2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 55
Celebrating the life of Frankie Jacquelyn Scotton Joyner, Ph.D.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 4, 2026
WHEREAS, Frankie Jacquelyn Scotton Joyner, Ph.D., a passionate educator, trusted mentor, dedicated community leader, and beloved sister and friend, died on January 21, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Frankie Jacquelyn “Jackie” Scotton Joyner, Ph.D., was born in High Point, North Carolina, where she attended Fairview Elementary School and graduated from William Penn High School as class valedictorian; and
WHEREAS, Jackie Joyner subsequently earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from North Carolina Central University, a historically Black institution in Durham, where she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, after graduating in 1959, Jackie Joyner postponed her teaching career and returned home to help care for her siblings while her mother was ill; she ultimately achieved her dream to become an educator at a school in Danville, but often returned home on the weekends to help support her family; and
WHEREAS, Jackie Joyner dedicated 34 years of service to Richmond Public Schools as a teacher, department chair, instructional specialist, and supervisor of mathematics for the school division; she also became a peer reviewer of math textbooks, served on education panels across the country, and led many initiatives to enhance academic achievement; and
WHEREAS, a diligent lifelong learner, Jackie Joyner earned a master's degree and a doctoral degree in education from Virginia Commonwealth University, allowing her to better serve students and support her fellow educators; and