The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus is an American political organization composed of African Americans elected to the Illinois Legislature .
8-588: The primary mission of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus is "to assure that the interests of African American citizens are given equitable representation in the General Assembly and that legislative action is directed to address those interests." The Caucus's efforts have focused in the areas of housing, health & welfare, education, employment and minority business enterprise. Specific priorities include: Officers are elected from within
16-546: A study group formed by Harold Washington , Louis A.H. Caldwell , Otis Collins , and Calvin Smith (Illinois politician) in 1966. The Caucus was formally established in 1967, and purchased a permanent headquarters in Springfield in 2004. 39°49′01″N 89°41′10″W / 39.817°N 89.686°W / 39.817; -89.686 John W. E. Thomas John William Edinburgh Thomas ( May 1, 1847 – December 18, 1899)
24-742: The Caucus with equal representation from both the House and Senate members. The following legislators are officers of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus for the 102nd General Assembly. African Americans in the Illinois General Assembly have had the longest uninterrupted presence in any state legislature in the United States, dating back to 1882. The first African American in the Illinois House of Representatives, John W. E. Thomas of Chicago,
32-578: The General Assembly were Republicans, after which the African-American presence in the legislature gradually shifted to the Democratic caucus. Floy Clements (1958) and Earlene Collins (1977) became the first African-American women to be elected to the House and Senate, respectively. Cecil A. Partee rose to become the first Minority Leader (1973) and President of the Senate (1975). The Caucus originated in
40-540: The South Chicago Loop , which would become his constituency. He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1876. He served one term but failed to be re-elected in 1878 and 1880. He was admitted to the bar in 1880 and practiced law, while also expanding his holdings in real estate. He was elected again to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1882 and re-elected to a third term in 1884. In 1885, he
48-594: Was an American businessman, educator, and Illinois politician. Born into slavery in Alabama , he moved to Chicago after the Civil War , where he became a prominent community leader. In 1876 he became the first African American elected to the Illinois General Assembly . Thomas was instrumental in passage of Illinois' first anti-discrimination in public accommodations law, which he introduced in 1885. Thomas
56-581: Was born May 1, 1847, in Montgomery, Alabama . During the American Civil War , Thomas defied laws governing slavery, and taught other slaves how to read and write. He became a school teacher in the south before moving to Chicago with his wife and daughter in 1869. In Chicago, he opened a grocery store, started a school for blacks, and became very involved in Olivet Baptist Church , then located in
64-603: Was elected in 1876, and after not being re-nominated in 1878 and 1880, returned to the House in 1882. The number of African-Americans in the House increased to two in 1912. Adelbert H. Roberts became the first African American in the Illinois Senate in 1924. Roberts, in 1927, became the first to chair a legislative committee, the Senate Committee on Criminal Procedure. Until 1934, all of the African-Americans elected to
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