SR1591 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1591 LRB100 21504 ALS 38311 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Rudolph "Rudy" Davenport of Springfield, who passed away on April 7, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Rudy Davenport was born in Georgia and grew up in Chicago; he served in the Korean War and moved to Springfield in 1966; and

WHEREAS, Rudy Davenport was a leader in dozens of community programs during his decades in the capital city; he was the former president of Springfield's NAACP branch and the 2001 Copley First Citizen; he served as a founding member and president of the Springfield and Sangamon County chapter of Habitat for Humanity and was involved in the Citizens Club of Springfield; he also participated in many other local committees organized to improve community relations and deliberate on racial matters; and

WHEREAS, One of Rudy Davenport's most significant achievements was his role in the federal lawsuit in the 1980s that led to Springfield changing its form of government; he was one of three black residents who filed suit charging the minority vote in Springfield was diluted; the case led to the creation of the city's current aldermanic form of government, where the city is split into ten wards, and each ward elects a member of the city council; and

WHEREAS, Rudy Davenport retired from the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, where he served as an auditor, in 1989; and

WHEREAS, Rudy Davenport will be remembered as a tireless advocate for people whose rights were being compromised or denied; he was articulate and principled, and would sit and talk to anybody; one of his joys was singing bass in a church a cappella group, Men of Grace; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Rudolph "Rudy" Davenport 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 Rudy Davenport as an expression of our deepest sympathy.