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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Paul W. Davis; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Paul Davis was born on March 1, 1957, in Chicago;
5his parents were John Westley and Shirley Ann Davis; he grew up
6in the Parkway Gardens community of Chicago; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Paul Davis attended Dulles Elementary School; as a
8child, he was a Boy Scout and engaged in numerous civic
9activities, including donation collecting in Misericordia and
10political functions in the 6th and 8th Wards; he later attended
11Hirsch High School and Simpson College in Iowa, where he was a
12track and football star and served as president of the Black
13student union at Simpson; in 1980, he was invited to compete in
14the Olympic trials; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Paul Davis was the founder and president of First
16Trace Communications, a public relations and advocacy firm; as
17president of the firm, he helped spread positive public health
18messages on behalf of his many clients, including the
19Amalgamated Transit Union, AFLAC, John and Todd Stroger, and
20the Georgia Doty Health Education Fund, among many others; he
21also helped create the Black Public Relations Society of
22Chicago and helped mentor many young public relations

 

 

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1professionals within the organization; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Paul Davis served as vice president of Danielle
3Ashley Advertising and Public Relations and the Human Resources
4Development Institute; he also served as managing editor of
5Citizen Newspapers and as general superintendent of the City of
6Chicago Bureau of Forestry; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Paul Davis had a long and distinguished career in
8politics; he held the distinction of being the youngest member
9of Harold Washington's cabinet as both his press secretary
10during Mr. Washington's service in Congress and as a vital
11member of his inner circle during his time as Mayor of Chicago;
12he also served as manager of numerous political races,
13including those of United States Representative Danny K. Davis,
14Dan Hynes for Governor, the mayoral campaigns of Dorothy Brown,
15Bob Fioretti, and Rev. Paul Jakes, and numerous suburban
16campaigns; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Paul Davis was the founder of the Kidney
18Informational Consortium and raised awareness of prostate
19cancer testing; he also worked with the Citywide Coalition
20Against Tobacco-Alcohol Billboards and worked with his godson,
21Roman Morrow, and Rev. Paul Jakes to urge radio stations to
22curtail playing music with violent, profane, and misogynist
23language; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Paul Davis was a loyal member of Stony Island
2Church of Christ, where he attended Sunday school and Bible
3studies and administered communion; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Paul Davis enjoyed playing bid whist with his
5brothers and friends, listening to Michael Jackson, and
6watching the Green Bay Packers; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Paul Davis was preceded in death by his father and
8his brother, Tracy; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Paul Davis is survived by his mother; his
10brothers, Michael (Connie) and Glenn (Rosalind); his sister,
11Cheryl Lynn; his nephews, Glenn II, Mike Jr., Marcus, and
12Brian; his nieces, Whitney and Tiffany; his uncle, Fred Perry;
13his aunts, Doris Carter, Gertrude Bloom (Larry), Ophelia
14George, Irma Taylor, MaryAnn Davis, and Mildred Love; and his
15many cousins, great-nieces, and great-nephews; therefore, be
16it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
18ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
19his family and friends, the passing of Paul W. Davis; and be it
20further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the family of Paul Davis as an expression of our
3sympathy.