SR1195 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1195 LRB103 42513 LAW 75745 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Emiel Hamberlin Jr., Ph.D.; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hamberlin was born to Emile and Douglas (Olga) Hamberlin in Fayette, Mississippi on November 8, 1939; he began attending Alcorn State University in 1964, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; he married his wife, Minnie, in 1965; he moved to Chicago after graduating college; at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he earned his Master of Education in Vocational Education in 1978 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture in 1982; he later received a degree in advanced studies at Northwestern University in 1993; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hamberlin valued education throughout his 36-year teaching career at Jean Baptiste Point DuSable High School in Chicago; he believed education to be the key to upward mobility and should be fair and equitable; he encouraged his students to receive the best education possible and expanded their academic horizons where he was able, which included providing such opportunities as exploring nature, visiting museums, going on various field trips, and engaging in hands-on activities; he encouraged and assisted many of his students in attending and graduating from a number of esteemed colleges and universities; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hamberlin received many academic and special recognition awards, including the Will/Cook County Conservation Award in 1978, the State of Illinois Master Teacher Award in 1980, an award for community service from the Ora Higgins Youth Foundation in 1985, the Citizen Schools Committee School Improvement Award in 1990, an award from the Kohl Family Foundation in 1992, the Golden Apple Teacher Award in 1996, and an award from the Harold Washington Cultural Center in 2022; he was named the 1971 City of Chicago Teacher of the Year, the 1974 Outstanding Secondary Educator of America, the 1975 Professional Personnel Director Environmental Educator, and the 1977 Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education; he was also featured as an extraordinary instructor on ABC's 20/20 with Hugh Downs in 1977 and was mentioned in Who's Who Among Black Americans in 1988, Newsweek Magazine in 1986, and the 2004 book, America Behind the Colored Lines, by Henry Louis Gates; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hamberlin committed to his faith at an early age in Fayette, Mississippi; after moving to Chicago, he joined Liberty Baptist Church, where he became a very active member, a deacon, and a trustee; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hamberlin was a devoted husband, a loving and nurturing father, a doting grandfather, and a dedicated educator affectionately known as "Doc" by many; he will be remembered for his wisdom, his commitment to education, and the impact he made on the lives of his students; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hamberlin was the husband of Minnie for 59 years; the father of Emiel Hamberlin III and Mark Hamberlin; the grandfather of Emiel IV, Kenneth, Angela, and Jordan; the brother of the late Jacqueline Brown Lowe, McKinley (Keith) Hamberlin, James (Julia) Hamberlin, the late Herman Hamberlin, and Lavern (Pastor Mary) Hamberlin; the cousin of James Brown; and the uncle of many; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Emiel Hamberlin Jr., Ph.D., and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Hamberlin as an expression of our deepest sympathy.