HR0558 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0558 LRB104 16467 LAW 29860 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to commend individuals whose lives reflect extraordinary achievement, service, and leadership within their communities and throughout our State; and

WHEREAS, The Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Alvesta Wright Jr. has given a lifetime of service to ministry, education, and the African American community, and this year marks his 65th year of membership in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., one of the most storied and service-oriented organizations in the nation; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright, the son of the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Sr., a Baptist minister, and Dr. Mary Elizabeth Henderson Wright, a dedicated teacher, an education administrator, and the first African American vice principal of Philadelphia High School for Girls, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1941; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Central High School of Philadelphia in 1959, Rev. Wright attended Virginia Union University, where he pledged Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. through the Zeta Chapter in 1960, continuing the family legacy begun by his father, who pledged the same chapter in 1936; and

WHEREAS, Following his time at Virginia Union University, Rev. Wright served in the United States Marine Corps and later in the United States Navy, where he trained as a cardiopulmonary technician and was assigned to the medical team caring for President Lyndon B. Johnson; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Howard University, a second master's degree at the University of Chicago Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary, where he studied under Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright became pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago in 1972, and he transformed a congregation of fewer than 100 members into one of the largest and most influential Black churches in America with a total of 8,000 active members; and

WHEREAS, Under Rev. Wright's leadership, Trinity United Church of Christ became a national model for Black Liberation Theology, Africentrism, cultural affirmation, and community engagement, emphasizing the inseparable link between faith, education, and social justice; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright's impact extends far beyond the pulpit; he has taught at Chicago Theological Seminary, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and Virginia Union University, mentoring more than 40 seminarians who proceeded to earn advanced degrees and lead congregations across the country; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright is the author of four books of sermons and the historical volume A Sankofa Moment: The History of Trinity United Church of Christ, the subject matter of Black Prophetic Patriotism, an academic volume that critically and constructively examines his life and legacy, focusing on his patriotic promotion of inclusion within the church and society, and his scholarship in Africana studies, Black sacred music, and the African American religious experience, and this work continues to influence students, pastors, and theologians worldwide; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright has been recognized with a Rockefeller Fellowship, the Carver Medal from Simpson College, nine honorary doctorates, and countless awards for ministry and public service; in recognition of his lifetime of ministry and mentorship, he was awarded the Omega Lifetime Achievement Award by the Supreme Council of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. during the 82nd Grand Conclave in July 2020; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright remains an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., upholding the fraternity's Four Cardinal Principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift for more than six decades; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Wright's 65-year membership in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. stands as a testament to brotherhood, faith, scholarship, and endurance, and it further serves as inspiration to every young man who seeks to serve his community and his faith with distinction; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Alvesta Wright Jr. on the occasion of his 65th year of membership in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and we commend his extraordinary contributions to ministry, education, and the spiritual life of Illinois and the nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we thank Rev. Wright for his lifetime of service, scholarship, and unwavering faith; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rev. Wright as an expression of our esteem and respect.