Greetings!
COAL both mourns the passing and celebrates the life of one of our long term active members,
Judge William Cousins Jr.
(member of Sigma Pi Phi Beta Boule).
William Cousins Jr. graduated from Harvard law school, served in combat in the Korean War, was elected and re-elected as Alderman of Chicago’s 8
th
ward, served as a judge of the Cook County Circuit Court and rose to become a judge on the Illinois Appellate Court.
Throughout his life Judge Cousins was an unapologetic leader in the fight for justice and equal rights for his community and as a well-respected elder statesman was often sought out for advice and support by many, from the powerless to the most powerful among us.
Any time COAL called upon Judge Cousins to assist with COAL projects requiring his significant legal, public sector and justice experience, he always answered the call. We proudly remember the COAL Board Plus Forum at which he strongly challenged guest speaker Senator Dick Durbin with the fact that no African American male judge had ever been named to the Federal District Court in the Northern District of Illinois and solicited a commitment from the Illinois Senator to right that wrong in 2018.
COAL member Judge Cousins will be greatly missed and forever remains, “unbowed, unbossed and unbought.”.
COAL Board of Directors
" The time to work seriously and collectively, to improve the state of our Community, is upon us..."
Let's Get to Work.
