[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 50 (Monday, May 2, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
 A SALUTE TO A ROLE MODEL--ONE MAN'S SERVICE TO HIS PROFESSION AND HIS 
                               COMMUNITY

                                 ______


                           HON. STEPHEN HORN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 2, 1994

  Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a gentleman from my 
district, California's 38th, who has taken his strong personal belief 
that all things are possible to him that believeth and has turned it 
into a way of life that he is passing on to the young people of our 
southern California area.
  Mr. Archie Barksdale of Long Beach, CA, was born in Depression-era 
North Carolina. After a childhood that saw him and his family moving 
from North Carolina to Chicago to New York and back to North Carolina, 
Mr. Barksdale served in the U.S. Air Force as an air traffic control 
specialist from 1955 to 1959. In 1967, he began his career at the Long 
Beach Naval Shipyard as a shipfitter helper. On May 7 of this year, he 
will retire, after 27 years at the shipyard, as the vice president of 
the Federal Employees Metal Trades Council AFL-CIO.
  Mr. Barksdale knows the value and rewards of hard work and of always 
striving to improve oneself. His resume lists formal education studies 
at eight major colleges and universities. These include one of great 
importance to me--California State University at Long Beach--as well as 
the University of California and Baylor University. While a student at 
Long Beach City College, Mr. Barksdale was named to the dean's list and 
became a member of the honor society. In 1982, he was recognized in 
``Who's Who in the West.'' Throughout his career at the shipyard, he 
received over 20 awards and certificates of appreciation.
  And while he worked hard on his career, Mr. Barksdale also has been a 
devoted family man. Today, he and his wife, Joyce, have one daughter, 
two sons, three grandsons, and one granddaughter.
  Coupled with Mr. Barksdale's admirable professional success is his 
work with the young people of our community. In this day when young 
people, particularly those in urban areas, are in great need of role 
models, high achievers like Mr. Barksdale are the answer.
  In the past few years, Mr. Barksdale has given a considerable time 
and effort to the establishment of the Youth Development Agency [YDA] 
of Long Beach--an all volunteer youth gang and crime prevention 
program. When the idea for YDA was presented to Mr. Barksdale, he 
responded with the same enthusiasm that he has devoted to his 
professional and family life. He worked day and night for more than a 
year to get YDA off the ground and single-handedly recruited the 
majority of the YDA steering committee members.
  Currently, Mr. Barksdale is helping to complete work on a space for 
the YDA. Volunteers which he recruited from his and other shipyard 
unions have knocked out walls, rerouted electricity and plumbing, 
painted, replaced carpet, and done whatever else was necessary to make 
the space available to the high-risk youngsters served by the YDA 
Program.
  According to a YDA coworker, ``The most wonderful thing about Archie 
is if he sees a need, he immediately responds without having to be 
asked.''
  I am sure that all who hear the story of Archie Barksdale will agree 
that a man of Archie's caliber should be given special recognition for 
a lifetime of personal achievement and service to others.

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