HR1238 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1238 LRB098 22151 GRL 61026 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Board of Education for Harvey Public Schools District 152 has adopted the policy of naming its schools, whenever practicable, after worthy and well-known poets; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou, born Marguerite Johnson on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri, learned early in life the lessons of respect, pride, loyalty, and humanitarianism, attributes that she continued to demonstrate throughout her life; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou was an accomplished author, poet, actress, singer, producer, educator, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist; nurtured by discipline and hard work, she successfully found recognition from her colleagues as well as national acclaim; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou served on 2 presidential committees and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Arts in 2000 and the Lincoln Medal in 2008; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou received the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Barack Obama in 2010; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou was presented the Literary Arts Award by First Lady Michelle Obama at the BET Honors ceremony in Washington, D.C. in 2012; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou received over 50 honorary degrees; she also served as a Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou fashioned her life around many of the values that Harvey Public Schools District 152 incorporated into its Mission Statement, including academic excellence, leadership, skillful decision-making, respect for others and self, giving your best effort, honesty, personal empowerment, cultural appreciation, and joy of learning; and

WHEREAS, The Maya Angelou Elementary School in Harvey is the only school named after Maya Angelou in the State of Illinois; the school will educate children with the skills they need to face the future, as well as the values that were so intrinsic in this fiercely proud and humble woman; and

WHEREAS, In her presence on September 22, 1995, Maya Angelou Elementary School was dedicated in her name; and

WHEREAS, Maya Angelou passed away on May 28, 2014 at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we proudly rededicate the Maya Angelou Elementary School in Harvey in honor of Maya Angelou and her legacy; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Harvey Public Schools District 152.