Bill Text: IL HR0549 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorates the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-10-22 - Resolution Adopted [HR0549 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-HR0549-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the
historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; and
WHEREAS, The planning for the March on Washington was begun
by A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin in December 1962; the
pair envisioned 2 days of protest, which would include sit-ins
and lobbying efforts, followed by a mass rally at the Lincoln
Memorial; in early 1963, they called publicly for "a massive
March on Washington for jobs"; and
WHEREAS, On June 22, 1963, the Council for United Civil
Rights Leadership, an umbrella group which would coordinate
funds and messaging for the march, met with President John F.
Kennedy, who warned against creating "an atmosphere of
intimidation" by bringing a large crowd to Washington;
undeterred by President Kennedy's words, the Council for United
Civil Rights Leadership continued their planning of the march,
with finalized plans announced in a press conference on July 2,
1963; and
WHEREAS, After initial disagreements over the purpose of
the march, the leaders of the Council for United Civil Rights
Leadership decided upon a series of goals for the march,

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including the passage of meaningful civil rights legislation,
the immediate elimination of school segregation, a program of
public works, including job training, for the unemployed, a
federal law prohibiting discrimination in public or private
hiring, a nationwide minimum wage, the withholding of federal
funds from programs that tolerate discrimination, the proper
enforcement of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution by
reducing congressional representation from States that
disenfranchise citizens, a broadened Fair Labor Standards Act
to currently excluded employment areas, and the granting of
authority for the Attorney General to institute injunctive
suits for constitutional right violations; and
WHEREAS, Traveling by road, rail, and air, more than 2,000
buses, 21 chartered trains, 10 chartered airliners, and
countless cars from throughout the nation arrived in Washington
D.C. on August 28, 1963 in preparation for the march; the march
began at the Washington Monument and ended at the Lincoln
Memorial with a program of music and speakers; after the March,
the speakers traveled to the White House for a discussion of
proposed civil rights legislation with President Kennedy; and
WHEREAS, The March on Washington included many speakers who
brought powerful messages of equality and humanity to the
assembled masses; these speakers, dubbed "The Big Ten",
included the leaders of the Council for United Civil Rights

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Leadership, Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish leaders, and
labor leader Walter Reuther; the most resonant speech made
during the march, however, was made by Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., whose "I Have a Dream" speech is hailed as a cornerstone
event in the civil rights movement; and
WHEREAS, The March on Washington and its message of
equality and brotherhood are widely credited with the passage
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of
1965; and
WHEREAS, Today, many African-American communities still
face endemic problems of widespread unemployment, high crime
levels, and discrimination; African-American unemployment
rates are more than twice the rate for whites in the State of
Illinois, while African Americans are incarcerated at nearly 6
times the rate of whites throughout the nation and account for
75.5% of homicide victims in the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, The members of this body are proud to honor both
the 50th anniversary of this historic event and the men and
women who marched in solidarity to make it happen; we further
commend the men and women who uphold the virtues of the March
on Washington and continue the fight for equality and justice
to this day; therefore, be it

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RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic March on
Washington for Jobs and Freedom and pay tribute to those who
marched in pursuit of freedom and justice for all; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That we pledge our support to the men and women
who continue the struggle for equal rights for all and commend
them for their work in accordance with the principle of
restorative justice.