Bill Text: IL HR0009 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Designates the month of August in 2017 as Buy Black, Love Black, and Give Black Month in the State of Illinois.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-06-22 - Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Mary E. Flowers [HR0009 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HR0009-Enrolled.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION 9
WHEREAS, Dr. Webb Evans founded the United American
Progress Association in 1961; Dr. Evans believed in and worked
on the creation of economic prosperity for the black community
throughout the world through churches and political and
business leaders in accordance with the second phase of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision, changing the struggle from
Civil Rights to Economic and Political Empowerment; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Evans' foundation created numerous ways to
improve economic conditions for black Americans by preparing
them to enter into the business world with the knowledge on how
to redirect their savings and spending power globally and
throughout the black communities; these black-owned businesses
would, in turn, create more jobs for blacks; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Evans also depended on other sources, such as
black-owned press outlets, churches, and businesses, to get his
message across to "Buy Black"; Dr. Evans believed that black
dollars matter and that the black community must march with
their dollars in order to accomplish what was not accomplished
with the other previous marches across the globe; and
WHEREAS, The Neilson Report shows that the buying power of
African Americans will reach $1.1 trillion by 2015; if black

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consumers spend 10% more of their income in black businesses,
the resulting revenue would generate 1 million jobs; in 2007,
on the south side of Chicago, residents in predominately black
neighborhoods spent a collective of $3.8 billion outside of
their own South Side communities; and
WHEREAS, Many trailblazers and influential leaders have
stood for economic, social equality, and independence for
African Americans throughout the world and have labored, fought
for, and understood how it was, including Marcus Garvey, who
fought for the collective economic interest of African
Americans and created the Universal Improvement Association in
1914; A. Philip Randolph, founder and co-editor of The
Messenger, an African American socialist magazine, renowned
black labor union organizer and civil rights worker, and
principal organizer and author of the March on Washington,
where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his historical "I Have A
Dream" speech; W.E.B. Dubois, leader of the Niagara Movement, a
group of African-American activists who wanted equal rights for
blacks; and Malcolm X, one of the most pivotal figures in civil
rights history; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
designate the month of August in 2017 as Buy Black, Love Black
Month in the State of Illinois; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That we urge all citizens of this State to help
build a solid economic foundation that would allow African
Americans to shape their own destinies and maximize their
economic interests through various means, including opening an
account at a local black bank, supporting historically black
colleges and universities, eating at black owned restaurants,
hiring black real estate brokers, visiting black doctors and
dentists for health care, getting building and other quotes
from black contractors, visiting African-American museums and
libraries, watching or renting black-produced films,
subscribing to black newspapers, magazines, and websites,
using black caterers and event planners, visiting black
retailers, investing with a black-managed, publicly-traded
firm, visiting a black cultural event, and participating in Buy
Black Wednesday by spending money with a black business every
Wednesday.