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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING THE BLACK McDONALD’S OPERATORS ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO AND NORTHWEST INDIANA’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY
WHEREAS, The Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana is a local chapter of the National Black McDonald’s Operator Association; and
WHEREAS, The National Black McDonald’s Operators Association is committed to helping African American Communities by providing educational resources, promoting tolerance and acceptance, and empowering the people they serve through the state and local chapters of Black McDonald’s Operator Associations; and
WHEREAS, The Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana are active participants in communities across Cook County, sponsoring back-to-school drives like the longstanding Bud Billiken Parade and Education Resource Scholarship program and the BMOA Scholarship for the United negro College Fund; and
WHEREAS, Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana engage Cook County’s neighborhoods and embody the true spirit of family and community; and
WHEREAS, Members of the Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana include; Akins Akinnagbe; Doris Boulrece; Vincent Hale; Derrick Lott; Marvin Spence; Cheryl Taylor, Derrick Taylor; Yolanda Travis; and Tonnette Williams; and
WHEREAS, On December 21, 1968, Herman Petty of Chicago opened his first restaurant on Chicago South Side at 6500 South Stony Island Avenue, making him the first African American McDonald’s franchisee; and
WHEREAS, McDonald’s partnership with Herman Petty helped to open doors and gave hope to a generation of ambitious African American businessmen and women seeking a piece of the American Dream. By the end of 1959, there were twelve African American owned and operated McDonald’s restaurants, mostly located in the Midwest Region; and
WHEREAS, In 1972 the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association was formed, through the sharing of ideas, problems, and concerns amongst Owner/Operators; and
WHEREAS, The founding members of the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association who held its first convention of the organization in May 1972 and was presided over by Herman Petty, who had the foresight to see the need for such an organization. The founding members include Sherman Claypool of Milwaukee, Wayne Embry of Milwaukee, Andrew Davis of Chicago, John Perry of Chicago, Mallory Jones of St. Louis, Noel White of Chicago, Lester Hairston of Chicago, Cloris Dale of Kansas City, Andrew Murrell of Kansas City, Walter Pitchford of Chicago, Benjamin Davis of St. Louis, and Edward Wimp of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Tenacity and courage of these African American entrepreneurs and pioneers laid the foundation for what has become the most successful group of African American entrepreneurs in the United States today and has paved the way for the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association and the Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana to be partners and leaders, dedicated to providing resources across their communities in an effort to help build stronger neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, In May of 2022, the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association will celebrate it’s 50th year anniversary; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, hereby express our gratitude to the Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana, a chapter of the National Black McDonald’s Operators Association for their continued service to Cook County’s your and communities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution will be presented to the Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana.
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