TRIBUTE TO THE BLACK MCDONALDS OPERATORS ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO AND NORTHWEST INDIANA
Whereas, The Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana (BMOA) is committed to helping the area's African American communities by providing educational resources, promoting tolerance and acceptance, and empowering the people they serve, and
Whereas, the Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana are active participants in communities across the city, sponsoring back-to-school drives like the longstanding Bud Biliken Parade and Education Resource Scholarship Program and the BMOA Scholarship forthe United Negro College Fund,and
Whereas, the Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana is a local chapter of the National Black McDonald's Operators Association, and
Whereas, The meaningful efforts ofthe Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana engage Chicagoland's neighborhoods and embody the true spirit of family and community, and
Whereas, McDonald's partnership with Herman Petty opened the doors and gave hope to a generation of ambitious African American businessmen and women seeking a piece ofthe American Dream, and
Whereas, on December 21,1968, Herman Petty of Chicago opened his first restaurant on Chicago's South Side at 6500 South Stony Island Avenue, Chicago, making him the first African American McDonald's franchisee, and
Whereas, In 2019, McDonald's Corporation celebrated the 50-year anniversary of Herman Petty being the first African American to own and operate a McDonalds franchise, and
Whereas, Roland Jones, the first African American Field Consultant with McDonald's, worked closely with Herman Petty in his store operations, and
Whereas, Roland Jones devoted long hours and was tireless in helping future African American Owner/Operators in restaurants to overcome obstacles. The sharing of ideas, problems, and concerns amongst Owner/Operators eventually led to the formation ofthe National Black McDonald's Operators Association in 1972, and
Whereas, the founding members ofthe National Black McDonald's Operators Association who attended the first organized convention ofthe organization in May 1972 presided over by Herman Petty, who had the foresight to see the need for such an organization were: Sherman Claypool of Milwaukee, Wayne Embry of Milwaukee, Andrew Davis of Chicago, John Perry of Chicago, Mallory Jones of St. Louis, Noel White of Chicago, Lester Hairston of Chicago, Cloris Dale of Kansas City, Andrew Murrell of Kansas City, Walter Pitchford of Chicago, Benjamin Davis of St. Louis, and Edward Wimp of Chicago, and
Whereas, the tenacity and courage of these African American entrepreneurs and pioneers laid the foundation for what has become the most successful group of African American entrepreneurs in the United States today and has paved the way for the Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana to
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be partners and leaders, dedicated to providing resources across their communities in an effort to help build stronger neighborhoods, and
Whereas, In November 2019, the Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana hosted its 19th Annual Food for the Body & Spirit four day event, to give food to underserved communities for the Thanksgiving holiday, now therefore
Be It resolved, That we the Mayor and members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago gathered here this 11th day of December 2019, do hereby express our gratitude to the Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana for their continued service to Chicago's families, youth and communities, and
Be it further resolved, that a suitable copy ofthis resolution be prepared and presented to the Black McDonald's Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana.