[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 64 (Friday, May 20, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   TRIBUTE TO BISHOP MELVIN CRAWFORD

                                 ______


                           HON. MEL REYNOLDS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 20, 1994

  Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues, the outstanding work done by a great leader in my 
congressional district, Bishop Melvin Crawford of the Church of the 
Living God. Attached is a proclamation I issued the Bishop commending 
him for his work.

                              Proclamation

       Whereas Bishop Melvin Crawford was born in Clarksdale, 
     Mississippi, to Leah and Moses Crawford, the youngest of ten 
     children, six boys and four girls, Bishop Crawford and his 
     late wife Overseer Beatrice Crawford were married for over 
     fifty years; and
       Whereas Bishop Crawford has always been very industrious, 
     and a entrepreneur, he migrated to Memphis, Tennessee seeking 
     better opportunities at the age of Twelve, there he worked 
     for the Humko Packing Company for five years, saving enough 
     money to purchase his mother a home, he served in the United 
     States Army for three years in the one hundred and eighty 
     second Medical Corps, he and Mrs. Crawford saved enough money 
     to start the Crawford Brothers Grocery, the first Black owned 
     business on fifty-ninth and State Street in Chicago, to 
     improve his business skills he attended the Miller's Business 
     College, later he opened a Tastee Freeze which he operated 
     for ten years; and
       Whereas Bishop Crawford and his family were the first 
     Blacks to move to the West Englewood Community, from their 
     home they began religious services under the Church of God 
     Pillar and Ground Of The Truth, the Church serves the 
     community through food give away programs, summer youth 
     employment program, Job Training in Construction Rehab for 
     Ex-offenders, and a Senior Citizens Program and more; and
       Whereas Bishop Crawford is a Community Leader, he has 
     worked to ease racial tension when the Englewood Community 
     was in a racial transition, he is committed to helping the 
     poor, he is a member of Operation P.U.S.H., The Minister's 
     Alliance, President of the World wide Rainbow Development, 
     and the Senior and Chief Bishop of the Church of the Living 
     God, P.G.O.T.: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Congress of the United States of America 
     wishes to acknowledge the accomplishments of Bishop Melvin 
     Crawford and his late wife, Overseer Beatrice Crawford, by 
     entering these accomplishments in the Congressional Record 
     and Archives of the One Hundred and Third Congress of the 
     United States of America.

                          ____________________