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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Barbara Samuels of Chicago, who passed
4away on July 2, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Barbara Samuels was born to Blanche and Dr. John
6Wilson in Gary, Indiana on August 15, 1937; she grew up in
7Chicago and graduated from Lucy Flower Vocational High School
8in 1955; she attended the School of the Art Institute of
9Chicago and Chicago State University; and
 
10    WHEREAS, In 1963, Barbara Samuels became the first African
11American copywriter for the Sears and Roebuck catalog; she
12worked as part of a design team at Sears and Roebuck that made
13household accessories, including lighting fixtures,
14dinnerware, and tabletop items; she was then promoted to buyer
15of handbags and later to national buyer of casual footwear; in
161968, she helped select clothing for the 1968 U.S. Olympic
17Team; in 1998, she was named global "Buyer of the Year",
18winning over 300 other nominees; she was also one of the first
19African Americans to visit many of the Sears and Roebuck
20manufacturing facilities abroad; and
 
21    WHEREAS, After an early retirement, Barbara Samuels
22launched The Lion's Share in 1994; her firm offered practical,

 

 

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1profit-oriented advice for fledgling designers, merchants, and
2small companies in the fashion industry; Barbara organized
3fashion shows for major organizations and charities, including
4the Jesse Owens Foundation, the Chicago Urban League, Delta
5Sigma Theta Sorority, and the American Academy of Pediatrics;
6as a media personality, she participated in fashion segments on
7Channel 32 Fox TV, WVON Radio, and the Bertrice Berry Show; she
8was a wardrobe and set design consultant for public
9television's America's Family Kitchen with VertaMae Grosvenor;
10she also wrote a fashion column for N'DIGO and lectured at
11Columbia College; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Barbara Samuels served as a board member or
13officer of several fashion-related entities, including Fashion
14Group International, the Apparel Industry Board, Inc. of
15Illinois, GenArt, The Color of Fashion, the Leaguers of the
16Chicago Urban League, and the Costume Committee of the Chicago
17Historical Society; and
 
18WHEREAS, Barbara Samuels was preceded in death by her husband,
19Alfred Jordan and her son, Michael; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Barbara Samuels is survived by her son, Gregory;
21therefore, be it
 
22    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL

 

 

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1ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
2Barbara Samuels and extend our sincere condolences to her
3family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it
4further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the family of Barbara Samuels as an expression of
7our deepest sympathy.