RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 2, 2017
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners honoring the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Body
WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born January 15, 1929 and became a revered leader in the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s and an American icon; and
WHEREAS, Dr. King dedicated his life to bringing about positive social and political change through nonviolent discourse and demonstration; and
WHEREAS, during a tumultuous time in our history, Dr. King brought his message of equality and justice for all and service to others to the people of this great Nation; and
WHEREAS, on August 28, 1963, Dr. King delivered his now famous and oft-quoted "I Have A Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, which has inspired and emboldened the spirits of those fighting against poverty, racism, intolerance and inequality; and
WHEREAS, passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the result of the hard work and dedication of Dr. King and every citizen who supported and joined him in the streets and marched for justice and equality; and
WHEREAS, in 1964, Dr. King became the youngest person at that time to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end segregation and racial discrimination through nonviolent means; and
WHEREAS, making the ultimate sacrifice for his beliefs, Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968; and
WHEREAS, Dr. King was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004; and
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois was the first state in the nation to recognize Dr. King with a holiday in 1973; and
WHEREAS, a national holiday honoring Dr. King was first observed on January 20, 1986 and continues to be observed annually throughout the country and at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago; and
WHEREAS, in 1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act to transform the Martin Luther King Holiday into a national day of service recognizing Dr. King's legacy of volunteerism, interracial cooperation and youth anti-violence initiatives by encouraging all Americans to volunteer and participate in community building and revitalization and other service projects throughout the Nation; and
WHEREAS, the Martin Luther King Holiday has been observed in over 100 countries; and
WHEREAS, accepting this resolution today is Reverend Dr. Albert Sampson, one of only three ministers ordained by Dr. King at Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1966; and
WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Sampson is a preceding elder and leadership director of the United Methodist Church South End Cooperative Parish and is the founder and president of the faith-based organized Farmer Agribusiness Resource Management and the Neighborhood Social Entrepreneurs Society; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and staff, do hereby recognize and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by urging the staff of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, residents of Cook County, and citizens of the State of Illinois to continue the good work of Dr. King in making our world a place where equality and justice prevail and freedom and peace reign; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, and that a copy of same, suitably engrossed, be presented to Reverend Dr. Albert Sampson.
Dated: February 2, 2017
Approved: MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, President; BARBARA J. MCGOWAN, Vice President; FRANK AVILA, Chairman, Committee on Finance; TIMOTHY BRADFORD; MARTIN J. DURKAN; JOSINA MORITA; DEBRA SHORE; KARI K. STEELE; DAVID J. WALSH; Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Ronald M. Hill, General Counsel, RMH:AW:bh