Full Text of SR0873 096th General Assembly
SR0873 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are deeply | 3 | | saddened to learn of the death of our friend and fellow | 4 | | legislator, State Representative Eddie P. Washington of | 5 | | Waukegan and Lake County, who passed away on June 5, 2010; and | 6 | | WHEREAS, Eddie Washington was born in St. Louis, Missouri | 7 | | on June 8, 1953; he grew up in East St. Louis, taking great | 8 | | pride and inspiration in the number of East St. Louisans who | 9 | | made major contributions to American arts, letters, science, | 10 | | sports, and civic life; he moved to Waukegan in 1985 and | 11 | | quickly became known as a passionate advocate for equal rights | 12 | | and for helping marginalized groups gain empowerment through | 13 | | the political process; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, He was educated in the public schools of East St. | 15 | | Louis and received a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois | 16 | | University at Edwardsville and East St. Louis, majoring in | 17 | | political science and journalism; he was also a graduate of the | 18 | | College of Lake County; and | 19 | | WHEREAS, He was a trailblazer for African Americans across | 20 | | Illinois and in Lake County; a plaintiff in a federal court | 21 | | case, Washington vs. Walker (1975), he was subsequently | 22 | | credited with breaking down institutional barriers that had |
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| 1 | | kept blacks, Latinos, and women from gainful employment as | 2 | | Illinois State Police officers; he began his long road of | 3 | | public service in 1986 as a precinct committeeman; he started | 4 | | the first African American Police League of Waukegan and North | 5 | | Chicago, became the first African American to be elected | 6 | | Trustee of the North Shore Sanitary District, and the first to | 7 | | serve as Chairman of the Waukegan Democratic Organization; in | 8 | | 2002, he became the first African American State legislator | 9 | | elected from Lake County and was re-elected three times; and he | 10 | | was a member of the Legislative Black Caucus; and | 11 | | WHEREAS, He spent decades working with community | 12 | | organizations in the Metro East and Northeastern Illinois, even | 13 | | founding his own activist group, P.O.W.E.R. (People Organized | 14 | | Working for Equal Respect); he collaborated closely with the | 15 | | Lake County NAACP to improve the quality of life for local | 16 | | residents; he was a stalwart ally of the John Howard | 17 | | Association and supported its efforts to provide more humane | 18 | | living conditions for the incarcerated and to equip them with | 19 | | skills needed to become contributing members of society after | 20 | | their release; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, He served as the Director of Employment and | 22 | | Economic Development for the Lake County Urban League, | 23 | | solidifying his commitment to the cause of prosperity through | 24 | | job creation; he was an active voice to encourage new |
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| 1 | | businesses to open in North Chicago and Waukegan, particularly | 2 | | in the Tenth Street Corridor; he promoted the development of | 3 | | green jobs and was outspoken on the need for Illinois to become | 4 | | a leader in renewable energy; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, He was a deeply religious man; he was baptized and | 6 | | joined the Straightway Baptist Church under the leadership of | 7 | | Reverend Toliver and was called later in life to the Nation of | 8 | | Islam through the guidance of Minister Louis Farrakhan; and | 9 | | WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his father, Edward E. | 10 | | Washington, Sr.; and his brother, David C. Washington; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, Representative Eddie Washington is survived by | 12 | | his wife, Flor D'Luis Washington; his three sons, Albert Aziz | 13 | | (Sandreika) Moore, Malik (Mikell) Moore, and Elias Washington; | 14 | | his four daughters, Tikisha (Lawrence) Johnson, Kieanda Moore, | 15 | | Asiah Rose Washington, and Raquela Washington; his mother, Rose | 16 | | Washington; his two brothers, Edward E. Washington, Jr. and | 17 | | Kevin D. Washington; his 10 grandchildren; as well as many | 18 | | aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends; and his passing will be | 19 | | felt by his constituents in the 60th House District; therefore, | 20 | | be it
| 21 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 22 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with |
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| 1 | | his friends, family, and constituents, the passing of State | 2 | | Representative Eddie P. Washington; and be it further
| 3 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 4 | | presented to the family of State Representative Eddie | 5 | | Washington as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.
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