[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 1, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E242-E243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          BLACK HISTORY MONTH

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                        HON. BARBARA B. KENNELLY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 1, 1995
  Mrs. KENNELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate and honor the proud 
history of African-Americans during national Black History Month.
  African-Americans have made invaluable contributions to the economic, 
cultural, scientific, and social fabric of our society. By celebrating 
February in this manner, our country can continue to learn about and 
draw upon the strength that this history of struggle, endurance, and 
achievement lends to us all.
  This year we will pay tribute to the year 1895, and its importance to 
three prominent African-American leaders: W.E.B. DuBois, Frederick 
Douglass, and Booker T. Washington. In 1895, W.E.B. DuBois, a 
distinguished scholar, became the first African-American to receive a 
Ph.D. In that same year, we lost the Father of the Civil Rights 
Movement, as Frederick Douglass passed away. And Booker T. Washington, 
noted college president and statesman, gave his famous Atlanta speech. 
It was a significant period in the annals of African-American history.
  As I reflect on the themes of accomplishment and selfless work, I am 
quickly drawn to my district and a gentleman who embodied the ideals of 
these great men, until his passing last December at the age of 96. The 
Rev. Robert Moody was a pastor, activist, educator, humanitarian, and 
friend to all who knew him.
  For over 50 years, he championed the causes of equal rights and 
education as pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church. He mentored 
[[Page E243]] countless young people and emphasized the importance of 
education to young people. He broke Hartford's color barrier and became 
its first African-American member of the board of education. He 
uplifted his congregation and turned a once debt-ridden church into a 
thriving house of worship.
  The Reverend Moody, like others we honor this month, was a rare and 
wonderful individual who, through words and action, helped make a 
difference to countless people throughout the State of Connecticut and 
the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, there are countless men and women who, like the Reverend 
Moody, improve the lives of many people on a daily basis. They may not 
be as famous as W.E.B. DuBois, or Frederick Douglass, or Booker T. 
Washington, but they are heroes in the same tradition. I honor the 
memory of the Reverend Moody, and the many others like him. And I also 
salute the future leaders who will challenge this Nation to reach its 
great potential.


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