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1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, Dr. Webb Evans founded the United American
3		Progress Association in 1961; Dr. Evans believed in and worked
4		on the creation of economic prosperity for the black community
5		throughout the world through churches and political and
6		business leaders in accordance with the second phase of Dr.
7		Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision, changing the struggle from
8		Civil Rights to Economic and Political Empowerment; and
9		WHEREAS, Dr. Evans' foundation created numerous ways to
10		improve economic conditions for black Americans by preparing
11		them to enter into the business world with the knowledge on how
12		to redirect their savings and spending power globally and
13		throughout the black communities; these black-owned businesses
14		would, in turn, create more jobs for blacks; and
15		WHEREAS, Dr. Evans also depended on other sources, such as
16		black-owned press outlets, churches, and businesses, to get his
17		message across to "Buy Black"; Dr. Evans believed that black
18		dollars matter and that the black community must march with
19		their dollars in order to accomplish what was not accomplished
20		with the other previous marches across the globe; and
21		WHEREAS, The Neilson Report shows that the buying power of
22		African Americans will reach $1.1 trillion by 2015; if black

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1		consumers spend 10% more of their income in black businesses,
2		the resulting revenue would generate 1 million jobs; in 2007,
3		on the south side of Chicago, residents in predominately black
4		neighborhoods spent a collective of $3.8 billion outside of
5		their own South Side communities; and
6		WHEREAS, Many trailblazers and influential leaders have
7		stood for economic, social equality, and independence for
8		African Americans throughout the world and have labored, fought
9		for, and understood how it was, including Marcus Garvey, who
10		fought for the collective economic interest of African
11		Americans and created the Universal Improvement Association in
12		1914; A. Philip Randolph, founder and co-editor of The
13		Messenger, an African American socialist magazine, renowned
14		black labor union organizer and civil rights worker, and
15		principal organizer and author of the March on Washington,
16		where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his historical "I Have A
17		Dream" speech; W.E.B. Dubois, leader of the Niagara Movement, a
18		group of African-American activists who wanted equal rights for
19		blacks; and Malcolm X, one of the most pivotal figures in civil
20		rights history; therefore, be it
21		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
22		NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
23		designate the month of August in 2015 as Buy Black, Love Black,
24		and Give Black in the State of Illinois; and be it further

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1		RESOLVED, That we urge all citizens of this State to help
2		build a solid economic foundation that would allow African
3		Americans to shape their own destinies and maximize their
4		economic interests through various means, including opening an
5		account at a local black bank, supporting historically black
6		colleges and universities, eating at black owned restaurants,
7		hiring black real estate brokers, visiting black doctors and
8		dentists for health care, getting building and other quotes
9		from black contractors, visiting African-American museums and
10		libraries, watching or renting black-produced films,
11		subscribing to black newspapers, magazines, and websites,
12		using black caterers and event planners, visiting black
13		retailers, investing with a black-managed, publicly-traded
14		firm, contributing to a black political candidate, visiting a
15		black cultural event, and participating in Buy Black Wednesday
16		by spending money with a black business every Wednesday.