[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          BLACK HISTORY MONTH TRIBUTE TO REV. LEON H. SULLIVAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 12, 1997

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, today we take the time to observe Black 
History Month and pay tribute to those individuals who have made 
significant contributions to history and to our society. One such 
individual is Rev. Leon Howard Sullivan, a clergyman and civil rights 
activist, from Charleston, WV.
  Leon H. Sullivan was born on October 16, 1922. Growing up, he lived 
in an environment that was severely limited both economically and 
socially. In spite of his circumstances, Sullivan focused his after 
school energies on religion and sports. At the remarkably early age of 
17, he was ordained a Baptist minister, and soon thereafter, he entered 
West Virginia State College, a historically black college, on an 
athletic scholarship. His contribution to society and to West Virginia 
State College led to the construction of Sullivan Hall in 1970. 
Sullivan Hall houses the women students at West Virginia State College 
and the West Virginia Graduate Studies Administrative and College 
Offices.
  In 1942, Sullivan met former U.S. Representative, Adam Clayton-Powell 
who was visiting West Virginia. Sullivan so deeply impressed Powell 
that at Powell's suggestion, Sullivan moved to New York City to study 
theology at the Union Theological Seminary and sociology at Columbia 
University.
  After completing his studies, Sullivan became the pastor of the Zion 
Baptist Church in Philadelphia from 1950 to 1988. In the 38 years he 
served at the Zion Baptist Church in Philadelphia, the congregation 
increased from 600 to 6,000 members. Sullivan expanded the church's 
activities to include a daycare center, a credit union, an employment 
agency, a community center for youth and adults, adult education 
reading classes, athletic teams, choral groups, and family counseling 
services.
  In an effort to provide opportunities for African-American business 
ventures, in 1962 Sullivan established the Zion Investment Association 
in Philadelphia. He has constantly fought the war against racist hiring 
practices and organized protests and economic boycotts. In 1964, he 
demonstrated another act of courage on behalf of justice and equality 
when he established the Opportunities Industrialization Center [OICA], 
the first organization of its kind in the United States dedicated to 
providing comprehensive employment training and placement for 
disadvantaged, unemployed, and unskilled Americans of all races. Today, 
there are more than 70 OIC centers across the United States and 28 
centers in countries such as Africa, Poland, Central America, England, 
and the Philippines.
  Reverend Sullivan's concerns regarding housing for the poor and the 
elderly resulted in the construction of more than 1,000 housing units 
in major cities including Philadelphia, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and 
Indianapolis. His OIC training programs have trained more than 2 
million people for better job opportunities in America and Africa.
  He is the recipient of more than 100 national and international 
awards, and in 1992, President George Bush presented Reverend Sullivan 
with The Presidential Medal of Freedom. He serves on the board of 
directors of numerous companies such as Mellon Bank and is the director 
emeritus of General Motors Corp. where he was the first African-
American to sit on the GM board.
  This is but a thumbnail sketch of the many achievements of Rev. Leon 
H. Sullivan. With a mind full of ideas and the motto ``We help 
ourselves,'' Rev. Leon H. Sullivan has contributed immensely to the 
advancement of African-Americans and to society as a whole. He is a man 
of great wisdom with many hopes and dreams for his fellow Americans and 
is an inspiration to us all.

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