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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Izola 
4White of Chicago, who passed away on April 10, 2018; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Izola White was born in Kenton, Tennessee; she 
6came north to Chicago in the early 1940s as part of the Great 
7Migration; she worked as a waitress in other restaurants before 
8opening her own in 1957; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Izola White's soul food restaurant opened at  a 
10time when black patrons were not welcomed in many restaurants 
11outside the city's Black Belt; it was a landmark in Chicago's 
12Chatham neighborhood until it closed in 2010; she offered 
13home-style cooking and a friendly atmosphere that drew 
14generations of locals, business owners, police officers, and 
15politicians; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Many people got their first jobs from Izola White; 
17she hired people who could not get hired anywhere else and 
18trained them to cook; she became a mother figure to many of the 
19younger patrons; she often gave people credit or let them eat 
20for free; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, Izola White hosted regular political fundraisers 
 
 
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1at her restaurant and provided a meeting place for politicians, 
2both established and those on the way up, including Barack 
3Obama, the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, and the 
4current mayor, Rahm Emanuel; she sponsored a number of Little 
5League baseball teams; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Izola White and her restaurant were staples of the 
7community; she believed in giving back to her community, and 
8her restaurant was symbolic of  charitable endeavors; 
9therefore, be it
  
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
11HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
12mourn the passing of Izola White and extend our sincere 
13condolences to all who knew and loved her.