HR1164 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1164 LRB097 21941 KXB 70659 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Dr. Erma Brooks Williams on her retirement as Associate to the President for the Board of Trustees and Governmental Affairs at Chicago State University; and

WHEREAS, She earned her doctorate from Roosevelt University, her Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield, and an Associate of Arts degree in Journalism from Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, where she graduated with honors; and

WHEREAS, She has served in numerous administrative capacities at Chicago State, including: successfully lobbying for the restoration of $225 million in MAP funding; establishing partnerships among legislators and high schools to recruit students from their respective legislative districts; establishing collaborations between the University and Chicago Public Schools to recruit more students from Chicago Public Schools; lobbying and working with the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and the Illinois General Assembly to secure funding; as well as many other achievements; and

WHEREAS, Prior to joining the University, she served in various executive-level positions in the Chancellor's Office at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC); Dr. Williams served as Special Assistant for Education to the late Congressmen Harold Washington and Congressman Charles Hayes; she also served as a Budget Analyst for Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan; and

WHEREAS, As a member of the Illinois Senate staff, she was the first African-American female to serve as Supervisor of the Senate Democratic Pages; Dr. Williams has written for various community newspapers and has appeared on local radio stations speaking on education issues; and

WHEREAS, Former Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. appointed her to serve on the Advisory Council of the Illinois Commission on Brown v. Board of Education; she also serves on the Presidential Lincoln Library and Museum State Craft Advisory Commission; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Williams served on the local school council at Morgan Park High School; she secured the archives of the late Senators Fred Smith and his deceased wife, Senator Margaret Smith, the earlier archives of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and other distinguished members of the Caucus; she also secured the archives of an 1881 graduate of Chicago State University, which included the documents of John Wentworth; and

WHEREAS, The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum requested Dr. Williams to conduct President Emil Jones oral history in 2008; she is the author of Political Empowerment of Illinois African American Lawmakers from 1877 to 2005; she is married to Attorney Paul L. Williams, a former member of the Illinois General Assembly and sole proprietor of his lobbying and law firm; they have 2 daughters, Courtney Rachel and LaTisha Sarah; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Erma Brooks Williams on her retirement and wish her continued success in her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Erma Brooks Williams as a symbol of our respect and esteem.