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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. changed our nation forever through his courage, leadership, service and commitment to the principles of nonviolence; and,
WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. challenged America to end racial discrimination, segregation and to make good on its promise of human equality and civil rights for all Americans; and,
WHEREAS, Martin Luther King Day is a long fought-for, nationally and federally recognized holiday with deep personal and symbolic meaning for Cook County residents and Americans of all ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds; and,
WHEREAS, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation on November 3, 1983 establishing the 3rd Monday of every January as Martin Luther King Day, beginning in 1986; and,
WHEREAS, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted from December of 1955 to December of 1956, created the conditions for the federal court decision in the case of Browder vs. Gayle that racial segregation on buses was unconstitutional; and,
WHEREAS, on August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered the celebrated "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, in which envisioned an America void of racial inequality; and,
WHEREAS, Dr. King's continued advocacy and peaceful protest efforts played a central role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by the United States Congress; and,
WHEREAS, Dr. King's organizing efforts around the issue of Voting Rights, particularly in the State of Alabama, played a central role in the passage of the National Voting Rights Act of 1965 by the United States Congress; and,
WHEREAS, for a period of time in 1966 Dr. King moved his residence to Cook County, specifically the City of Chicago, where he partnered with the Coordinating Council of Community Organizations to lead the Chicago Freedom Movement, which sought to improve ...
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