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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are pleased to recognize John Daniel Slater, 
4Sr. on his life's accomplishments; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, John Slater, Sr. was born in Rolling Fork, 
6Mississippi on March 8, 1919; he lived his early years in 
7Deeson and Shelby, Mississippi; Memphis, Tennessee; and Venice 
8and East St. Louis; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, John Slater, Sr. was drafted into the United 
10States Army in 1942 and served in the 43rd Quartermaster 
11Company as a First Cook; he also served in the 2nd Army and saw 
12time in France, Belgium, Holland, and other parts of Europe; 
13his company crossed the Rhine River on temporary bridges during 
14heavy shelling, facing fierce opposition at every turn; at one 
15point, he was separated from his company behind enemy lines for 
163 months before being found 1,000 miles from their destination 
17point; he was honorably discharged in 1946 and, as of today, is 
18one of only 3 remaining African Americans who fought in the 
19Battle of the Bulge, during this last-gasp effort by the German 
20army; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, John Slater, Sr. settled in Waukegan in 1947 and 
22began working for American Motors in 1949; he later worked as a 
 
 
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1Floater for 30 years at American Motors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, 
2before retiring in 1978; he opened Slater's Barbecue in 1957 on 
3Market Street in Waukegan and it became one of the most 
4affluent establishments in the area with people coming from all 
5over the North Shore for his famous home-made foot-longs and 
6ribs; and
  
 
  
7    WHEREAS, John Slater, Sr. has been a pioneer business man 
8within the community of Waukegan; therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
10NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
11we recognize John Daniel Slater, Sr. on his his lifetime of 
12accomplishments, and wish him the best in all his future 
13endeavors; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That we designate March 8, 2014 as "John Daniel 
15Slater, Sr. Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
17presented to John Slater, Sr. as an expression of our esteem 
18and respect.