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91_HR0722
LRB9113709KBkb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives wish to convey their sincere condolences to
4 the family and friends of Sol Leo Griffin, Jr., who recently
5 passed away; and
6 WHEREAS, Sol Griffin was born in Freeman Spur, Illinois
7 on September 27, 1925; his parents were Sol Leo Griffin, Sr.
8 and Alberta Johnson; he was educated in the Freeman Spur
9 School system and attended Lewis Business College in Detroit,
10 Michigan; and
11 WHEREAS, He served in the United States Marine Corps in
12 World War II; he was among the first African-Americans
13 accepted into the Marines; from his service experience he
14 became one of the founding members of the Montford Point
15 Marine Association, with chapters throughout the United
16 States; upon his discharge from military service, he
17 relocated to Chicago, Illinois; he met and married Loretta
18 Thomas on April 8, 1950; and
19 WHEREAS, Sol Griffin was one of the first
20 African-Americans to be employed by the Chicago Transit
21 Authority; he also worked for the Chicago Board of Education
22 and the University of Chicago Campus Police, where he retired
23 in 1990; and
24 WHEREAS, Sol Griffin was a social activist who worked to
25 improve the lives of African-Americans, particularly those
26 who served in the military; he gave of his time to many
27 organizations, especially the Montford Point Marine
28 Association; he was chairman of the Minority Veterans
29 Steering Committee, a member of Congressman Luis Guiterrez'
30 Veterans Task Force, the Mayor's Advisory Council on Veterans
31 Affairs for the City of Chicago, a member of the Selective
32 Service Board, and a member of American Legion Giles Post
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1 #87; and
2 WHEREAS, Sol Griffin worked with the V.A. Great Lakes
3 Health Care System, and was instrumental in working to
4 maintain health care services for veterans at the Westside
5 Hospital; he organized a Memorial Day tribute to the late
6 Mayor Harold Washington, recognizing his contributions to the
7 City of Chicago, the African-American community, and his
8 service in the military; the event is held each year at the
9 site of the Harold Washington monument; and
10 WHEREAS, Sol Griffin worked with the Village Investment
11 Project, soliciting retired veterans to serve as mentors to
12 children in foster care; he participated in the annual Marine
13 Corps Toys for Tots program; he helped organize an annual
14 Thanksgiving basket drive sponsored by the Montford Point
15 Marine Association; during Black History Month he traveled
16 with an exhibit chronicling the history of blacks in the
17 military to schools in Chicago; he also worked with the
18 organizers of the Bronzeville Military Academy on the
19 exhibit; and
20 WHEREAS, Sol Griffin was awarded and received recognition
21 for his hard work and dedication to veterans affairs; it is
22 with great sorrow that we express our sympathy to his loving
23 wife, Loretta; his sons, Michael and Dennis; his daughter,
24 Gail (Walidah); his sisters, Constance Fields and Thelma
25 Jenkins; his grandchildren, Dennis, Jr., Saad, Rashad, Maya,
26 Peaches, and Lionel; his three great-grandchildren; his
27 cousins, the Gresham family; and many other relatives and
28 friends; therefore, be it
29 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
30 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
31 we again express sorrow at this time of loss to the family of
32 Sol Leo Griffin, Jr.; and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2 presented to the family of Sol Leo Griffin, Jr.