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92_HR0188
LRB9208538RHrh
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, THe members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to recognized milestone events in
4 the lives of the citizens of the State of Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, It has come to our attention that Lutrelle "Lu"
6 Palmer is retiring from a career of service to the
7 African-American community; and
8 WHEREAS, Lutrelle Palmer was born on March 28, 1922 in
9 Newport News, Virginia, where he received his elementary and
10 high school education; he earned his Bachelor's Degree in
11 Journalism from Virginia Union University in 1942, his
12 Master's Degree from Syracuse University in 1947, and his
13 Ph.D. in Media: Mass Communications from Iowa State
14 University in 1955; he holds a honorary Doctor of Human
15 Letters Degree from St. Martin's College and Seminary; and
16 WHEREAS, Lutrelle Palmer has led an extensive career in
17 journalism; he served as a reporter for the Chicago Defender,
18 the Chicago Courier, the Chicago American, and the Chicago
19 Daily News, where he also served as a syndicated columnist,
20 and as editor for the Tri-State Defender, a newspaper based
21 in Nashville, Tennessee; he was the founder, editor, and
22 publisher for the Black X-Press Info-Paper in Chicago from
23 1971 to 1974; and he was a recruiter, organizer and preceptor
24 for the Associated Colleges of the Midwest from 1970 until
25 1990; and
26 WHEREAS, Lutrelle Palmer's articles and columns are read
27 by thousands of people in mass media newspapers; his
28 commentaries can be heard on "Lu's Notebook" on Chicago radio
29 stations WVON, WBEE, and WJPC, and on his talk show "On
30 Target" where he has served as host from 1983 to the present
31 day; prior to his radio experience, Mr. Palmer was the writer
32 and editorial director for Congressman Ralph Metcalfe from
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1 the 1970s to the 1980s, and served as a public relations
2 liasion at Michael Reese Hospital; and
3 WHEREAS, Lutrelle Palmer has conducted several seminars
4 and participated in workshops all over the country where he
5 has transmitted powerful images for enrichment and the
6 uplifting of African Americans; he has served as a leader in
7 the Chicago African-American community and fought against
8 many strong issues such as police brutality, wrongful
9 military draft of African Americans, and the overcrowding of
10 schools in the African-American community; Mr. Palmer led a
11 historic march in 1981 in a successful effort that led to the
12 election of Chicago's first African-American mayor, Harold
13 Washington; his other leadership roles have been as founder
14 of the Black Business Network, founder of the Chicago Black
15 United Communities in 1979 to the present day, founder of the
16 Black Independent Political Organization from 1981 to the
17 present day; and as chairman of the Extended Services Program
18 for the Group Living Facilities for Boys from 1998 to the
19 present day; and
20 WHEREAS, During his career, Lutrelle Palmer has received
21 numerous merit and honorary awards that include the Lu's
22 Notebook Award for "10 years Outstanding "Community Service
23 from 1970-1980", the Kuumba Liberation Award in 1983, the
24 Proclamation of Unity Award in 1976, the Outstanding
25 Community Service Award in 1981, the Journalistic Excellence
26 Award from the National Conference of Black Lawyers in 1977,
27 the Unity Awards in Media in 1980, the Community Service
28 Award in 1980, the Outstanding Service/Community Information
29 Award in 1985, an induction into the Black Press Hall of
30 Fame, the Childrens Life Enrichment/Jean Baptiste DuSable
31 Award Award in 1997, the Saviors Day Appreciation Award from
32 the Nation of Islam in 1991, the Garvey-Muhhammad-King Award
33 in 1991, the Hero & Leadership Award, the African Community
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1 Award in 1983, and the Community Service Award 29th Ward
2 People's Assembly in 1981; and
3 WHEREAS, In addition Lutrelle Palmer has been the
4 recipient of the Outstanding Service Award from Grambling
5 State University Alumni Association in 1983, the Par
6 Excellence/Journalism Achievment Award from the Coalition of
7 Community Action in 1985, the Thank You Picture Plaque from
8 Nelson Mandela and the African National Conference in 1990,
9 the Frederick Douglas Award in 1988, the Black Achievement
10 Against the Odds Award from Bell Laboratories in 1982, the
11 Jomo Kenyatta Award for Political Activism in 1994, the
12 Chicago State University Black Writers' Hall of Fame in 1999,
13 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the "Final Call"
14 Newspaper in 1999; and
15 WHEREAS, Lutrelle Palmer is looking forward to life after
16 his retirement with his wife, Jorja Palmer, his six children,
17 and five grandchildren; and
18 WHEREAS, Lutrelle Palmer's is a legend in
19 African-American life; the impact of his leadership and
20 commitment have led to a powerful enrichment of the
21 African-American community; therefore, be it
22 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
23 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
24 we congratulate Lutrelle Palmer on his retirement from a
25 lifetime career of service and leadership to Chicago's
26 African-American community, and we wish him well in all of
27 his future endeavors; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
29 presented to Lutrelle Palmer an an expression of our esteem.