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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to recognize the contributions of
4 Black nurses across the State of Illinois; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The City of Chicago's four Black Nursing
6 Associations have combined together to celebrate National
7 Black Nurses' Day; the Honorable Charles Rangel of New York in
8 1988 was instrumental in getting the United States Congress to
9 establish the first Friday in the month of February as the day
10 to acknowledge the contributions to health care made by all
11 Black nurses; the first celebration was held on February 3,
12 1989; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The four Black nursing organizations that have
14 joined hands to celebrate National Black Nurses' Day include
15 the Chicago Chapter National Black Nurses' Association, Beta Mu
16 Chapter of Lambda Pi Alpha Sorority, Alpha Eta Chapter of Chi
17 Eta Phi Nursing Sorority, Inc., and Provident Hospital Nurses'
18 Alumni Association; the Chicago Chapter National Black Nurses'
19 Association was established in 1973 under the leadership of the
20 late Rev. Christine Leak R.N.; its membership consists of RNs,
21 LPNs, and student nurses; the current President is Marion
22 Summage; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Beta Mu Chapter of Lambda Pi Alpha Sorority was
2 established in 1934 at Provident Hospital; this organization
3 holds the hallmark of being the first professional Black
4 Nursing Organization in the City of Chicago; the current
5 Basileus is Marilyn Parker; Provident Hospital Nurses' Alumni
6 Association consists of graduates of Provident Hospital's
7 School of Nursing; the Alumni Association has been in existence
8 since 1891 and the current President is Louise Hoskins
9 Broadnax; Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. is a national nursing
10 sorority for nurses and nursing students that was organized
11 October 16, 1932 at Freedman's Hospital in Washington, D.C.;
12 Alpha Eta Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. was established
13 in Chicago in 1980 and the current President is Dicie Moore;
14 and
 
15     WHEREAS, Black nurses practice in all areas of nursing,
16 clinical, education, administrative, research, government, and
17 private enterprise; Black nurses past and present are known for
18 providing quality health care services and they play an
19 integral role in delivering health care within the United
20 States and its territories; and
 
21     WHEREAS, Since February is the month that we have set aside
22 to honor the contributions made by Black Americans to this
23 country, it is only fitting that Black nurses be recognized and
24 honored for their outstanding contributions to their community

 

 

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1 and country; therefore, be it
 
2     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
4 proclaim February 6, 2009 and each first Friday in February
5 thereafter as Black Nurses Day in the State of Illinois; and be
6 it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to Sandra Webb-Baker, Chair of the National Black
9 Nurses' Day Committee, as a symbol of our respect.