RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman is celebrating the 25th Anniversary as a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this milestone by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman became the Illinois Supreme Court's first African-American member when he was elected in 1990; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman served as Chief Justice from May 12, 1997 to January 1, 2000; and
WHEREAS, A native of Virginia, the Honorable Charles E. Freeman graduated from Virginia Union University in Richmond and earned his law degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman was an Assistant Illinois Attorney General, an Assistant Cook County State's Attorney and an attorney for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, From 1962 to 1976, the Honorable Charles E. Freeman was in private practice and an arbitrator for the Illinois Industrial Commission from 1965 to 1973; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman ably served for ten years as a Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County and in 1983 had the privilege of swearing Harold Washington into office as the first African-American Mayor of the City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court in 1986 to the Illinois Supreme Court in 1990; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his esteemed tenure on the high court, the Honorable Charles E. Freeman has strived to make Illinois' judicial system more accountable and accessible and has stressed the need for mentoring programs and high standards for public servants; and
WHEREAS, The hard work, sacrifice and dedication of the Honorable Charles E. Freeman serve as an example to all; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council assembled this ninth day of December, 2015 do hereby warmly congratulate the Honorabl...
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