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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Reverend
4 M. Earle Sardon of Chicago, who passed away on December 18,
5 2009; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Reverend Sardon served his country with pride and
7 distinction as a member of the United States Army during World
8 War II; after returning home, he went to Chicago to fight,
9 through non-violent protests, for the rights of his fellow
10 African-Americans; in 1946, he organized the Civil Rights
11 Program, published and edited the Crusader newspaper,
12 campaigned against Wonder Bread Company, and placed the first
13 African-American bread truck driver salesman; by 1947, every
14 bread company had African-American drivers in their ranks; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Reverend Sardon continued his fight to place cake,
16 pie, cookie, and laundry truck drivers, whiskey and wine
17 salesmen, and beer company employees; in 1949, he opened Andy
18 Frain Co., which placed African-American ushers at sporting
19 events for the first time; he helped to organize the
20 African-American garbage truck company owners and led efforts
21 to increase their business; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Reverend Sardon marched on with the civil rights

 

 

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1 movement to mount a campaign against Agar Meat Packers, A&P
2 Stores, the First National Bank in downtown Chicago, Brinks
3 Money Transport Company, Greyhound Bus Co., El Produto Cigar
4 Co., and numerous ice cream companies; during 1961 and 1962, he
5 joined the efforts of Dr. Martin Luther King in Georgia,
6 Washington, D.C., and Chicago; throughout the years, he was
7 arrested many times for his efforts for civil rights; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Reverend Sardon served the people of the City of
9 Chicago in ministry for 60 years; in 1978, he was involved in
10 the organization of The Crusaders of Justice, a group which
11 worked tirelessly to help those less fortunate; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Reverend Sardon was an active member of numerous
13 civic and charitable organizations; he served on the Citizens
14 Utility Board as a member appointed by Governor James Thompson;
15 he helped organize and served as chairman of the Illinois
16 Committee of Churches for Religious Freedom and traveled to
17 every state to speak and organize for religious freedom; he
18 also organized a State-financed homeless shelter and worked to
19 create and maintain a drug prevention program; and
 
20     WHEREAS, In 2003, Reverend Sardon was appointed to serve as
21 Director of Americorps' VISTA program site in Chicago under the
22 direction of the U.S. Department of Labor; he continued to
23 serve as pastor of Holiness Community Temple, President of the

 

 

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1 Crusaders of Justice, and as a lecturer, counselor, and crisis
2 mediator until his passing; therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
5 mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of
6 Reverend M. Earle Sardon; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the family of Reverend M. Earle Sardon as an
9 expression of our sympathy.