[ Search ] [ PDF text ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
92_SR0371
LRB9216481RHrh
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to
3 express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of
4 Harold C. Johnson, an early leader in Decatur's civil rights
5 movement, who passed away on March 4, 2002; and
6 WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of Decatur and a 1959
7 graduate of Stephen Decatur High School, Mr. Johnson did not
8 take long to show his strength as a leader; and
9 WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson was an assistant department manager
10 at Montgomery Ward & Co., when he was elected president of
11 the Decatur branch of the National Association for the
12 Advancement of Colored People in 1968 at the age of 31; and
13 WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson pledged to recharge the local unit
14 and to work with other community groups interested in
15 providing equal opportunities; in addition, he identified the
16 need to educate black voters about the importance of avoiding
17 straight-ticket voting in the 1972 general election; and
18 WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson resigned as NAACP president in 1973,
19 about a year after joining WSOY as a sales representative; he
20 rose to general manager of WSOY and Y103 before moving in the
21 mid-1990s to a position as account executive for TCI Cable
22 Advertising; he joined WBUI-TV in 1999, where he was a senior
23 account executive; and
24 WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson was a dedicated member of Antioch
25 Missionary Baptist Church; and
26 WHEREAS, The passing of Harold C. Johnson will be deeply
27 felt by all who knew and loved him, especially his wife,
28 Beverly; his daughters, Robin Johnson and Debra Johnson; his
29 son, Steven Johnson; and his grandchildren, Brandon Phillips
30 and Amira Johnson; he was preceded in death by his son,
31 Christopher Johnson; therefore, be it
-2- LRB9216481RHrh
1 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL
2 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
3 all who knew him, the death of Harold C. Johnson of Decatur,
4 Illinois; and be it further
5 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6 presented to the family of Harold C. Johnson with our sincere
7 condolences.