HR0047LRB101 07138 MST 52176 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Essie Lee Bass on the 
4occasion of her 102nd birthday on July 2, 2019; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Essie Bass was born the 8th child to John and 
6Hannah Tyler on July 2, 1917; when she was four years old, her 
7family moved to Chicago, and she found her self in the middle 
8of the Harlem Renaissance, witnessing some of the best African 
9American musicians, writers, artists, and politicians; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, In 1941, Essie Bass began working for a defense 
11plant, contributing to the war effort by helping to build 
12trucks, tanks, guns, and ammunition; after the war, she went to 
13work for a laundry company, where they manufactured tumblers 
14for washers and dryers; she later worked for St. Anthony 
15Hospital and Burger King before retiring in 1975; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Essie Bass has witnessed 18 American presidents, 
17the 1954 Brown vs Board of Education verdict, the 1955 death of 
18Emmet Till, the 1955 Bus Boycott sparked by Rosa Parks, the 
19leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, the Little 
20Rock Nine, the North Carolina lunch counter sit-in, the 1963 
21March on Washington, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the Vietnam 
22War, the establishment of the Congress of Racial Equality, 
 
 
HR0047- 2 -LRB101 07138 MST 52176 r

1Organized Freedom Rides, President Kennedy and  civil rights 
2legislation, the integration of schools, the Arkansas 9, the 
3Birmingham Church Bombing, Mississippi Burning, Rosewood, the 
41965 Lyndon B. Johnson voting rights legislation, the Black 
5Panther Party, Shirley Chisholm becoming the first woman to run 
6for President, Jesse Jackson's presidential run, Oprah 
7becoming the first black billionaire, and Barack Obama becoming 
8the first black American president; and
 
  
9    WHEREAS, Essie Bass has made Chicago her home for nearly 
10100 years; she has three children and numerous grandchildren 
11and great-grandchildren; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, Essie Bass still goes to church on the first 
13Sunday of the month to participate in Communion; she enjoys 
14hearing the Voices of Victory sing; she takes life one day at a 
15time and makes the most of every moment; therefore, be it
  
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
17HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
18we congratulate Essie Lee Bass on her 102nd birthday on July 2, 
192019; and be it further
  
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
21presented to Essie Bass as a symbol of our respect and esteem.