Bill Text: IL HR0847 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Honors Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. as one of America's foremost civil rights, religious, and political figures.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2014-02-20 - Resolution Adopted [HR0847 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-HR0847-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives are pleased to honor Reverend Jesse L. Jackson,
Sr. as one of America's foremost civil rights, religious, and
political figures; and
WHEREAS, For 40 years, Reverend Jackson has played pivotal
roles in movements for peace, civil rights, gender equality,
and economic and social justice; on August 9, 2000, President
Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the
nation's highest civilian honor; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson's work in human and civil rights
has garnered him more than 40 honorary doctorate degrees, and
he frequently lectures at major colleges and universities
including Howard, Yale, Princeton, Morehouse, Harvard,
Columbia, Stanford, and Hampton; in November of 2007, he was
made an Honorary Fellow of Regents Park College at Oxford
University in the United Kingdom and received an Honorary
Fellowship from Edge Hill University in Liverpool, England; in
March of 2010, he was inducted into England's prestigious
Cambridge Union Society and in April of 2010, he was awarded an
honorary doctorate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in
South Africa; and

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WHEREAS, In December of 1971, Reverend Jackson founded
Operation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity), with the goal
of economic empowerment and expanding educational, business,
and employment opportunities for the disadvantaged and people
of color; in 1984, he founded the National Rainbow Coalition, a
social justice organization devoted to political empowerment,
education, and changing public policy; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson's presidential campaigns of 1984
and 1988 broke new ground in United States' politics; he won
historic victories, coming in first or second in 46 out of 54
contests; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson has always had a commitment to
youth; he has visited thousands of high schools, colleges,
universities, and correctional facilities encouraging
excellence, inspiring hope, and challenging young people to
study and stay drug-free; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson has been a consistent and
vigorous supporter of the labor movement in the U.S. and around
the world and is known as someone who has walked more picket
lines and spoken at more labor rallies than any other national
leader; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson has received numerous honors for

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his work in human and civil rights and nonviolent social
change; in 1991, the U.S. Post Office put his likeness on a
pictorial postal cancellation, only the second living person to
receive such an honor; he has been on the Gallup List of the
Ten Most Respected Americans for more than a dozen years, and
he has received the prestigious NAACP Spingarn Award, in
addition to honors from hundreds of grassroots, civic, and
community organizations from coast to coast; in 2009, UK Prime
Minister Gordon Brown bestowed the "Global Diversity and
Inclusion Award" on him at 10 Downing Street; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Jackson has been called the "Conscience
of the Nation" and "the Great Unifier", challenging America to
be inclusive and to establish just and humane priorities for
the benefit of all; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we honor Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. as one of America's
foremost civil rights, religious, and political figures; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to Reverend Jackson, Sr. as an expression of our
esteem and respect.