HR1522 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1522 LRB099 24055 MST 51814 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Rev. Dr. J.C. Smith, who passed away on October 12, 2016; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith was born in Porters, Alabama to J.C. Sr. and Eliza (Hampton) Smith on July 8, 1930; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith moved to Montgomery, Alabama at the age of 18 and began working for the Atlas Glass Company; he enlisted in the United States Army in 1951, where he served two years during the Korean War and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan; he returned to Montgomery after the war and married Willie Mae Myricks on June 3, 1956; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith was active in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s; he and his wife took part in the Montgomery Bus Boycott; he was arrested in 1956 for his participation alongside Ralph Abernathy, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr.; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith graduated from Weaver's School of Real Estate in Montgomery in 1958; from 1958 to 1962 he sold insurance for the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, which was the largest company owned and operated by African Americans for most of the 20th century; he owned and operated Smith's Clothing Store; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith moved to Harvey in 1963 near the end of the Great Migration; he became a licensed real estate salesman and a journeyman carpenter; he joined Second Baptist Church in Harvey and delivered his first sermon in November of 1964; he continued his education and his political and civic involvement; between 1966 and 1973, he participated in Operation Breadbasket and was elected to the West Harvey School District #147 board, where he served for 40 years; he graduated from CBI with a bachelor's degree in theology; he started Smith's Carpentry and founded Bethlehem Temple Missionary Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in August of 2000; he served two years as Vice-President of the National Caucus of Black School Board Members from 1980 to 1982; and

WHEREAS, From the early 1980s, Rev. Smith was active with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, where he served as President of the Moderator's Council from 1992 to 1996; he served in leadership roles in the Progressive Baptist State Congress, the South Suburban Minister's Fellowship, and many other associations; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, Rev. Smith helped to grow Bethlehem Temple Missionary Baptist church; he was involved in every aspect of the church, including the cleaning; in 1995, he organized the Bethlehem Community Development Corporation, where he served as Executive Director; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith was preceded in death by his parents; and

WHEREAS, Rev. Smith is survived by his wife of 60 years, Willie; his brother, Thomas Smith; his children, Jennifer (Euclid) Strayhorn, Jonathan (Rochelle) Smith, Jeffery (Heather) Smith, Jerrold (Crystal) Smith, and Jacques (Carly) Smith; his grandchildren, Cortney Strayhorn, Tenecia Strayhorn, Justin Strayhorn, Chelsea Strayhorn, Chauncey Sims, Darrin Sims, Lauren Smith, Brooke Helburn, Rachel Smith, Mariah Smith, Austin Smith, Amber Smith, Avery Smith, Amaris Smith, Joslyn Smith, Jarrett Smith, and Caymen J.C. Smith; his great-grandchildren, Eliya and Emmanuel Strayhorn; and a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Rev. Dr. J.C. Smith, and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Rev. Smith as an expression of our deepest sympathy.