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90_HR0223
LRB9006806KBkb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives wish to send their condolences to the family
4 and friends of Artensa Randolph of Chicago, Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, Artensa Randolph celebrated a long and colorful
6 life; she began her life in Pine Bluff, Arkansas working on a
7 plantation, where she picked cotton; in 1937 Artensa moved
8 north to Chicago, to look for a better way of life; early on,
9 she worked for the stockyards of Chicago, but moved on to a
10 career as a Community Representative for the Chicago Board of
11 Education, a position she retired from after twenty years of
12 service; as a result of this position, Ms. Randolph received
13 many opportunities to meet and work with the diverse groups
14 of people within the Chicago area; and
15 WHEREAS, In 1962, Artensa Randolph made the move into the
16 Chicago Housing Authority's Washington Park Homes; upon her
17 move, she immediately became involved in the tenant rights
18 movement; the movement was designed to give tenants an
19 opportunity to speak out for better standards of living, to
20 mold the conditions of the area they lived in, and to address
21 daily issues involving their homes; in 1964 Ms. Randolph was
22 elected President of the Washington Park Homes Local Advisory
23 Council; in 1976 she was elected President of the Central
24 Advisory Council; because of her dedication to improving the
25 lives of her neighbors and friends, Ms. Randolph became the
26 first CHA appointed to the CHA Board of Commissioners by the
27 late Mayor Harold Washington; and
28 WHEREAS, Artensa Randolph went on to be re-appointed by
29 Mayor Eugene Sawyer and current Mayor Richard M. Daley; upon
30 the takeover of the Chicago Housing Authority by the
31 Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1995, Ms.
32 Randolph was named to the Executive Advisory Committee by
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1 Mayor Daley; and
2 WHEREAS, Artensa Randolph has received many awards for
3 her community work over the years including: CHA Good
4 Neighbor Award, Certificates of Merit in Community Law from
5 DePaul University, Community Service Awards from Universal
6 Geriatrics, Senior Housing Improvement Program, and in 1980
7 she was inducted into the Mayor's Senior Citizens Hall of
8 Fame; and
9 WHEREAS, In 1984 Ms. Randolph was elected as a Jesse
10 Jackson delegate to the National Democratic Convention; in
11 1993 6217 South Calumet was renamed Randolph Towers in honor
12 of the hard work of Ms. Randolph; the Artensa Randolph Health
13 Clinic is also named after her; while working for her
14 community, Ms. Randolph had the opportunity to meet South
15 Africa President Nelson Mandela, Jesse Jackson, President
16 Bill Clinton, as well as many other officials in government;
17 and
18 WHEREAS, Ms. Randolph served on many boards including:
19 Board of Directors for the Woodlawn Organization, Doctors
20 Hospital, and Altgeld Alternative Housing Board of Directors,
21 and the Eastern Star Princess Hagar Chapter #7, Prince Hall
22 affiliation; Ms. Randolph was also featured in the Crain
23 Business magazine listing of the one hundred most influential
24 women in Chicago; and
25 WHEREAS, Artensa Randolph is survived by her two loving
26 daughters, Orphia Williams and Gwendolyn Bohannon; her two
27 loving sons, Eugene and Michael; her two step-daughters,
28 Helen Mitchell and Denise Tucker; her daughter-in-law Georgia
29 Ann Jackson; her sister, Clara Pogue; her two sisters-in-law
30 Gloria Hewitt and Willie Anne Beddlie; her special cousin
31 Clara Akins; her niece, Alberta Hewitt; twenty grandchildren;
32 thirty great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins,
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1 and many other close friends and relatives; therefore, be it
2 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4 mourn the death of Artensa Randolph of Chicago, Illinois; we
5 extend our deepest sympathy to her family and friends and
6 wish them peace in the days ahead; and be it further
7 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the family of Artensa Randolph.