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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, American women of every race, class, and ethnic 
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background have made historic contributions to the growth and 
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strength of our nation and State in countless recorded and 
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unrecorded ways; and

 
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    WHEREAS, American women have played and continue to play a 
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critical economic, cultural, and social role in every sphere of 
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the life in the State of Illinois by constituting a significant 
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portion of the labor force working inside and outside of the 
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home; and

 
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    WHEREAS, American women have played a unique role 
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throughout the history of Illinois by providing the majority of 
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the volunteer labor force of the State; and

 
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    WHEREAS, American women were particularly important in the 
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establishment of early charitable, philanthropic, and cultural 
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institutions in our State; and
 
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    WHEREAS, American women of every race, class, and ethnic 
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background have served as early leaders in the forefront of 
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every major progressive social change movement; and

 
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    WHEREAS, American women have been leaders, not only in 
 


 






SJ0048
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securing their own rights of suffrage and equal opportunity, 
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but also in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation 
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movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights 
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movement, and other movements, particularly the peace 
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movement, which created a more fair and just society for all; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Despite these contributions, the role of American 
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women in history, in Illinois, and across the nation has been 
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consistently overlooked and undervalued, in the literature, 
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teaching, and study of American history; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
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ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
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CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the month of March 2009, 
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and every March thereafter, as "Women's History Month" in the 
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State of Illinois and urge the citizens of this State to 
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educate themselves on the importance of women, not only in our 
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history but also in our future, and to recognize the importance 
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of women in our society today.