RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman has officially announced his retirement as a Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, effective June 14, 2018; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this event by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, The only African-American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court and its longest-tenured member, the Honorable Charles E. Freeman was elected to the high court in 1990; and
WHEREAS, In 1997 the Honorable Charles E. Freeman became the first African-American to become Chief Justice and served in that capacity until 2000; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman earned his law degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago and engaged in general practice from 1962 to 1976; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles E. Freeman served as a member of the Illinois Commerce Commission from 1973 to 1976; and
WHEREAS, In 1976 the Honorable Charles E. Freeman was elected to the Cook County Circuit Court until 1986 when he was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court; and
WHEREAS, In 1983 as a Circuit Court Judge, the Honorable Charles E. Freeman presided over the historic moment when Harold Washington was sworn into office as Chicago's first African-American mayor; 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 25th day of May, 2018, do hereby express our gratitude to the Honorable Charles E. Freeman for his more than 27 years of dedicated service as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court; and