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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JULIAN TAYLOR BOLTON
October 28, 1949 - August 4, 2025
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners wishes to recognize and commemorate the life, legacy, and extraordinary contributions of Julian Taylor Bolton, a distinguished public servant, legal luminary, educator, and community leader whose decades of service embodied integrity, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to the public good; and
WHEREAS, Julian Taylor Bolton was born on October 28, 1949, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Alex and Millicent Bolton. His early life in Memphis' historic Klondike neighborhood provided the foundation for a lifetime of civic engagement and leadership. In 1958, his family made the transformative decision to relocate to Chicago, Illinois, in pursuit of greater opportunity, a move that would profoundly shape his personal and professional journey; and
WHEREAS, following his formative years in Chicago, he graduated from Mount Carmel High School, Julian returned to Memphis to pursue higher education at Southwestern College (now Rhodes College), earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 1971. Demonstrating a profound dedication to the arts, he went on to receive a Master of Arts in Theater from Memphis State University in 1973; and
WHEREAS, in 1976, Julian married the love of his life, Joyce Walker. Their nearly five-decade union was blessed with three children, Julian Taylor Bolton II, Jared Walker Bolton, and Jasmine Bolton West, and was marked by a deep partnership rooted in love, respect, and shared purpose; and
WHEREAS, Julian began his professional life as an educator, serving both as a teacher within Memphis City Schools and as a professor at LeMoyne-Owen College, where he inspired countless students with his intellect, creativity, and commitment to excellence; and
WHEREAS, in 1982, Julian was elected to the Shelby County Commission, where he served with honor and distinction for 24 years. His tenure included ...
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