HR0944 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0944 LRB104 22106 ECR 38279 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the leadership, staff, and owners of the Chicago Defender on the historic occasion of the newspaper's 121st anniversary in 2026; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Defender is a legendary, Chicago-based publication founded on May 5, 1905 by the visionary Robert Sengstacke Abbott, who launched the monumental Black newspaper with just 25 cents and an unyielding dream to tell Black American stories unapologetically; and

WHEREAS, From its humble beginnings being printed in an apartment, the Chicago Defender rapidly evolved into a movement, becoming one of the nation's most influential Black-owned and operated newspapers and distinguishing itself as the first to achieve a circulation over 100,000, the first to feature a health column, and the first to host a full page of comic strips; the newspaper reached a towering national circulation of 200,000 copies by 1920, extending its profound reach far beyond the borders of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Under the fearless leadership of Robert Abbott, the Chicago Defender used moralistic rhetoric, political cartoons, and a bold platform to expose the horrors of lynchings, fight Jim Crow laws, and aggressively champion the migrations of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North, including initiating the historic "Great Northern Drive" on May 15, 1917, which helped reshape national politics, shift voting power, and rapidly grow Chicago's Black population from 40,000 to nearly 150,000 citizens; and

WHEREAS, Robert Abbott and editor Lucius Harper established the iconic Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic in 1929 to give underprivileged children a chance to shine and celebrate achievement; this event has grown into one of the largest single events in Chicago and one of the largest annual parades in the United States, today drawing over one million attendees and 25 million television viewers; and

WHEREAS, John H. Sengstacke assumed leadership of the Chicago Defender in 1940, continuing the paper's fierce legacy of political advocacy by successfully encouraging President Harry S. Truman to integrate the U.S. Armed Services, helping establish the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and expanding the paper into a daily publication on February 6, 1956; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the Chicago Defender's storied history, the publication has attracted and nurtured the extraordinary writing talents of many famous American authors and cultural icons, including Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Willard Motley; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Defender's stewardship has successfully transitioned through changing eras, shifting to Real Times, Inc. in 2003, and today, under the dedicated guidance of Publisher Dyanna Knight Lewis, the Chicago Defender has beautifully navigated its digital evolution, continuing to serve as a multifaceted media platform and cultural beacon that elevates Black storytelling, leadership, and excellence; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Chicago Defender on the occasion of its 121st anniversary and for its irreplaceable role in shaping American culture, news, and civil rights, and we extend our best wishes to the paper's publishers, staff, and readers for continued success and vital storytelling in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dyanna Knight Lewis as a symbol of our esteem and respect for the leadership, staff, and owners of the Chicago Defender.