Bill Text: IL HR0657 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commends the Illinois Operators that are members of the National Black McDonald's Operators Association for their continued service to State of Illinois' youth and communities.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2022-02-15 - Resolution Adopted [HR0657 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HR0657-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The National Black McDonald's Operators
Association is committed to helping African American
communities by providing educational resources, promoting
tolerance and acceptance, and empowering the people they serve
through the state and local chapters of Black McDonald's
Operator's Associations; and
WHEREAS, The Black McDonald's Operators Association of
Chicago and Northwest Indiana is a local chapter of the
National Black McDonald's Operators Association; and
WHEREAS, The Black McDonald's Operators Association of
Chicago and Northwest Indiana participates actively in
communities across Cook County, sponsoring back-to-school
drives, the longstanding Bud Billiken Parade and Education
Resource Scholarship Program, and the BMOA Scholarship for the
United Negro College Fund; and
WHEREAS, Members of the Black McDonald's Operators
Association of Chicago and Northwest Indiana include Akins
Akinnagbe, Doris Boulrece, Vincent Hale, Derrick Lott, Marvin
Spence, Cheryl Taylor, Derrick Taylor, Yolanda Travis, and
Tonnette Williams; and

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WHEREAS, The National Black McDonald's Operators
Association encompasses 200+ independent Black franchisees
from around the country, many of whom own and operate within
the State of Illinois; and
WHEREAS, Some cities in Illinois do not have local
chapters of the National Black McDonald's Operators
Association; however, those cities have Black owner/operators
who uplift their communities; and
WHEREAS, McDonald's Owner/Operator Jimmy Williams, a
native of East St. Louis, owns and operates over 20 McDonald's
restaurants; through his entrepreneurship, he has consistently
given back to the East St. Louis community by launching
Archways to Opportunity, which provides financial academic
assistance for McDonald's employees at all levels, by creating
a mentorship program for young people, and by offering
countless other donations of his time and talent to the East
St. Louis community; and
WHEREAS, The meaningful efforts of the Black McDonald's
Operators throughout the State of Illinois engage our local
neighborhoods and embody the true spirit of family and
community; and
WHEREAS, On December 21, 1968, Herman Petty of Chicago

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opened his first restaurant on Chicago's South Side at 6500
South Stony Island Avenue, making him the first African
American McDonald's franchisee; and
WHEREAS, McDonald's partnership with Herman Petty opened
the doors and gave hope to a generation of ambitious African
American businessmen and women seeking a piece of the American
Dream; by the end of 1969, there were 12 African American owned
and operated McDonald's restaurants, mostly located in the
Midwest; and
WHEREAS, The sharing of ideas, problems, and concerns
among owner/operators eventually led to the formation of the
National Black McDonald's Operators Association in 1972; and
WHEREAS, The founding members of the National Black
McDonald's Operators Association who attended the first
organized convention of the organization in May 1972 presided
over by Herman Petty, who had the foresight to see the need for
such an organization, were Sherman Claypool of Milwaukee,
Wayne Embry of Milwaukee, Andrew Davis of Chicago, John Perry
of Chicago, Mallory Jones of St. Louis, Noel White of Chicago,
Lester Hairston of Chicago, Cloris Dale of Kansas City, Andrew
Murrell of Kansas City, Walter Pitchford of Chicago, Benjamin
Davis of St. Louis, and Edward Wimp of Chicago; and

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WHEREAS, The tenacity and courage of these African
American entrepreneurs and pioneers laid the foundation for
what has become the most successful group of African American
entrepreneurs in the United States today and has paved the way
for the National Black McDonald's Operators Association to be
partners and leaders, dedicated to providing resources across
their communities in an effort to help build stronger
neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, In May of 2022, the National Black McDonald's
Operators Association will celebrate its 50-year anniversary;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we commend the Illinois operators that are members of the
National Black McDonald's Operators Association for their
continued service to Illinois' youth and communities; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to the Illinois Operators that are members of the
National Black McDonald's Operators Association as a symbol of
our respect and esteem.