Full Text of HR0698 102nd General Assembly
HR0698 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | HR0698 | | LRB102 26520 LAW 37086 r |
|
| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of longtime | 4 | | LGBTQ+ activist and journalist Maxsonn "Max" Smith, who passed | 5 | | away on February 9, 2022; and
| 6 | | WHEREAS, Max Smith was born in Hickory, North Carolina on | 7 | | February 9, 2022; he graduated from Jefferson City High School | 8 | | in Jefferson City, Missouri; he received his bachelor's degree | 9 | | in Communication Arts from Michigan State University in 1976, | 10 | | where he served as president of Michigan State Gay Liberation, | 11 | | now known as the Alliance of Queer and Ally Students, during | 12 | | his junior and senior years; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Max Smith moved to Chicago as an out gay man | 14 | | shortly after graduating college, where he pursued LGBTQ+ | 15 | | activism through journalism; he began working in the Real | 16 | | Estate Advertising Sales Department of the Chicago Tribune and | 17 | | later at Time-Life; he was also a writer for the Windy City | 18 | | Times, Identity, BLK and Blacklight magazines, the | 19 | | discontinued BLACKlines, and the Habari Daftari National | 20 | | Coalition of Black Lesbian and Gays (NCBLG) newsletter; his | 21 | | writing was also featured in the book anthology titled In the | 22 | | Life; he edited the Black men's LGBTQ+ relationships book | 23 | | titled Staying Power! and self-published the book African |
| | | HR0698 | - 2 - | LRB102 26520 LAW 37086 r |
|
| 1 | | Americans 3rd Rail: Same-Gender-Loving, which conveyed the | 2 | | intersection of racism and homophobia; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Max Smith held leadership roles in several LGBTQ+ | 4 | | activist organizations, including the Chicago chapter of the | 5 | | NCBLG as founder and the Illinois Gay and Lesbian Rights Task | 6 | | Force as treasurer; he also served as an organizer of the | 7 | | United Faith Affinitas Church and a founding member of the | 8 | | Lighthouse Church of Chicago; he was a member of Adodi | 9 | | Chicago, the Black Bible Study Group, BROTHERRS, the Church of | 10 | | the Open Door, the Committee to Increase Black Lesbian/Gay | 11 | | Awareness, the Good Shepherd Parish Metropolitan Community | 12 | | Church, the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum, | 13 | | and the Third World Gay and Lesbian Christian Conference; he | 14 | | also participated in the concurrent Third World Lesbian and | 15 | | Gay Conference at Howard University in Washington, D.C. and | 16 | | the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in | 17 | | October 1979; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Max Smith was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall | 19 | | of Fame in 1991; he also challenged Operation PUSH and the | 20 | | NAACP to be LGBTQ+ friendly in their actions and statements; | 21 | | throughout his life, he made an effort to educate people on | 22 | | race, faith, and sexual identity; and
| 23 | | WHEREAS, Max Smith was known for being caring, selfless, |
| | | HR0698 | - 3 - | LRB102 26520 LAW 37086 r |
|
| 1 | | and welcoming; he was a big brother and friend to many; his | 2 | | home was known as a place of refuge that he built for Black | 3 | | LGBTQ+ men in Chicago experiencing homelessness; he sheltered | 4 | | dozens of Black LGBTQ+ men over the years, including Black | 5 | | LGBTQ+ immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S.; through his | 6 | | help, many of the people he sheltered are living fulfilling | 7 | | lives with homes of their own today; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, Max Smith is survived by his sister, Joyce Hooks; | 9 | | his cousin, Phyllis Razeeq; and countless chosen family | 10 | | members and friends; therefore, be it
| 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 12 | | HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 13 | | we mourn the passing of Maxsonn "Max" Smith and extend our | 14 | | sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew | 15 | | and loved him; and be it further
| 16 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 17 | | presented to the family of Max Smith as an expression of our | 18 | | deepest sympathy.
|
|