IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 302 
Honoring and recognizing the life and achievements of John Hope Franklin, 
one of the Nation’s most distinguished scholars. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 31, 2009 
Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. SULLIVAN, 
Ms. FUDGE, Mr. WATT, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. PAYNE, Mrs. 
CHRISTENSEN, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. MEEKS of New 
York, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Ms. WATSON, Ms. 
WATERS, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mr. RAN-
GEL, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. CLY-
BURN, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, 
Mr. DAVIS of Alabama, Mr. FATTAH, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, 
Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. CARSON of 
Indiana, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RUSH, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. THOMPSON of Mis-
sissippi, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. CLEAVER, Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland, Mr. 
LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. CLARKE, Mr. CLAY, Ms. 
RICHARDSON, and Mr. SCOTT of Georgia) submitted the following resolu-
tion; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring and recognizing the life and achievements of John 
Hope Franklin, one of the Nation’s most distinguished 
scholars. 
Whereas John Hope Franklin, a noted historian made signifi-
cant academic and civic contributions that helped inte-
grate the African-American narrative into American his-
tory; 
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•HRES 302 IH 
Whereas John Hope Franklin was the James B. Duke Pro-
fessor Emeritus of History, and for 7 years was Pro-
fessor of Legal History in the Law School at Duke Uni-
versity; 
Whereas John Hope Franklin was a native of Oklahoma and 
a graduate of Fisk University and a recipient of a Ph.D. 
degree in history from Harvard University; 
Whereas John Hope Franklin taught at a number of institu-
tions, including Fisk University, St. Augustine’s College, 
North Carolina Central University, and Howard Univer-
sity; 
Whereas, in 1956, John Hope Franklin became the Chairman 
of the Department of History at Brooklyn College, the 
first African-American to lead a department at a pre-
dominately white institution; 
Whereas, in 1964, John Hope Franklin joined the faculty of 
the University of Chicago, serving as Chairman of the 
Department of History from 1967 to 1970, and the John 
Matthews Manly Distinguished Service Professor from 
1969 to 1982, when he became Professor Emeritus; 
Whereas John Hope Franklin’s numerous publications in-
clude The Emancipation Proclamation, The Militant 
South, The Free Negro in North Carolina, Reconstruc-
tion After the Civil War, and A Southern Odyssey: Trav-
elers in the Ante-bellum North, and perhaps his best 
known book, From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Af-
rican-Americans, now in its 7th edition; 
Whereas John Hope Franklin was active in numerous profes-
sional and education organizations including serving as 
President of the following organizations: The American 
Studies Association, the Southern Historical Association, 
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•HRES 302 IH 
the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa and the Amer-
ican Historical Association; 
Whereas one of John Hope Franklin’s earliest and most in-
fluential contributions was as a member of the team of 
scholars who worked with Thurgood Marshall to win the 
landmark school desegregation case Brown v. Board of 
Education; 
Whereas John Hope Franklin served on many national com-
missions and delegations, including the National Council 
on the Humanities, Advisory Commission on Public Di-
plomacy and as chair of President Clinton’s Race Initia-
tive Advisory Board; 
Whereas, in 1995, John Hope Franklin, received the first 
W.E.B. DuBois Award from the Fisk University Alumni 
Association, the Organization of American Historians’ 
Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Alpha Phi 
Alpha Award of Merit, the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal, 
and the Presidential Medal of Freedom; and 
Whereas John Hope Franklin was a mighty scholar and sol-
ider for justice whose chronicling of American history af-
firmed the dignity of black people while giving us all rich-
er understanding of who we are as Americans and our 
journey as a people: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) commends John Hope Franklin for helping 
to integrate the African-American experience into 
the telling of American history; and 
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(2) encourages the Nation to honor his achieve-
ments and contributions and recognize his scholar-
ship and service. 
Æ 
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