SR1261 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1261 LRB098 21623 MST 60439 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of poet, Maya Angelou; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Maya Angelou is one of the most renowned and influential voices of our time; hailed as a global renaissance woman, she is a celebrated poet, novelist, educator, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Maya Angelou was born on April 4th, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri and raised in St. Louis and in Stamps, Arkansas; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Maya Angelou was once hailed as "America's most visible black female autobiographer"; her first and most highly acclaimed work, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" (1969), brought her international recognition and was nominated for a National Book Award; she has been awarded over 30 honorary degrees and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her 1971 volume of poetry, "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie"; the list of her published verse, non-fiction, and fiction now includes more than 30 bestselling titles; she was a trailblazer in film and television; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Maya Angelou served on 2 presidential committees - one for President Gerald Ford in 1975 and one for President Jimmy Carter in 1977; President Bill Clinton requested that she compose a poem to read at his inauguration in 1993 and her reading of her poem "On the Pulse of the Morning" was broadcast live around the world; in 2000, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton; she received the Lincoln Medal in 2008 under President George W. Bush and has received 3 Grammy Awards; in 2010, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S., by President Barack Obama; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Maya Angelou's words and actions will forever live in our souls, energize our bodies, liberate our minds, and heal our hearts; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of poet, Maya Angelou, and extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Maya Angelou as an expression of our deepest sympathy.