HR0234 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0234 LRB095 11696 KXB 34158 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Steve Neal was the political columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times from 1987 until his passing in 2004; and

WHEREAS, His journalism was credited with influencing elections, spurring the City of Chicago to change from a partisan to a non-partisan system in mayoral elections, and gathering support for the Illinois State Library being renamed the Gwendolyn Brooks Illinois State Library; and

WHEREAS, He was a three-time nominee for the Pulitzer Prize in Commentary; he was the author, co-editor, and co-author of eleven books, ranging from a biography of Wendell Wilkie to a book about the correspondence between Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt; and

WHEREAS, Steve Neal was a graduate of the University of Oregon and the Columbia University School of Journalism; he was inducted into the School of Journalism and Communications Hall of Achievement at the University of Oregon in 2003; and

WHEREAS, Steve Neal will be remembered most for a series of articles in his column that prevented the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield from becoming a political patronage dumping ground; in recognition of his hard work and efforts, the "Steve Neal Reading Room" has been established in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library; and

WHEREAS, Steve Neal would gather his friends around a table by the fireplace in Gene & Georgetti's restaurant in Chicago to trade political news and insights; on March 23, 2007 the fireplace was dedicated to the memory of Steve Neal; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we celebrate the life and career of Steve Neal; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Steve Neal as a symbol of our respect.