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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING NATIONAL HISPANIC AND LATINO/A HERITAGE MONTH
WHEREAS, in September of 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed Public Law 90-498 into law, authorizing the President to designate the week of September 15th as "National Hispanic Heritage Week" in recognition of the extraordinary contributions Hispanics and Latino/a Americans had made, and in recognition of the anniversaries of the some of the first Latin American countries to declare their independence; and
WHEREAS, with the approval of Public Law 100-402 in 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed September 15th through October 15th as National Hispanic Heritage Month; and
WHEREAS, Hispanics and Latinos of every generation have made immense contributions to the defense of freedom at home and abroad through courageous service in the United States Military, the arts, education, mathematics, science, literature, technology and philanthropy in this county and the world; and
WHEREAS, Hispanics and Latinos have long been part of the fabric of Cook County, first being reported on the Illinois census in 1850 and reaching a population of 25,211 by 1930; and
WHEREAS, Hispanics and Latinos have contributed to historical school desegregation efforts in the United States of America, starting in the 1930's in the State of Texas, that led to efforts in California, that culminated in the impactful decision made in the state California in 1946 in Mendez v. Westminster School District, and Hispanics and Latinos, long after the desegregation of schools, have continued to fight for better education, such as the 2001 Hunger Strike in the Little Village community to have a new high school built; and
WHEREAS, Hispanic and Latinos continue to strive and excel in higher education, and continue to endeavor for the acceptance of immigrant students in institutions of higher learning, and continue to strive for equal treatment by the Federal Government on education financing; and
WHEREA...
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