RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Linda Brown Thompson has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of 76; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of her passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Linda Brown Thompson was a Kansas student at the center of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that struck down racial segregation in schools; and
WHEREAS, On May 17, 1954, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Brown versus the Board of Education that separating black and white children was unconstitutional; and
WHEREAS, Linda Brown Thompson's father, Oliver Brown, filed suit after his daughter and several other black students were blocked from enrolling their children in an all-white school in Topeka; and
WHEREAS, In 1988 Linda Brown Thompson and her sister, Cheryl Brown, founded The Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research, a not-for-profit organization which seeks to keep alive the history and ideals surrounding the landmark Supreme Court case; and
WHEREAS, The hard work, sacrifice and dedication of Linda Brown Thompson serve as an example to all; and
WHEREAS, Linda Brown Thompson was an individual of great integrity who will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his many relatives, friends and admirers; and
WHEREAS, To her beloved family, Linda Brown Thompson imparts a legacy of faithfulness, service and dignity; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this eighteenth day of April, 2018, do hereby commemorate Linda Brown Thompson for her grace-filled life and do hereby express our condolences to her family; and