SJ0066 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0066 LRB104 22043 MST 38127 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Fannie Gwendolyn Jones was born in East St. Louis on November 22, 1922, the youngest of six children born to the union of Henry and Rosie McGee Jones; and

WHEREAS, Fannie Jones was a life long resident of East St. Louis; she attended elementary and high school in School District 189 and received a bachelor's degree at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama and her master's degree from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri; and

WHEREAS, Fannie Jones was one of the first Black substitute teachers in District 189 and one of the youngest; she taught first grade at Franklin Elementary School for many years before joining the administrative staff of the district; she later became program coordinator of the district's Title I program until her retirement after 33 years; and

WHEREAS, Fannie Jones was the first African American to run on a statewide ticket for an elected office as the Clerk of the Illinois Supreme Court; and

WHEREAS, Fannie Jones was part of many civic and religious groups in an effort to serve her community, including the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, the East St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, the Democratic National Convention (1968), the National Baptist Convention, the Women's Baptist General State Convention, the Baptist General State Convention of Illinois, the East St. Louis Cable Board, the Junior and Senior Red Circle and the Young Women's League at Truelight Baptist Church, Greater New Hope Baptist Church, Paramount Democratic Women, the Illinois State Board of Education Library Systems, the Ethele Scott Section of the National Council of Negro Women, and the East St. Louis Library Board; and

WHEREAS, Fannie Jones was recognized for her service by numerous groups, including the Pro Eight Club, the East St. Louis Park District, the St. Clair County Democratic Party, the Greater New Hope Baptist Church, the East St. Louis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Southern Illinois University, the New Salem District Association, the Alpha Upsilon Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, and the Illinois State Senate of the 90th General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Fannie Jones served as church clerk at Truelight Baptist Church for over 25 years before she joined Greater New Hope Baptist Church in 1974; and

WHEREAS, Fannie Jones will be remembered for her life's work, her dedication to humanity, and all the people whose lives she touched and impacted with her wisdom; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare Illinois Route 15 in East St. Louis to its intersection with Interstate 64 as the "Fannie Gwendolyn Jones Memorial Highway"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs giving notice of the name "Fannie Gwendolyn Jones Memorial Highway"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Fannie Jones, the Mayor of East St. Louis, and the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.