SR1263 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1263 LRB102 20463 LAW 29324 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Marion Louise "Penny" Sullivan Smith, who passed away on September 15, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Marion Smith was born to the union of Roosevelt Pluitt and Ethel Sullivan in Chicago on September 15, 1933; she was raised in what is now known as the Bronzeville area of Chicago; she graduated from DuSable High School; and

WHEREAS, Marion Smith was pursued by several modeling agencies and considered law school after high school; however, her love for family led her to begin a family of her own; and

WHEREAS, Marion Smith was a hard worker with many talents; she could sew and construct anything; her home was always known as a showplace to all who visited; she will be remembered for being a strong family person who loved everyone and everyone loved; and

WHEREAS, Marion Smith was the oldest living heir to one of America's heroic narratives; her grandmother, Carrie Williams, was the first in U.S. history to file a lawsuit for the rights of colored school teachers for equal pay in 1898; her case was ultimately heard before the West Virginia Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor during the Jim Crow Era, bolstering equal education rights for African American students statewide; her legacy was noted by President Barack Obama in a letter to the family, where he thanked the Smith family for Carrie Williams' contributions, which paved the way for others; and

WHEREAS, Marion Smith was preceded in death by her siblings, Roosevelt Pluitt Jr., Ethel, Dorothy, Charles, Constance, and Othello; she was also preceded in death by three children, Lolita Smith-Oliver, Michael Smith, and Freddy Smith; and

WHEREAS, Marion Smith is survived by her children, Fred (Leonette) Smith, Sharon A. (Lee) Taylor, Hakeem A. (Avonda) Muhammad, and Andre (LaZondra) Smith; her grandchildren; her great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Marion Louise "Penny" Sullivan Smith and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Marion Smith as an expression of our deepest sympathy.