Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0533

HR0533 LRB104 16053 ECR 29320 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Joseph Caldwell of Chicago, who passed away on October 14, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell was born to Florence Wilson Walker and Joe Nathan Caldwell in Marvell, Arkansas on December 19, 1932; he committed to his faith at an early age and was baptized at New Light Baptist Church in Marvell; he attended Tate High School, where he played baseball and boxed, while sharecropping with his family; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell moved to Chicago at the age of 16, attending Wells High School and working at a mattress factory at night; he assisted his family during the cotton picking season in 1950, returning to Chicago in 1951; he served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, where he was stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Base and was deployed to Casablanca, Morocco, earning the rank of corporal and being discharged in 1954; he completed an 18-month course at Metropolitan School of Tailoring in 1956, earning the rank of master custom tailor; he married Barbara Jean King in 1958; he later studied business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1959 and finished his education at Marion Business College in 1960; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell and his business partners, Celious Henderson, Richard Phillips, and Esley Williams, opened Tailorite Complete Clothing Care Company in 1956; together, they grew the company into one that has served some of Chicago's most famous and influential people and entities, including Reverend Jesse Jackson, Mayor Harold Washington, the Chicago Bulls, the Chicago White Sox, United Airlines, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Chicago Public Library, Netflix, Trinity Unity Church of Christ, the Israel Church of God, and the Chicago and Metropolitan Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell cofounded the Gentleman's Tailor Club in 1956, through which they hosted many parties to raise money for charitable causes; he was a member of Mount Calvary Church in Glenwood; he was also active in and led many organizations, including the Seaway Bank Board, the Washington Park Business Association, the Chatham Business Association, South Central Community Services, the Illinois Dry Cleaners Association, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Operation PUSH; he also played a role in several congressional, senatorial, aldermanic, and mayoral campaigns; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell was the recipient of many accolades, including being the namesake of the Honorary Joseph Caldwell Way at 84th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago in 2011, inducted into the National Civil Rights Library in 2022, named one of Chicago's unsung heroes by the Greater Chatham Initiative in 2023, and featured in Vogue magazine in 2025; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell will be remembered as a pioneer in business and for the impact he made on his community and the City of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Louis Clarence Allen, Florence Mae Allen Washington, Willie Lee Robinson, Juanita (Jack) Robinson Banks, and Nathan Caldwell; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Caldwell is survived by his wife, Barbara Caldwell; his children, Vernon Caldwell, Karen (Kevin Fleming) Caldwell, Veta Caldwell Charles, and Joseph Caldwell Jr.; nine grandchildren; his nephew, Johnny (Sharon) Washington; his cousin, Flora Robinson; his siblings, Charles Robinson, Lee (Genevieve) Robinson, Benjamin McKinney, Francis (Frank) McKinney Johnson, and Antionette (Thomas) Caldwell; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends; 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 Joseph Caldwell and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

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