LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Rainbow PUSH Coalition upon the
occasion of hosting its 39th Annual Conference on June 12-16, 2010

WHEREAS, Events which demonstrate diversity and peace contribute to
fulfilling our Nation's great legacy of equality and opportunity for
all, profoundly enhancing our shared commitment to freedom and justice;
and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
the Rainbow PUSH Coalition upon the occasion of hosting its 39th Annual
Conference on June 12-16, 2010; and
WHEREAS, The theme of this special event is "A More Perfect Union: The
State of Civil Rights"; the daily topics include: Economic and Educa-
tional Recovery; Elected Officials and Students Agenda; International
Business and Education; Labor and Clergy; and Health and Women; and
WHEREAS, The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is the product of a social justice
movement that grew out of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's
(SCLC) Operation Breadbasket; founded by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., Operation Breadbasket sought to combine theology and social
justice, and to affect progressive economic, educational, and social
policy in America; in 1966, Dr. King appointed Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. to
serve as the first director of Operation Breadbasket in Chicago, Illi-
nois; and
WHEREAS, The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is the result of a merger between
Operation PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition; established in 1971 by Rever-
end Jackson, People United to Save Humanity (later changed from "Save"
to "Serve")--PUSH, was an organization dedicated to improving the
economic conditions of black communities across the United States; and
WHEREAS, In the 1970s, PUSH expanded into areas of social and poli-
tical development using direct action campaigns, a weekly radio broad-
cast, and awards that honored prominent blacks in the United States and
abroad; through Operation PUSH, Reverend Jackson established a platform
from which to protect black homeowners, workers and businesses; and
WHEREAS, PUSH also dedicated itself to developing young people through
reading programs and the creation of PUSH Excel, a program that empha-
sized keeping inner city youth in school while assisting them with job
placement; the organization was also highly successful at compelling
major corporations with a presence in the black community to adopt
affirmative action programs which prompted the companies to hire more
black and minority executives and supervisors; and
WHEREAS, This also influenced these companies to include black suppli-
ers, wholesalers, and distributors on their purchasing lists; PUSH also
used prayer vigils and boycotts as a means to win job concessions for
minorities from white businesses; and
WHEREAS, In 1984, following his first presidential campaign, Reverend
Jackson launched the National Rainbow Coalition which sought equal
rights for all Americans; a central thrust of the Coalition was the
demand for social programs, voting rights, and affirmative action for
minority groups left out by "Reaganomics"; and
WHEREAS, The National Rainbow Coalition opposed Ronald Reagan's poli-
cies for reducing domestic spending by government; his policies encour-
aged economic investment outside of the inner cities, resulting in high
unemployment in minority communities along with a host of social prob-
lems; and
WHEREAS, The merger of the two organizations occurred in 1996 when
Reverend Jackson moved back to Chicago after serving as shadow senator
for Washington, D.C. from 1991 to 1996; the merger formed the Rainbow

PUSH Coalition with its mission to protect, defend, and gain civil
rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields, as well
as promote peace and justice throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when organiza-
tions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
the great State of New York; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Rainbow PUSH Coalition upon the occasion of hosting its 39th
Annual Conference; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.