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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of William Garth Sr. of Chicago, who passed
4away on September 23, 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, William Garth Sr. grew up in rural Bessemer,
6Alabama, one of 15 children; and
 
7    WHEREAS, William Garth Sr. moved to Chicago and began
8working as a salesman at the Chicago Citizen papers, a weekly
9newspaper chain focusing on African-American communities; and
 
10    WHEREAS, William Garth Sr. purchased the chain
11approximately 35 years ago and became CEO and publisher; the
12papers, with a circulation of about 121,000, constitute the
13largest black-owned chain in the Midwest; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In 1996, William Garth Sr. was elected Chair of
15the 480-newspaper Illinois Press Association, becoming the
16country's first African-American chief of a statewide press
17organization; and
 
18    WHEREAS, William Garth Sr. was a member of the Rainbow/PUSH
19board and publisher of PUSH magazine; he was a founding member
20of the Chatham Business Association; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, After the passing of his son, Quentis Bernard
2Garth, William Garth Sr. started a scholarship foundation in
3his name, which has dispensed more than $1 million to
4college-bound students; and
 
5    WHEREAS, William Garth Sr. is survived by his son, William
6Darrell Garth Jr.; his daughter-in-law, Janice; his sisters,
7Geraldine Burgess, Orangie Garth, and Charlie Garth; his
8brothers, X Rashid, Robert Sr., Roosevelt, Jessie, Larry,
9Joseph, and Richard; three grandchildren; and seven
10great-grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
13William Garth Sr., and extend our sincere condolences to his
14family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
15further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of William Garth Sr. as an expression
18of our deepest sympathy.