OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
April 13,2016
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Together with Alderman Hairston, Mitchell and Harris, I transmit herewith a resolution honoring the life and memory of Henry English.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
ALDERMEN LESLIE HAIRSTON, GREGORY MITCHELL AND MICHELLE HARRIS
MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL APRIL 13, 2016
, The Members of this Chamber were deeply saddened to learn of the untimely passing on April 2, 2016, at age 73, of Henry L. English, a life-long community activist in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English died as he had lived. He was on his way to a get-out-the-vote event for Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton when a car struck the car he was driving; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English was born on May 27, 1942 in West Point, Mississippi. He was the second of four children born to parents who migrated to Chicago from Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Following graduation from high school, Mr. English served with distinction in the United States Marine Corps; and
WHEREAS, After his military service, Mr. English returned to Chicago and became a community activist while studying and serving in student government at what was then called Crane Junior College, where he rallied classmates to the cause of changing the school's name to Malcolm X College during the civil rights era; and
WHEREAS, Following graduation, Mr. English became the treasurer for the Black Panther Party. He was known for having a peaceful, calm demeanor and for being a genius at community organizing. Mr. English greatly admired Malcolm X and Martin Luther King; and
WHEREAS, Wishing to further his education, Mr. English moved to New York to attend Cornell University, where he earned a Master's degree; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English then returned to Chicago, where he pursued a career as a health care administrator while organizing neighbors during evenings to fight for numerous causes; and
WHEREAS, Henry L. English performed significant roles in efforts that included voter-registration initiatives that helped elect Harold Washington as Chicago's first black mayor in 1983. Mr. English also worked to preserve the buildings at the South Shore Country Club and transform them into the South Shore Cultural Center; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, Mr. English founded the Black United Fund of Illinois, which raises charitable donations to provide grants and expertise to small not-for-profit groups and programs for job training; and
WHEREAS, Though Mr. English counted among his friends Fred Hampton and Stokely Carmichael and rubbed elbows with jazz greats Count Basie and Miles Davis, he was proudest of his work helping working-class families in his hometown - a modern-day "George Bailey" from "It's a Wonderful Life," who sacrificed for the good of the community; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English's impact on poor communities was significant, his legacy will be everlasting and he will be deeply missed by the entire City of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Henry L. English is survived by his loving wife, Denise, and his four caring children, Nkrumah, Kenya, Jummane, and Kamillah; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, assembled this thirteenth day of April, 2016, do hereby honor the life and community service of Henry L. English, and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Henry L English as a sign of our sympathy and good wishes.
