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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to recognize the 50th anniversary of the 
4assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 
6Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, A Baptist minister and founder of the Southern 
8Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Martin Luther King Jr. 
9had led the civil rights movement since the mid-1950s, using a 
10combination of impassioned speeches and nonviolent protests to 
11fight segregation and achieve significant civil-rights 
12advances for African Americans; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, In the spring of 1968, while preparing for a 
14planned march to Washington to lobby Congress on behalf of the 
15poor, Martin Luther King Jr and other SCLC members were called 
16to Memphis, Tennessee to support a sanitation workers' strike; 
17the following day, he was standing on the second-floor balcony 
18of the Lorraine Motel when he was assassinated; and
  
 
  
19    WHEREAS, The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. sent 
20shock waves around the world and led to an outpouring of anger 
21among black Americans, as well as a period of national mourning 
 
 
HR0905- 2 -LRB100 21163 ALS 37200 r

1that helped speed the way for an equal housing bill, a 
2significant legislative achievement of the civil rights era; 
3therefore, be it
  
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
5HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
6recognize the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. 
7Martin Luther King Jr., and we honor his  legacy as the most 
8public face and most eloquent voice of the civil rights 
9movement.