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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DR. CONRAD WORRILL
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill was called home to be with the Lord on June 3, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill was born in Pasadena, California to Walter and Anna Bell on August 15, 1941. His mother was the first African-American woman to sing in the Pasadena Philharmonic Orchestra, and his father was a YMCA manager; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill’s family moved to Chicago in 1950. Shortly after arriving to Chicago, Dr. Worrill became interested in swimming. During this time as a competitive swimmer with the YMCA, Dr. Worrill would be first exposed to racial issues when his swim team was heckled during a swim meet; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill was drafted into the Army in 1962 and shipped to Okinawa, Japan. While serving in the military, Dr. Worrill took an interest in African-American history, culture, and politics; and
WHEREAS, upon completing his military duty, Dr. Conrad Worrill attended George Williams College where he earned his B.S. in Applied Behavioral Science in 1968. He went on to earn his M.A. in Social Service Administration in 1971 from the University of Chicago, and his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1973; and
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WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill started his career as the coordinator for Urban Programs and Assistant Professor Institute for Environmental Awareness at George Washington University. In 1976, Dr. Worrill began teaching at Northeastern Illinois University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill taught many students at Northeastern Illinois University’s formerly Inner-City Studies, now Urban-Community Studies, and served as the program’s department chair and coordinator. Dr. Worrill academic interests and writings included educational restructuring, human rights, reparations, and political and economic empowerment; and
WHEREAS, through collaboration with Drs. Jacob H. Carruthers and Anderson Thompson, Dr. Conrad Worrill established and became the director of Northeastern’s Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner-City Studies (CCICS) at its Bronzeville campus; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill was actively engaged in community organizing and politics. In 1983, Dr. Worrill served as one of the key organizers to elect Harold Washington, Chicago’s first African-American mayor. He later became a co-founder of the Task Force for Black Political Empowerment and a special consultant for the 1995 Million Man March. His community work on genocide, human rights violations, and racism led him to present before the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland in 1997 and the U.N. World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa in 2001; and
WHEREAS. In 2016, Dr. Conrad Worrill retired from Northeastern Illinois University, and he was named Professor Emeritus; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill served in numerous leadership roles including the National Black United Front and the Black United Fund of Illinois. He also was active with the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA) and served as a host on WVON 1690-AM “On Target;” and
WHEREAS, Dr. Conrad Worrill’s greatest joy was spending time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Arlina Worrill, and his daughters, Femi Skanes, Sobenna Worrill, Michelle Worrill, and Kimberley Aisha King; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners of Cook County, on behalf of the 5.2 million residents of Cook County does hereby honor and celebrate the life of Dr. Conrad Worrill and his many contributions bettering the lives of all residents in Cook County, Illinois; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and that an official copy of the same be tendered to the family of Dr. Conrad Worrill.
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