HR0234 LRB095 11696 KXB 34158 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Steve Neal was the political columnist at the
3 Chicago Sun-Times from 1987 until his passing in 2004; and
 
4     WHEREAS, His journalism was credited with influencing
5 elections, spurring the City of Chicago to change from a
6 partisan to a non-partisan system in mayoral elections, and
7 gathering support for the Illinois State Library being renamed
8 the Gwendolyn Brooks Illinois State Library; and
 
9     WHEREAS, He was a three-time nominee for the Pulitzer Prize
10 in Commentary; he was the author, co-editor, and co-author of
11 eleven books, ranging from a biography of Wendell Wilkie to a
12 book about the correspondence between Harry Truman and Eleanor
13 Roosevelt; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Steve Neal was a graduate of the University of
15 Oregon and the Columbia University School of Journalism; he was
16 inducted into the School of Journalism and Communications Hall
17 of Achievement at the University of Oregon in 2003; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Steve Neal will be remembered most for a series of
19 articles in his column that prevented the Abraham Lincoln
20 Presidential Library in Springfield from becoming a political
21 patronage dumping ground; in recognition of his hard work and

 

 

HR0234 - 2 - LRB095 11696 KXB 34158 r

1 efforts, the "Steve Neal Reading Room" has been established in
2 the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Steve Neal would gather his friends around a table
4 by the fireplace in Gene & Georgetti's restaurant in Chicago to
5 trade political news and insights; on March 23, 2007 the
6 fireplace was dedicated to the memory of Steve Neal; therefore,
7 be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
10 celebrate the life and career of Steve Neal; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12 presented to the family of Steve Neal as a symbol of our
13 respect.