Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0182

HR0182 LRB104 12706 LAW 23596 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Amour Jean Logan Andrews, Ph.D.; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Andrews was born in Wagoner, Oklahoma on August 25, 1946; she was raised in Muskogee by her grandmother, Jewel Maud Barnett; she was educated at Manual Training High School (MTHS), a historic institution that defied the inequities of segregation to produce generations of leaders, thinkers, and public servants; she majored in speech/public address and language arts at Oklahoma City University; she later earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and Counseling from the University of Oklahoma in 1972, becoming one of the few Black women of her time to earn a doctorate in education; and

WHEREAS, As an educator, mentor, and administrator, Dr. Andrews dedicated her life to transforming educational institutions across Oklahoma and Chicago, including serving as dean of student services at Loop College/Harold Washington College, assistant principal at Gage Park and Paul Robeson High Schools, and literacy coordinator at Roosevelt High School, among many other leadership roles; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Andrews was a founding board member of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago in the late 1980s, advocating for public health and community-based responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic during a critical era in history; she was later a pillar of Chicago's retired education community, serving on the Board of the Retired Teachers Association of Chicago (RTAC) from 2018 until her passing, where she fought for pension protections, teacher advocacy, and policies that ensured the well-being of retired educators; and

WHEREAS, Understanding that the barriers to education extend far beyond the classroom, Dr. Andrews established the Amour Jean Logan Andrews Foundation (AJLA Foundation) in 2023, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing educational opportunities for underserved students by providing financial support, mentorship, and resources to ensure that academic potential is never stifled by financial hardship; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Andrews' generosity was boundless; she mentored countless young teachers, provided teaching strategies to her grandchildren's educators, delighted in surprising family and new teachers with gift cards, and always ensured that those around her felt valued and supported; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Andrews was a trailblazer in education, a champion for social justice, a devoted mother and grandmother, and an unwavering advocate for underserved communities, and she will be remembered for her outstanding achievements, unwavering service, and transformative impact; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Andrews was the mother of Anita J. (Osei David E. Andrews-Hutchinson) Andrews-Hutchinson and the grandmother of Tendaji O. Andrews-Hutchinson, Asha M. Andrews-Hutchinson, and Mariama S. Andrews-Hutchinson; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Amour Jean Logan Andrews, Ph.D. 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. Andrews as an expression of our deepest sympathy.