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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE OF DONALD WARREN SPARKS
WHEREAS, Donald Warren Sparks was born on June 11, 1929 in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Donald was a lifelong resident of the Hyde Park community and who is remembered and described as a residence photographer on the South Side of Chicago who selflessly made extraordinary contributions to improve the community; and
WHEREAS, Donald’s freelance work reflected a long career ranging from the 1950’s through the 1970’s, covering multiple sports and other artistic and historical subjects, his images included some of the great names in sports, Jackie Robinson, Arthur Ashe and Lee Elder and the arts, Richard Hunt and Henry Lewis as well as people from everyday walk of life;
WHEREAS, Donald 30+ year career as a photographer included operating his own studio, as well as working freelance for publications such as Sport, Ebony and Jet Magazines, one of the first Black photographers to do assignment on a national basis; and
WHEREAS, Donald contributed to a number of books, most notably “With Grief Acquainted” a book of poetry by Stanford Winfield Williamson, which was a part of the Smithsonian exhibit, “Profile of Poverty”, one of his images of Buck O’Neil is on the cover of Buck’s book, “I Was Right On Time”; and
WHEREAS, Donald has over 100 photos that are in the archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Negro League Museum, and the Roberto Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh; and
WHEREAS, Donald passed away on August 18, 2021; and
WHEREAS, Donald is survived by three sons and a daughter, Michael (Gisele) Sparks, Steven (Nan Andrews) Sparks, Richard Sparks, and Leslie Sparks; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, ,that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the residents of Cook County, hereby offer its deepest condolences and most heartfelt sympathy to the family of Donald Warren Spark and honor the life and memory of this outstanding Cook County resident.
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