[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E234-E235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRESSMAN FRANK LUCAS HONORS EIGHT OKLAHOMANS WHO HAVE BEEN HONORED 
                    AS ``CIVIL RIGHTS TRAILBLAZERS''

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. FRANK D. LUCAS

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 12, 1997

  Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor eight Oklahomans who 
were recently honored as ``Civil Rights Trailblazers.'' The Oklahoma 
Historical Society's Black Heritage Committee acknowledged the 
commitment to civil rights that these leaders have made. The following 
were honored on February 6, 1997.
  Former Oklahoma Representative Hannah Diggs Atkins was a State 
representative for 12 years and served as a delegate to the United 
Nations General Assembly under President Jimmy Carter. She is also a 
member of the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame and the Afro-American Hall 
of Fame.
  David Boren is a former Governor and Senator from Oklahoma. Among 
other things, he chaired the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence 
and was a cochair of the 1993 Joint Committee on the Organization of 
Congress. He currently serves as president of the University of 
Oklahoma.
  Rev. W.K. Jackson currently preaches at the Oklahoma City St. John 
Baptist Church. He has served as president of the Baptist Ministers 
Union, the Progressive Oklahoma Baptists State Convention, and the 
Coalition of Civic Leadership.
  Ms. Rubye Hall is the current chair of the Oklahoma Historical 
Society's Black Heritage Committee. She is a life-long educator who is 
an emeritus member of the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of 
Directors.
  Mr. John Kirkpatrick formed the Kirkpatrick Foundation in the 1970's 
and has been honored by the Oklahoma City Federation of Colored Women's 
Clubs with an Achievement Award in 1992. He and his wife Eleanor have 
been very active philanthropists.
  Ms. Clara Luper was an active civil rights leader in the 1960's who 
led a number of lunch counter sit-ins in Oklahoma City to break down 
Jim Crowe Laws.
  George Nigh is a former Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State 
representative of Oklahoma and currently serves as president of the 
University of Central Oklahoma. In addition, he is a member of the 
Oklahoma Hall of Fame and was inducted into the U.S. Jaycees Ten 
Outstanding Young Americans Hall of Leadership.
  Ms. Ursula Sanders is the current president of the Baptist Ministers 
Wives of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education and 
served for 16 years as president of the Women's Christian Temperance 
Union in Oklahoma.
  I want to personally salute these leaders and thank them for the 
progress that has been

[[Page E235]]

made in the area of civil rights as a result of their efforts. It is my 
hope that their examples will be followed by the next generation of 
leaders as all of us confront the continuing problems regarding race 
relations in the United States. We would be well served to do so.

                          ____________________