Full Text of SR0517 99th General Assembly
SR0517enr 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 517
| 2 | | WHEREAS, It is the sense of the Illinois Senate to | 3 | | recognize and commend individuals and events which celebrate | 4 | | our nation's great struggle to fulfill the promise of equality | 5 | | and opportunity for all; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with | 7 | | its long-standing traditions, the State of Illinois is justly | 8 | | proud to commemorate the 90th birthday of Malcolm X, a singular | 9 | | human rights activist and one of the most influential | 10 | | African-American leaders in history; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, | 12 | | Nebraska, on May 19, 1925; on January 14, 1958, he married | 13 | | Betty Sanders; they had 6 children, Attallah, Qubilah, Iiyasah, | 14 | | Gamilah, Malaak, and Malikah; and
| 15 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X was a Muslim minister, public speaker, | 16 | | and human rights activist; to his admirers, he was a courageous | 17 | | advocate for the rights of African-Americans in the face of | 18 | | institutionalized racism and an organizer of the | 19 | | African-American community across the United States and the | 20 | | State of Illinois to stand up to inequality and injustices and | 21 | | secure freedom; and |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X's pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, | 2 | | proved life-altering; he shared his thoughts and beliefs with | 3 | | different cultures and found the common thread that equality is | 4 | | not just a matter of civil rights but human rights; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, When he returned to the United States, Malcolm X | 6 | | mentioned that he had met men of all races that he could call | 7 | | his brothers; he also returned to the United States with an | 8 | | outlook on the African-American struggle for equality, a new | 9 | | message for all citizens, and a new hope for opportunity for | 10 | | all; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Perhaps Malcolm X's greatest contribution to | 12 | | society was underscoring the value of a truly free populace by | 13 | | demonstrating the great lengths to which human beings will go | 14 | | to secure their freedom; "Power in defense of freedom is | 15 | | greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression," he | 16 | | stated, "Because power, real power, comes from our conviction | 17 | | which produces action..."; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X advocated for equality and, in the 1964 | 19 | | election year, for each citizen to exercise their right to vote | 20 | | and produce positive change through the democratic process; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated | 22 | | while giving a lecture in the Audubon Ballroom in New York |
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| 1 | | City; the ballroom was subsequently designated as a landmark | 2 | | and currently houses the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz | 3 | | Memorial and Educational Center; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X died fighting to uphold the universal | 5 | | message of human rights for all: that every
human has the right | 6 | | to dignity and rights in the country they live in, while being | 7 | | honored as a valuable
contribution to the diverse tapestry that | 8 | | is America; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X designated his last name as "X" so long | 10 | | as the situation that demanded it continued
to exist, meaning | 11 | | that he cared about the human rights of all peoples, and not | 12 | | only those of particular
communities; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, In 1969, in honor of the slain civil rights | 14 | | leader, Crane Junior College in Chicago was renamed Malcolm X | 15 | | College; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, In January of 1999, the United States Postal | 17 | | Service announced the debut of the new Malcolm X postage stamp; | 18 | | the 33-cent commemorative stamp is the 22nd stamp in the Postal | 19 | | Service's Black Heritage series; the Postal Service declared | 20 | | that Malcolm X was one of the most "influential Black leaders | 21 | | of the 1960s", and that he shaped the debate about race | 22 | | relations and strategies for social change; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X worked to advance human rights for all; | 2 | | Chicago and New York were the 2
main cities that he worked in; | 3 | | and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Malcolm X Day recognizes human rights for all and | 5 | | aligns with the State's and the City of Chicago's
commitment to | 6 | | embracing and celebrating the diversity of their populations; | 7 | | and | 8 | | WHEREAS, Recognizing a Malcolm X Day in Illinois is a way | 9 | | to continue to express its commitment to
human rights for all | 10 | | by recognizing the message of Malcolm X in these lands; | 11 | | therefore, be it | 12 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL | 13 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate May 19, | 14 | | 2015, and every May 19 thereafter as Malcolm X Day in the State | 15 | | of Illinois; and be it further
| 16 | | RESOLVED, That we encourage the citizens of Illinois to pay | 17 | | tribute to the life and works of Malcolm X through | 18 | | participation in community service projects on this day and ask | 19 | | the Members of this Body to urge their constituents to do the | 20 | | same; and be it further |
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, That we recognize the inherent value of community | 2 | | service and volunteerism in the creation of an equal society | 3 | | and as a means of progress consistent with the works of Malcolm | 4 | | X; and be it further | 5 | | RESOLVED, That we acknowledge that, by serving one's | 6 | | community and one's neighbor, the State of Illinois makes | 7 | | progress in opportunity and equality for all, consistent with | 8 | | the values and life's work of Malcolm X.
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