File #: 16-2106    Version: 1 Name: HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. HENRY ENGLISH
Type: Consent Calendar Resolution Status: Approved
File created: 3/8/2016 In control: Board of Commissioners
On agenda: 3/23/2016 Final action: 3/23/2016
Title: PROPOSED RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. HENRY ENGLISH WHEREAS, almighty God, in His infinite wisdom, has called one of our community leaders, Mr. Henry English to His side; and WHEREAS, Mr. English grew up in Chicago's Near West Side as the second of four children raised by parents who came to Chicago from Mississippi; and WHEREAS, Mr. English's career in activism began after returning to Chicago from the Marine Corps. It was at this time, while studying at Crane Junior College he successfully rallied students to the cause of having the school's name changed to Malcolm X College; and WHEREAS, Mr. English served as the treasurer of the Black Panther Party; and WHEREAS, along with his family Mr. English briefly left Chicago, for New York, where he would study at Cornell University. He would later return to Chicago and take a job as a health-care executive; and WHEREAS, Mr. English played key roles behind-the-scenes in efforts that included voter-registration ini...
Sponsors: TONI PRECKWINKLE (President), LUIS ARROYO JR, RICHARD R. BOYKIN, JERRY BUTLER, JOHN P. DALEY, JOHN A. FRITCHEY, BRIDGET GAINER, JESÚS G. GARCÍA, GREGG GOSLIN, STANLEY MOORE, JOAN PATRICIA MURPHY, PETER N. SILVESTRI, DEBORAH SIMS, ROBERT STEELE, LARRY SUFFREDIN, JEFFREY R. TOBOLSKI

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PROPOSED RESOLUTION

 

HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. HENRY ENGLISH

 

WHEREAS, almighty God, in His infinite wisdom, has called one of our community leaders, Mr. Henry English to His side; and

 

WHEREAS, Mr. English grew up in Chicago’s Near West Side as the second of four children raised by parents who came to Chicago from Mississippi; and

 

WHEREAS, Mr. English’s career in activism began after returning to Chicago from the Marine Corps. It was at this time, while studying at Crane Junior College he successfully rallied students to the cause of having the school’s name changed to Malcolm X College; and

 

WHEREAS, Mr. English served as the treasurer of the Black Panther Party; and

 

WHEREAS, along with his family Mr. English briefly left Chicago, for New York, where he would study at Cornell University. He would later return to Chicago and take a job as a health-care executive; and

 

WHEREAS, Mr. English played key roles behind-the-scenes in efforts that included voter-registration initiatives that helped elect Harold Washington as mayor in 1983. He also worked to preserve the buildings at the South Shore Country Club and transform them into the South Shore Cultural Center; and

 

WHEREAS, in 1983 Mr. English founded the Black United Fund in Chicago. The Black United Fund raises charitable donations to provide grants and expertise to small not-for-profit groups and programs for job training; and

 

WHEREAS, Mr. English is survived by his wife, Denise; two sons:  Nkrumah and Jummane; and two daughters: Kenya and Kamillah.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, do extend their deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathy to the family as well as to the many friends and loved ones of Mr. Henry English; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be tendered to the loved ones of Henry English as a means of communicating our deep respect for Mr. Henry English’s lasting legacy as a model of hard work and a driving force behind a number of progressive cause.end