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SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is the sense of the Illinois Senate to
3recognize and commend individuals and events which celebrate
4our nation's great struggle to fulfill the promise of equality
5and opportunity for all; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with
7its long-standing traditions, the State of Illinois is justly
8proud to commemorate the 90th birthday of Malcolm X, a singular
9human rights activist and one of the most influential
10African-American leaders in history; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha,
12Nebraska on May 19, 1925; on January 14, 1958, he married Betty
13Sanders; they had 6 children, Attallah, Qubilah, Iiyasah,
14Gamilah, Malaak, and Malikah; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Malcolm X was a Muslim minister, public speaker,
16and human rights activist; to his admirers, he was a courageous
17advocate for the rights of African-Americans in the face of
18institutionalized racism and an organizer of the African
19American community across the United States and the State of
20Illinois to stand up to inequality and injustices and secure
21freedom; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Malcolm X's pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia
2proved life-altering; he shared his thoughts and beliefs with
3different cultures and found the common thread that equality is
4not just a matter of civil rights but human rights; and
 
5    WHEREAS, When he returned to the United States, Malcolm X
6mentioned that he had met men of all races that he could call
7his brothers; he also returned to the United States with an
8outlook on the African-American struggle for equality, a new
9message for all citizens, and a new hope for opportunity for
10all; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Malcolm X's contributions to society underscoring
12the value of a truly free and equal populace by demonstrating
13the great lengths to which human beings will go to secure their
14freedom; "Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in
15behalf of tyranny and oppression," he stated, "because power,
16real power, comes from our conviction which produces action.";
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, Malcolm X advocated for equality and, in the 1964
19election year, for each citizen to exercise their right to vote
20and produce positive change through the democratic process; and
 
21    WHEREAS, On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated
22while giving a lecture in the Audubon Ballroom in New York

 

 

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1City; the ballroom was subsequently designated as a landmark
2and currently houses the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz
3Memorial and Educational Center; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Malcolm X died fighting to uphold the universal
5message of human rights for all: that every human has the right
6to dignity and rights in the country they live in, while being
7honored as a valuable contribution to the diverse tapestry that
8is America; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Malcolm X designated his last name as "X" so long
10as the situation that demanded it continued to exist, meaning
11that he cared about the human rights of all peoples, and not
12only those of particular communities; and
 
13    WHEREAS, In 1969, in honor of the slain civil rights
14leader, Crane Junior College in Chicago was renamed Malcolm X
15College; and
 
16    WHEREAS, In January of 1999, the United States Postal
17Service announced the debut of the new Malcolm X postage stamp;
18the 33-cent commemorative stamp is the 22nd stamp in the Postal
19Service's Black Heritage series; the Postal Service declared
20that Malcolm X was one of the most "influential Black leaders
21of the 1960s", and that he shaped the debate about race
22relations and strategies for social change; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Malcolm X worked to advance human rights for all;
2Chicago and New York were the 2 main cities that he worked in;
3and
 
4    WHEREAS, Malcolm X Day recognizes human rights for all and
5aligns with the State's and the City of Chicago's commitment to
6embracing and celebrating the diversity of their populations;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, Recognizing a Malcolm X day in Illinois is a way
9to continue to express its commitment to human rights for all
10by recognizing the message of Malcolm X in these lands;
11therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate May 19,
142015 and every May 15 thereafter as Malcolm X Day in the State
15of Illinois; and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That we encourage the citizens of Illinois to pay
17tribute to the life and works of Malcolm X through
18participation in community service projects on this day and ask
19the members of this body to urge their constituents to do the
20same; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That we recognize the inherent value of community
2service and volunteerism in the creation of an equal society
3and as a means of progress consistent with the works of Malcolm
4X; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That we acknowledge that, by serving one's
6community and one's neighbor, the State of Illinois makes
7progress in opportunity and equality for all, consistent with
8the values and life's work of Malcolm X.