HR0549 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0549 LRB098 13300 GRL 47822 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; and

WHEREAS, The planning for the March on Washington was begun by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin in December 1962; the pair envisioned 2 days of protest, which would include sit-ins and lobbying efforts, followed by a mass rally at the Lincoln Memorial; in early 1963, they called publicly for "a massive March on Washington for jobs"; and

WHEREAS, On June 22, 1963, the Council for United Civil Rights Leadership, an umbrella group which would coordinate funds and messaging for the march, met with President John F. Kennedy, who warned against creating "an atmosphere of intimidation" by bringing a large crowd to Washington; undeterred by President Kennedy's words, the Council for United Civil Rights Leadership continued their planning of the march, with finalized plans announced in a press conference on July 2, 1963; and

WHEREAS, After initial disagreements over the purpose of the march, the leaders of the Council for United Civil Rights Leadership decided upon a series of goals for the march, including the passage of meaningful civil rights legislation, the immediate elimination of school segregation, a program of public works, including job training, for the unemployed, a federal law prohibiting discrimination in public or private hiring, a nationwide minimum wage, the withholding of federal funds from programs that tolerate discrimination, the proper enforcement of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution by reducing congressional representation from States that disenfranchise citizens, a broadened Fair Labor Standards Act to currently excluded employment areas, and the granting of authority for the Attorney General to institute injunctive suits for constitutional right violations; and

WHEREAS, Traveling by road, rail, and air, more than 2,000 buses, 21 chartered trains, 10 chartered airliners, and countless cars from throughout the nation arrived in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963 in preparation for the march; the march began at the Washington Monument and ended at the Lincoln Memorial with a program of music and speakers; after the March, the speakers traveled to the White House for a discussion of proposed civil rights legislation with President Kennedy; and

WHEREAS, The March on Washington included many speakers who brought powerful messages of equality and humanity to the assembled masses; these speakers, dubbed "The Big Ten", included the leaders of the Council for United Civil Rights Leadership, Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish leaders, and labor leader Walter Reuther; the most resonant speech made during the march, however, was made by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose "I Have a Dream" speech is hailed as a cornerstone event in the civil rights movement; and

WHEREAS, The March on Washington and its message of equality and brotherhood are widely credited with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and

WHEREAS, Today, many African-American communities still face endemic problems of widespread unemployment, high crime levels, and discrimination; African-American unemployment rates are more than twice the rate for whites in the State of Illinois, while African Americans are incarcerated at nearly 6 times the rate of whites throughout the nation and account for 75.5% of homicide victims in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The members of this body are proud to honor both the 50th anniversary of this historic event and the men and women who marched in solidarity to make it happen; we further commend the men and women who uphold the virtues of the March on Washington and continue the fight for equality and justice to this day; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and pay tribute to those who marched in pursuit of freedom and justice for all; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we pledge our support to the men and women who continue the struggle for equal rights for all and commend them for their work in accordance with the principle of restorative justice.