WHEREAS, Margaret Blackshere, was a powerful and historic force in Illinois Labor and politics is survived by her sons Michael and Thomas; devoted grandmother of Michael, Alex, Quinn and Raquel Blackshere; fond sister of Patricia Smith, has gone on to her eternal reward; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago City Council has been informed of her passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Margaret was raised in North Venice, Illinois by her Mother Frances and Aunt Margie; and
WHEREAS, Margaret began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher in Madison, Illinois after obtaining her master's degree in education at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville; while attending SIUE she served as a student trustee and after completing her studies she served as a trustee after being appointed by the governor; she immediately saw the need for Madison teachers to have union representation during their contract negotiations and instigated an organizing drive that led to the Madison teachers joining the Illinois Federation of Teachers; and
WHEREAS, Margaret was the first woman to head the state AFL-CIO and was a member of the Democratic National Committee and as a delegate to the party's presidential nominating conventions; and
WHEREAS, Margaret's work to elect worker-friendly legislators and state-wide officials has given Labor a strong voice in Springfield and Washington; her efforts on key state legislation like raising minimum wage, expanding health care, enacting card check for public employees, revamping unemployment insurance, and revising workers' compensation laws, have been invaluable and; now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council assembled this twenty-fourth day of July 2019, do hereby express our sorrow and extend deepest condolences to the family of Margaret Blackshere on her passing, July 6, 2019.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Margaret Blackshere's family in rem...
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