Whereas, Berry Gordy was born in Detroit in 1929, and had a vision of taking black-inspired music out of the slums and giving it broad worldwide appeal as a respectable art form; and,

Whereas, Mr. Gordy, ever the eternal optimist, was not discouraged after his boxing career sputtered, had his first hit success with “Reet Petite” in 1959 and shortly after started the Jobette Publishing Company; and,

Whereas, With the help of a $800 loan from his business-savvy parents, this clever entrepreneur, rented an eight room house at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, and started Motown Records; and,

Whereas, Smokey Robinson convinced Mr. Gordy that Motown should distribute its own records and in 1960, he co-wrote and distributed “Shop Around” which hit #1 on the pop charts, establishing Motown as an important independent company; and,

Whereas, The 60’s was the most successful decade for Motown as Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes, The Marvellettes, The Temptations, The Jackson Five, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight and The Pips, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and The Commodores, gave Motown one of the most impressive rosters of artists in the history of pop music; and,

Whereas, During his most successful period in the 60’s, Mr. Gordy had hand-built Motown into a music empire that included 8 record labels, a management service, and a publishing company, and eventually one of the nations largest –black owned corporations;   and,

Whereas, Among other honorary degrees and awards, Berry Gordy has received the Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award, Yale University’s Gordon Grand Fellow Award, the Rainbow Coalition Man of the Millennium Award, a star on the walk of fame, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,

Whereas; Mr. Gordy, is one of the greatest entrepreneurs in Michigan history, who created a musical movement that during the turbulent 1960’s led to cultural change across the world; from London to Liverpool and from Los Angeles to Lansing; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2006, as Berry Gordy Day in Michigan.