HR 944

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Full Text of HR0944
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	HR0944 - 104th General Assembly
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		HR0944		LRB104 22106 ECR 38279 r
1HOUSE RESOLUTION
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate the leadership, staff,
4and owners of the Chicago Defender on the historic occasion of
5the newspaper's 121st anniversary in 2026; and
6    WHEREAS, The Chicago Defender is a legendary,
7Chicago-based publication founded on May 5, 1905 by the
8visionary Robert Sengstacke Abbott, who launched the
9monumental Black newspaper with just 25 cents and an
10unyielding dream to tell Black American stories
11unapologetically; and
12    WHEREAS, From its humble beginnings being printed in an
13apartment, the Chicago Defender rapidly evolved into a
14movement, becoming one of the nation's most influential
15Black-owned and operated newspapers and distinguishing itself
16as the first to achieve a circulation over 100,000, the first
17to feature a health column, and the first to host a full page
18of comic strips; the newspaper reached a towering national
19circulation of 200,000 copies by 1920, extending its profound
20reach far beyond the borders of Illinois; and
21    WHEREAS, Under the fearless leadership of Robert Abbott,
22the Chicago Defender used moralistic rhetoric, political
		HR0944	- 2 -	LRB104 22106 ECR 38279 r
1cartoons, and a bold platform to expose the horrors of
2lynchings, fight Jim Crow laws, and aggressively champion the
3migrations of African Americans from the rural South to the
4urban North, including initiating the historic "Great Northern
5Drive" on May 15, 1917, which helped reshape national
6politics, shift voting power, and rapidly grow Chicago's Black
7population from 40,000 to nearly 150,000 citizens; and
8    WHEREAS, Robert Abbott and editor Lucius Harper
9established the iconic Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic in 1929
10to give underprivileged children a chance to shine and
11celebrate achievement; this event has grown into one of the
12largest single events in Chicago and one of the largest annual
13parades in the United States, today drawing over one million
14attendees and 25 million television viewers; and
15    WHEREAS, John H. Sengstacke assumed leadership of the
16Chicago Defender in 1940, continuing the paper's fierce legacy
17of political advocacy by successfully encouraging President
18Harry S. Truman to integrate the U.S. Armed Services, helping
19establish the National Newspaper Publishers Association, and
20expanding the paper into a daily publication on February 6,
211956; and
22    WHEREAS, Throughout the Chicago Defender's storied
23history, the publication has attracted and nurtured the
		HR0944	- 3 -	LRB104 22106 ECR 38279 r
1extraordinary writing talents of many famous American authors
2and cultural icons, including Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn
3Brooks, and Willard Motley; and
4    WHEREAS, The Chicago Defender's stewardship has
5successfully transitioned through changing eras, shifting to
6Real Times, Inc. in 2003, and today, under the dedicated
7guidance of Publisher Dyanna Knight Lewis, the Chicago
8Defender has beautifully navigated its digital evolution,
9continuing to serve as a multifaceted media platform and
10cultural beacon that elevates Black storytelling, leadership,
11and excellence; therefore, be it
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
13HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we congratulate the Chicago Defender on the occasion of its
15121st anniversary and for its irreplaceable role in shaping
16American culture, news, and civil rights, and we extend our
17best wishes to the paper's publishers, staff, and readers for
18continued success and vital storytelling in the future; and be
19it further
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to Dyanna Knight Lewis as a symbol of our esteem and
22respect for the leadership, staff, and owners of the Chicago
23Defender.