[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 18, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO LEROY PATTERSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 18, 1996

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to a 
good friend of mine, Leroy Patterson, who recently succumbed to cancer. 
After being on Houston radio for more than 21 years, Leroy was aptly 
introduced for his show as one of the world's most respected news 
people. He brought a broad range of programming to Houston's airways 
with his shows ``Community Hot-line,'' ``On the Front-line,'' ``Wake-up 
Call Black America,'' and ``Sports Time-out.'' He is not out of the 
talk-show host mold of today's hate radio. His daily shows reflected 
his own self-respect and competence. Careful preparation, 
thoughtfulness and totally objective demeanor on-air were the hallmarks 
of his work. Constructive community spirit is the lasting imprint that 
his work left on the entire city of Houston.
  His roots grew strongly from his humble beginnings in Marshall, TX, 
where his parents instilled his positive attitude, wholesome character, 
and his desire to succeed. He was educated at H.B. Pemberton High 
School and Tennessee State University. He served in the Air Force and 
the Air Force Reserve and worked at the U.S. Post Office for a time.
  In 1975, he started his work in communication and began broadcasting 
over th Houston airways. He was the news director and program director 
at KYOK-AM radio. At KYOK, he started a number of Afro-centric 
programs, including the ``Community Hot Line'' talk show. His interests 
conveyed his own broad spectrum of coverage involving politics, human 
interest, education, and sports.
  In 1980, he joined the KMJQ-FM Majic 102 radio team. After being a 
member of the team for only a year, he was promoted to news and 
community afairs director. He found a home at Majic 102 and stayed 
there for 16 years. In June 1996, because of his health, he took a 
medical leave of absense and then retired.
  After surviving prostate cancer surgery and participating in the 
million man march, he went through a period of introspection and 
decided to take an African name--Ambakisye Jabari. Ambakisye is a 
Tanzanian name that means, ``God has been mericiful to me.'' Jabari is 
a Swahili name that means brave. He felt that changing his name was 
necessary to alevate my legal of consciousness to a higher plane and to 
set my spirit free. Indeed, his spirit is free and his consciousness is 
on a higher level. The conforting sound of his voice and his wonderful 
soul will be missed by everyone he touched.
  His years of radio service to the Houston community earned him many 
public service awards. Among his awards and recognitions of his 
accomplishments are the ``Kid-Care Family Service Award for helping to 
change the lives of children throughout the Houston area; West Houston 
Outreach and Family Counseling Center Award for his outstanding and 
dedicated community service; Shape Center Greater Houston Educational 
Task Force Award for the enhancement of education in the African-
American community, the Black United Fund of Houston, Texas; American 
Cancer Society Award for starting the hotline for prostate cancer; 
Thurgood Marshall Law School Award; Over-The-Hil, Inc. Award as a 
person reform advocate; Black Data Processing Award for sponsoring the 
Houston High School Computer Team Competition; City Wide Club Award for 
exceptional community service, and many others too numerous to name.
  His commitment to public service outside of his broadcasting duties 
was also widely known. He was a freqent worker and contributor to the 
Houston chapter of the NAACP as well as the Mount Olive Baptist Church, 
the South Post Oak Baptist Church, the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist 
Church, the Houston Community Anti-Drug Coalition, and the National 
Black United Front, amongst others.
  Ambakisye Jabari is survived by his loving wife, Allie, and their 
four children: Lisa C. Milton, Cessandra J. Johnson, Ronie L. Johnson, 
and Kenneth R. Johnson.

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