[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 103 (Thursday, June 22, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1317]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               POSTHUMOUS TRIBUTE TO MR. DEWEY W. KNIGHT

                                 ______


                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                           ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 22, 1995
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hastings of Florida and I rise 
to pay tribute to Dade County's quintessential leader, the late Dewey 
W. Knight. His untimely demise last Wednesday, June 21, 1995, is indeed 
a great loss for our community, and for all in south Florida.
  Mr. Dewey was indeed a delicately drawn character of honest 
leadership whose power and influence contributed to the transformation 
of Dade County into the cultural and racial mosaic that it is. Although 
he lived within the ambience of power, he did not lose his common touch 
with the common folks from Miami's Liberty City, teaching them the 
rudiments of government and personal responsibility.
  From the sweat of his brow he subsequently earned the financial 
wherewithal to live comfortably in suburbia. But he chose to stay put 
in his innercity abode for more than 36 years. Underneath a tree by his 
home, he held court for the ordinary folks who came and shared with him 
their problems and concerns, as well as their hopes and dreams. 
Virtually, he became the innercity's government-in-action par 
excellence.
  Born in Daytona Beach into a home of accomplished Black 
professionals, he learned early on the basics of honest living, from 
his grandfather who became Florida's first Black police officer. In the 
1930's his lawyer-uncle served in President Franklin Roosevelt's 
administration. Another uncle spearheaded the Nation's first Black 
radio station in Atlanta, while an aunt became New York's first Black 
woman judge.
  The years of segregation burdened by the onerous separate-but-equal 
doctrine molded his character so deeply. He pursued his college 
education at Bethune-Cookman College after which he volunteered to 
serve in the U.S. Air Force. Having given his share of service to the 
Nation, he sought to get his master's degree in social work due to his 
immense love and caring for children.
  It is this compassionate trait that he brought with him when he came 
to Miami to live for good. Working through the ranks he succeeded 
immensely in every endeavor, until he was appointed assistant, then 
deputy county manager. Subsequently after that, his superiors called 
upon his wisdom and expertise to serve twice as interim county manager 
until a permanent successor could be named.
  Although he was offered the top job many times, he did not court the 
pump and glamour that came with it. By then he was already imbued with 
the more enduring respect and camaraderie from his Liberty City 
neighbors. He opted to retire in 1989, relishing to serve from time to 
time as a consultant to both government and business.
  While his leadership style charmed the mighty and the powerful in 
county politics and the business elite, he never lost his commonsense 
approach to government. He played an eloquent, memorable role during 
the 1980 riots in Miami in a manner evoking a calm but forceful 
leadership that comes once in a lifetime. He always projected the 
subtle serenity of maintaining the grace and insight of an old pro. He 
was indeed a class act, and his personality will cast a giant shadow of 
void among those he left behind. His presence was at once endlessly 
fascinating and entirely unforgettable.
  We have since learned from him that common people convinced of their 
role in ameliorating the lives of their fellow human beings are in a 
better position to shift the balance of power-sharing and coalition-
building much more so that those who hold the reins of government. 
Communality of interests, he advocated, should begin with our doing 
away with any negative perceptions we have with one another. Any overt 
or covert suggestion of any form of subtle superiority or inferiority 
by the one ethnic group over another should never be entertained if we 
are to bridge the gaps that divide us.
  We are touched by his most cogent exhortations during the many 
community meetings he spearheaded to resolve the ethnic-racial tensions 
which were then gripping Miami. He would unabashedly state over and 
over again that living in harmony with each other does not rest in 
resolutions or promises alone. It ultimately lies in the hearts and 
minds of common, ordinary folks.
  He sought to embolden us into believing that the problems and the 
opportunities of diversity in any given urban community are not beyond 
the reach of those who are willing to share the fruits of success won 
for us by those who came from generations past. He took a bold stand by 
moving our community to live together in harmony sensitive to our 
diversity on one hand, and yet strengthened by the power that emanates 
from it on the other.
  ``E Pluribus Unum * * * '' From many, we are one. This is the 
American way, he urged us. His enduring legacy to our community is 
indeed forever etched in our covenant with one another. We shall miss 
him so. But we are blessed that his noble presence graced our lives.


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