A CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION Recognizing the Significance
of Black History Month
WHEREAS, It has been the long-established custom of the Chicago City Council, this august Le;gi.slatjye body, to honor the legacy of those distinguished individuals and groups whose life, work and civic endeavor serve to enhance the quality of life for Chicagoans; and
Whereas the month of February is officially celebrated as Black History Month, which ;dates back to 1926 when Dr. Carter jG. Woodson, a Chicago historian set aside a sgecial period of time in February to recognize the heritage and achievement of sBiaTcte Americans; and
Whereas;^ Lincein and Frederick Douglass inspired the
creatlojn of Negro History Week, the forerunner tp Black History Month;
Whereas Negro History Week represented the culmination of Dr. Carter G. Woodson's efforts to erihanceimowledge of Black history at the legendary Wabash YMCA; and
Whereas, the first Africans were brought involuntarily to the shores of the Americas as slaves* early as the. 17th century; and
Whereais todays Africans inyAmerica and their-descendants are now known as Black Americans and
V^ereas, AfrjcajiTAj^ suffered ienSlavgment and^uJ^seQuently faced the injustices of lynch mobs, segregation, and denial of basic, fundamental rights; and
Whereas, despite slavery, African-Americans in all walks of life have made
significant contributions throughout the history of the United States,
including the Black man of Haitian descent, Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, who first
settledjfn and ifgurraed^the^City b:f^Ch1jcago; and
^ertfasi tiftday we honor prominent African.Americah Illinois legislators such as John Wf E. Thomas of Chicago, the first^frLcan American Illinois legislator, who was elected to W$b IHihpjS House '0f^epi0^ents^Ws in 1B76- and the flrstAfrican American elected tp the illlinois Senate was Adelbert H. Roberts in £924.
Farther, |^s^ 1915cmade history, becoming the first
OTcaj^Ah^^^^ DePriestewas aj§p the first A...
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