HONORING THE LIFE OF RAY BRADBURY

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury was born on August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury is one of the most celebrated authors among 20th and 21st century American writers and is internationally recognized for his countless works of literature in the genre of fantasy, horror, science fiction and mystery; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury is best known for his novels Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man, Something Wicked this Way Comes, and Dandelion Wine; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury was the recipient of the national Medal of Arts; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury has received and Emmy Award; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury has received the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres medal; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury has helped design the Spaceship Earth attraction at Disney's Epcot Center; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury has an asteroid named in his honor, "9766 Bradbury" and a crater on the moon called "Dandelion Crater;" and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury has received countless other award and accolades because of his expansive body of work in the fields of literature, television and film; and

WHEREAS, Waukegan plays a pivotal role in many of his literary works as a community known as Green Town; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury has a star on Waukegan's Walk of Stars Park

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury Park in Waukegan is dedicated in his honor; and

WHEREAS, the Bradbury Room in the Waukegan Public Library is a tribute to him and to his love of books; and

WHEREAS, Waukegan Park District's Annual Dandelion Wine Fine Arts Festival and the Waukegan Public Library's Annual Ray Bradbury Storytelling Festival are tributes to Ray Bradbury's vital impact on our community and to his long-lasting legacy; and

WHEREAS, it was our community, on the shores of Lake Michigan in 1932, that carnival entertainer Mr. Electrico inspired Ray Bradbury to "Live forever!"; and

WHEREAS, Ray Bradbury seems to have figured out exactly how to do so; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors acknowledges Ray Bradbury’s status as one of the world’s most influential authors and that this nation as well as the entire world shall honor Ray by continuing to read his many literary works, thereby ensuring that he will live forever in the minds of those that do.