[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S3896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM MANSEL LONG, SR.

  Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, my dear friend William Mansel Long, Sr., 
passed away on March 31, 1996, at the age of 92. Mr. Long was an 
outstanding civil rights leader and senior citizens advocate and was 
one of the founding members of the Alabama Democratic Conference. His 
son, William Mansel, Jr., has been on my staff ever since I came to the 
Senate, and has been my legislative director for several years.
  Mansel Long made his mark on society in many ways during his long 
life. His tenacity and accomplishments were an inspiration to so many 
who knew him. His was a life of struggle, but also one of extraordinary 
achievement spurred by an unusual devotion to duty. He dedicated 
himself to improving the quality of life for his fellow citizens and to 
enriching his community and society as a whole. His life was marked by 
many varied accomplishments--he excelled on both a professional and 
personal level. Even late in life, he continued to be a vital force in 
political and religious affairs.
  Mr. Long received the certificate of appreciation from the Northwest 
Alabama Council of Local Governments Area Agency on Aging; the Quality 
of Life Award, presented by the Mental Health Association; the 
Community Leadership Award, presented by the Shoals National Bank; and 
awards of appreciation for his long years of service to Lesley Temple 
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. He was my appointee to the 1981 
White House Conference on Aging, where he helped formulate the 
recommendations for developing national policy on aging.
  Mansel Long was a gifted orator, organizer, and a moral force in his 
community. Over the course of several decades, he fought for civil 
rights and for social and economic equality for all people. In addition 
to helping establish the Alabama Democratic Conference, he was a member 
of the board of directors of the Alabama Legal Services Corporation; 
served as president of the Colbert County League of Voters; a member of 
the Council on Human Relations; a member of the board of directors of 
the Young Volunteers in Action; and was chairman of the Board of 
Stewards and a leader of the trustee board of his beloved Lesley Temple 
church in Tuscumbia.
  After serving for 30 years as a chemical analyst with the Tennessee 
Valley Authority, Mr. Long began a career as an advocate of the rights 
of the elderly. His record of accomplishment in this field was awesome. 
His many, many years of tireless leadership in the North Alabama 
community are unmatched in time and in scope. He commanded the respect 
of all those who met him and was one of the most hard-working, 
dedicated, and selfless individuals I have ever known. He was not only 
an exemplary citizen and community leader, but also a loving husband, 
father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. As the patriarch of his 
family, he passed on his legacy of community involvement and concern 
for others to his children and grandchildren.
  One of the most moving stories about Mansel Long which I will always 
cherish is how he graduated from college in 1985 at the age of 81. He 
had entered Alabama's Talladega College in 1925 at the age of 22 after 
working 4 years to save enough money to pay his tuition. He studied 
biology and chemistry there for more than 3\1/2\ years, but had to 
leave to take a job in order to help his family financially. Sixty 
years later, his life-long goal of being a college graduate was 
fulfilled as he received his bachelor of arts degree.
  Mansel Long was a prime example of those ideals that we hold dear in 
our country. He was a model to emulate and one of Tuscumbia's and 
Alabama's most revered citizens. He was a credit to his family, church, 
community, state, and country who will be solely missed by all of those 
fortunate to have know him. His legacy of service and duty will serve 
as an inspiration to many future generations.

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