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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
PRESERVATION OF THE HOME OF DR. PERCY L. JULIAN
WHEREAS, Dr. Percy L. Julian was born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1899; and,
WHEREAS, Dr. Julian’s parents prized education, but there were few opportunities for him to pursue his education in the South; and,
WHEREAS, he went to DePauw University for college, where he was not allowed to live in the dormitories because he was Black; and,
WHEREAS, His work in the scientific field led him to file more than 130 patents, and he was pivotal in the development of drugs to treat glaucoma, reproductive issues, and arthritis; and,
WHEREAS, Dr. Julian’s wife, Anna, overcame similar racial barriers in her pursuit of an education. Born in Baltimore in 1902, she attended the University of Pennsylvania and became the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in sociology in the United States; and,
WHEREAS Dr. Julians was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and his wife Anna was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., both Black Greek Letter Organizations with membership consisting of black college educated individuals; and,
WHEREAS, after their marriage, the Julians lived in Maywood. When the family outgrew their house, the couple bought a home in nearby Oak Park; and,
WHEREAS, as they were preparing to move into the home at 515 N. East Ave. in 1950, an arsonist set fire to their home. In 1951, someone threw dynamite at the house. The Julians hired security guards to protect their family; and,
WHEREAS, despite Julian’s professional success, Oak Park was not always welcoming to the family. Percy Jr., Faith, and Rhoddy were the only Black children enrolled in their schools throughout their education in Oak Park, and the family received threats throughout the children’s time in school; and,
WHEREAS, an elementary school was named in his honor in Oak Park, Illinois; and,
WHEREAS Dr. Julian passed away in 1975 and Anna died in 1994. Percy Julian Jr. became a noted civil rights attorney. He passed away in 2008, leaving Faith the sole member of the family living in the family’s East Avenue house.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, it is the vision and the request of Faith Julian that the family home receive historic status and become a learning center for children and adults to learn about her parents and how to be humanitarians with the support of the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be tendered to Faith Julian, as a token of the esteem in which she is held by the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
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