s Muny Conservancy Board of Directors adds, “General Marshall is sorely missed by all his friends and colleagues, but this honor by the City of Austin helps to preserve his memory and further cement his legacy as one of Austin’s greatest proponents for publicly accessible golf.”
General Marshall is remembered fondly by those like Volma Overton Jr., a lifelong friend and Muny Conservancy Board member, who said, “General Marshall lived an amazing life and was a mentor to so many, including myself. It’s wonderful to have the city honor his legacy with a proclamation on his birthday. We miss him dearly, and memorializing him in this way will continue to inspire our community for generations to come.”
The official proclamation for General Marshall Day reads as follows:
Be it known that
Whereas, General Marshall has been recognized for his myriad contributions and commitment to the Austin community since his childhood in historic Clarksville.
Whereas, General Marshall was a Huston-Tillotson professor and golf coach, earned a MS and PhD in Mathematics, earned a full academic scholarship to Morehouse College, and was a proud L.C. Anderson Yellowjacket.
Whereas, General Marshall, local golf icon and lifelong advocate of Lions Municipal Golf Course since caddying as a youth, witnessed “Muny’s” desegregation in 1950 and was later instrumental in the national recognition of the course’s civil rights history.
Whereas, General Marshall led a life that inspires all who knew him and will be remembered forever in this city as one of its most beloved citizens.
Now, Therefore, I, Steve Adler, Mayor of the City of Austin, Texas, do hereby proclaim
February 27th, 2021 as General Marshall Day in Austin.
Due to continued restrictions on gatherings, there will not be a presentation of the proclamation at City Hall. However, everyone is encouraged to remember and celebrate General Marshall on this special day. Save Muny, which General Marshall was a longtime member of, has commissioned local muralist Chris Rogers to paint a “live” portrait of him on his day, Saturday the 27th, at Lions Municipal Golf Course.
Remembering General Marshall
General Marshall passed away on June 22nd, 2020. He was a longtime advocate for the preservation of Lions Municipal Golf Course. General was essential in bringing to light how “Muny” furthered the racial integration of public facilities in Austin (and beyond) as the first desegregated public course in the southern United States. Because, in fact, he lived it.
Marshall was born in Austin, Texas on February 27, 1936. He grew up in Clarksville. From the age of ten, he worked as a Lions caddy during 1946-1952. He was paid 85¢ to carry a bag for eighteen holes (or 50¢ for nine holes) and often earned double carrying two bags. He personally saw the integration of Lions during 1950, after which he recalled: “there were several groups of African Americans who came to play Muny. I remember specifically that some had big bags and took caddies. I felt especially proud. They came from San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston.” General played his first round at Muny in 1952.
General Marshall graduated from Old Anderson High School in 1953 and was awarded a four-year scholarship at Morehouse College in Atlanta. After graduating with honors in 1957, he taught high school for nine years in Statesboro, Georgia, where General and his family helped to integrate the public school that his children attended, as well as theaters, restaurants, and local golf courses. After returning to Austin in 1966, he earned a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas and started teaching at Huston-Tillotson College. On leave from Huston-Tillotson during 1974-76, General earned a doctorate in mathematics at the University of Houston. General returned to Huston-Tillotson and retired in 2001 as a full professor. He was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church. He coached the Huston-Tillotson golf team from 1971-1981. He was a three-time winner of the Austin Senior Amateur Championship and was President of the Capital City Golf Association. General was recognized by the University of Texas Division of Diversity and Community Engagement for his contributions to the city of Austin and also honored by youth development organization First Tee in 2018 for his representation of its core value of responsibility.
Marshall was a fierce supporter and spokesperson for the Save Muny initiative since the 1970s. He also had a love for photography and photographed many events and tournaments at Muny, where he continued to play until just a few years before his passing, still breaking 80 even at age 80. General will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him, especially his fellow Save Muny members who will continue his fight to preserve the beloved course. The eighth hole at Lions Municipal Golf Course is named The General Marshall Hole. His life will be honored at Muny forever.
Marshall was born in Austin, Texas on February 27, 1936. He grew up in Clarksville. From the age of ten, he worked as a Lions caddy during 1946-1952. He was paid 85¢ to carry a bag for eighteen holes (or 50¢ for nine holes) and often earned double carrying two bags. He personally saw the integration of Lions during 1950, after which he recalled: “there were several groups of African Americans who came to play Muny. I remember specifically that some had big bags and took caddies. I felt especially proud. They came from San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston.” General played his first round at Muny in 1952.
General Marshall graduated from Old Anderson High School in 1953 and was awarded a four-year scholarship at Morehouse College in Atlanta. After graduating with honors in 1957, he taught high school for nine years in Statesboro, Georgia, where General and his family helped to integrate the public school that his children attended, as well as theaters, restaurants, and local golf courses. After returning to Austin in 1966, he earned a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas and started teaching at Huston-Tillotson College. On leave from Huston-Tillotson during 1974-76, General earned a doctorate in mathematics at the University of Houston. General returned to Huston-Tillotson and retired in 2001 as a full professor. He was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church. He coached the Huston-Tillotson golf team from 1971-1981. He was a three-time winner of the Austin Senior Amateur Championship and was President of the Capital City Golf Association. General was recognized by the University of Texas Division of Diversity and Community Engagement for his contributions to the city of Austin and also honored by youth development organization First Tee in 2018 for his representation of its core value of responsibility.
Marshall was a fierce supporter and spokesperson for the Save Muny initiative since the 1970s. He also had a love for photography and photographed many events and tournaments at Muny, where he continued to play until just a few years before his passing, still breaking 80 even at age 80. General will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him, especially his fellow Save Muny members who will continue his fight to preserve the beloved course. The eighth hole at Lions Municipal Golf Course is named The General Marshall Hole. His life will be honored at Muny forever.
Cedric Golden: With General excellence, Marshall was a true Austin icon
