[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 362 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 362

  Commending the Philadelphia Coalition for its principled, open, and 
integrated approach to eradicating racism and intolerance, and for its 
     determination to confront the past and work toward the future.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 14, 2005

  Mr. Hastings of Florida (for himself, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of 
 Texas, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Meek of Florida, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. 
Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Watt, 
and Mr. Wicker) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Commending the Philadelphia Coalition for its principled, open, and 
integrated approach to eradicating racism and intolerance, and for its 
     determination to confront the past and work toward the future.

Whereas on June 21, 1964, three Civil Rights workers--Andrew Goodman, James 
        Chaney and Michael Schwerner--came to Neshoba County, to investigate the 
        burning of Mount Zion Baptist Church, in Longdale, Mississippi;
Whereas the 3 men were pulled over in Philadelphia, Mississippi and thrown into 
        jail, then released and ordered to leave town;
Whereas the Civil Rights workers were subsequently chased down and murdered by a 
        mob of Ku Klux Klansmen;
Whereas Edgar Ray Killen was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and orchestrated the 
        murders;
Whereas Edgar Ray Killen was tried for the murders and acquitted by an all-white 
        jury in 1967 when one juror refused to convict Mr. Killen because he was 
        a preacher;
Whereas Mr. Killen remained free for 41 years following the murder without 
        further prosecution;
Whereas in March, 2005, a task force of city, county, and tribal leaders formed 
        the Philadelphia Coalition, charged with ``helping to plan the public 
        commemoration [of the June 21, 1964 murders], to study an appropriate 
        public memorial to the civil rights workers in Neshoba County, and to 
        establish a perpetual structure that would foster racial harmony and 
        reconciliation'';
Whereas the Philadelphia Coalition is multiracial, comprised of white, black, 
        and Choctaw Indian men and women;
Whereas the Philadelphia Coalition advocated strongly for, and was instrumental 
        in, the reopening of the trial of Edgar Ray Killen in Philadelphia, 
        Mississippi;
Whereas Edgar Ray Killen was retried and convicted on 3 counts of manslaughter 
        on June 21, 2005;
Whereas members of the Philadelphia Coalition have created a sense of openness 
        and respect for one another and for the community at large;
Whereas the Philadelphia Coalition's efforts and successes have led to a large 
        groundswell of support and unity from the Neshoba County populace; and
Whereas the work of the Philadelphia Coalition serves as an example for racial 
        tolerance and ethnic understanding not only in Mississippi, but 
        throughout the United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) applauds the Philadelphia Coalition's commitment to 
        active integration and inclusion of all races, genders, and 
        ethnicities in the face of a crime that arose from intolerance 
        and exclusion;
            (2) commends the Philadelphia Coalition for proving that it 
        is never too late for justice to be served; and
            (3) commends the commitment and determination of the 
        diverse members of the Philadelphia Coalition to come together 
        for the common aims of justice, dialogue, and progress in the 
        face of adversity.
                                 <all>