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90_HR0354
LRB9011868KBkb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, April 9, 1998 is the centennial of the birthdate
3 of Paul Leroy Robeson; and
4 WHEREAS, Paul Leroy Robeson lost his mother, Anna, in a
5 household fire and was reared in humble circumstances as one
6 of five children in a single-parent household by his father,
7 William Drew Robeson, a Presbyterian minister and a graduate
8 of Lincoln University; and
9 WHEREAS, Despite difficult circumstances as a child, Paul
10 Leroy Robeson showed significant promise as an honor student,
11 thespian, and athlete; and
12 WHEREAS, Paul Leroy Robeson graduated from Rutgers
13 University in 1919 with letters in basketball, baseball,
14 football, discus, shot put, and javelin; Robeson was a member
15 of both the Phi Beta Kappa and Cap and Skull honor societies
16 while attending Rutgers University; and
17 WHEREAS, Paul Leroy Robeson graduated from Columbia Law
18 School in 1923, but he soon found the legal profession so
19 resistant to African-American lawyers that he embarked upon a
20 career in the theatre and arts, which brought him world
21 renown; and
22 WHEREAS, Paul Leroy Robeson became an advocate for the
23 rights of African-Americans and other oppressed people and in
24 doing so sacrificed his career as a world renowned actor and
25 singer; and
26 WHEREAS, In recognition of the accomplishments of Paul
27 Leroy Robeson, the Chicago Board of Education constructed and
28 opened Paul Robeson High School in 1977; and
29 WHEREAS, Paul Leroy Robeson's determination, academic
30 achievement, self-discipline, and self esteem epitomize the
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1 traits and attributes that should be emulated by our students
2 within the State of Illinois; and
3 WHEREAS, Paul Vallas, Chief Executive Officer of the
4 Chicago Public Schools, members of the Chicago School Reform
5 Board of Trustees for the City of Chicago, and the Paul
6 Robeson High School administration, faculty, staff, students,
7 and members of the community will gather on the 9th day of
8 April 1998, to memorialize the life and works of Paul
9 Robeson; therefore, be it
10 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
12 commend the memory of Paul Leroy Robeson; and also that we
13 urge that April 9, 1998 be declared Paul Leroy Robeson Day in
14 the State of Illinois; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to Paul Robeson High School in Chicago, Illinois.