[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 10 (Wednesday, February 11, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H414-H428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
1998 CONGRESSIONAL OBSERVANCE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 7, 1997, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) is recognized for
60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to reserve
this special order this evening. I would also like to thank my
colleagues who are gathered in the Chamber with me. We take special
pride in coming together for the 1998 Congressional observance of Black
History Month.
Since 1976 when Congress adopted the resolution designating February
of each year as Black History Month, we have utilized this opportunity
to highlight and pay tribute to the notable accomplishments of black
men and women who helped to build our great Nation.
From Garrett Morgan's invention of the traffic signal, to Mary McLeod
Bethune's founding of a university on $1.50, black men and women have
made enormous contributions to the development of this country.
With this in mind, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus
proudly take this time to share with our colleagues and with the world
black history, our history.
As we move forward with our special order, I want to commend the
chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Waters) for her unfailing leadership of this
organization. Her strong leadership guarantees that the Congressional
Black Caucus will continue to be a tireless advocate on behalf of
minorities, the poor and the disadvantaged of this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, the theme for the 1998 observance of Black History Month
is ``African Americans in business: The path towards empowerment.'' The
theme is particularly significant as we pause to review our history and
highlight some of our accomplishments in the business arena.
In the field of business, it is important to note that some free
black Americans managed and owned small businesses during the period of
slavery. For example, Fraunces Tavern was a well-known dining place and
tavern popular in New York City during the latter half of the 18th
century. It was owned and operated by Samuel Fraunces, a migrant from
the British West Indies. Both British and American troops patronized
the tavern, and George Washington came there to draw up terms with the
British regarding their evacuation of New York in the 1770's.
Paul Cuffe, a free black man, was a shipper and merchant in New
England in the 1790's. James Wormley was a well-known hotel proprietor
in Washington D.C. in the 1820's.
After gaining their freedom from slavery, many black Americans set up
businesses that rendered personal services to blacks who were the
victims of discrimination and segregation imposed by white businesses.
For example, barbering was a source of both black employment and
business. Two of the earliest fortunes among black Americans were made
by Annie T. Malone and Madame C.J. Walker in the manufacture and
marketing of hair products for black Americans. Funeral services were
another personal service business almost exclusively under black
ownership and control.
As we celebrate the success of African American businesses, we mark
the founding in 1888 of the True Reformers Bank of Richmond, Virginia,
and the Capital Savings Bank of Washington, D.C., the first black-
created and black-run banks in America. We also mark the historic
achievements of Maggie Lena Walker, who, in 1903, became the first
black woman to be a bank president. She founded the Saint Luck Penny
Savings Bank in Richmond, Virginia.
Mr. Speaker, in another field of business, the African Insurance
Company of Philadelphia was the first known black insurance company,
founded in 1810. It was not incorporated, but had capital stock in the
amount of $5,000. The North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, founded
in 1893 in Durham, North Carolina was the first black insurance company
to attain $1 million in assets.
In celebration of Black History Month, we note the achievements of D.
Watson Onley, a black businessman, who in 1885 built the first steam
saw and planing mill owned and operated entirely by blacks. We also
recognize the contributions of Ruth J. Bowen, the first black woman to
establish a successful booking and talent agency. Bowen began her
business in New York in 1959 with a $500 investment. Within 10 years,
her firm became the largest black-owned agency in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I will at this time recognize a number of my colleagues
gathered here in the Chamber.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York, Mr. Engel.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes)
for having this special order.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate Black History Month. Although I
have only a few minutes to honor hundreds of years of struggles and
achievements of black Americans, I must share my feelings of how much
the African American community has added to our country.
In 1782, Thomas Jefferson, a slave holder himself declared that ``the
whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the
most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on one part,
and degrading submission on the other.''
A Founding Father to whom our Nation looked for moral guidance, his
hypocrisy only underscored the terror our Nation was inflicting on
generations of African Americans at that time.
Yet, even with slavery placing in bondage hundreds of thousands of
Africans, some black Americans had already begun to make their mark.
For instance, 200 years ago, in 1798, James Forten, Sr., established
the first major black-owned sail-making shop in Philadelphia, achieving
a net worth of more than $100,000, a massive sum at the time. Forten
went on to become a leader of the abolitionist movement and the
organizer of the Antislavery Society in 1833.
The heights of Forten's achievements only remind us what our country
lost due to the depths of slavery and subsequent years of oppression.
This country at one time erected every conceivable legal, societal and
cultural roadblock to prevent African Americans from getting an
education, wealth and power from our society.
As we commemorate Black History Month, the people of the United
States must recognize what injustices were perpetrated through the
years. We must recognize that our society still suffers the results of
the oppression of African Americans.
It has only been within the last half century that our country has
made real progress to guaranteeing to black Americans the basic civil
rights that other citizens have for so long taken for granted. Within
that time, America has only begun to see the tip of the iceberg, the
tremendous potential of this community. It is only during this period
that we have come to realize the dream of the Reverend Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., that ``Children will one day live in a nation where
they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the contents
of their character.''
As a Jewish American, Mr. Speaker, I believe I share a sense of
understanding with African Americans. Not only do our two communities
face a history filled with severe cruelty and discrimination, but we
also fought together for decades to overcome bigotry in this country.
When I commemorate Black History Month, I am reminded of a civil
rights movement where Jewish Americans and black Americans stood
shoulder to shoulder to fight racial prejudice.
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Today black Americans, more and more, are represented in leadership
positions in our society, from black members of the President's
Cabinet, to educators, athletes, scientists and members of the clergy,
African Americans of today have begun to take their rightful positions
in the United States, and our country as a whole has benefitted.
As we celebrate Black History Month, we must never forget the
injustices inflicted upon African Americans through the years. We honor
those who suffered by recalling the circumstances through which they
lived. At the same time, we must recognize that our Nation has finally
begun to unlock the great untapped potential of the black community.
{time} 1945
It is my hope that when we celebrate Black History Month in the
future, circumstances facing black Americans will continue to improve,
and that someday we will achieve true freedom and equality for all
citizens of this great Nation. If we recognize what happened in the
past, it will help us to build a better future for all of our citizens.
I very much feel very close to Black History Month, having been born
in the month of February, and I think it is very, very important that
all of us in the Congress pause and reflect, because until, as we say,
all of our citizens are free, all of us are not really totally free.
So I thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for this
commemoration, and I think it is very, very fitting that this Congress
commemorate Black History Month.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished friend from New
York, (Mr. Engel), for his comments.
At this time I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding.
I rise to join with my colleagues and to share with them and with
America our appreciation for the contributions made to African
Americans in the history and development of this Nation.
This year's theme, African Americans in Business: The Path Toward
Empowerment, is the most appropriate one, and I am pleased to have in
my own congressional district some of the most well-known and
productive businesses in America.
I represent Harpo Studios, which is owned by Oprah Winfrey and is
known all over the world. In my congressional district is the First
Baptist Congregational Church, which was a stop on the underground
railroad, and is now building houses and a community under the
leadership of its pastor, Dr. Authur Griffin.
I have in my district the Johnson Publishing Company, which was put
together and developed by Mr. John H. and Mrs. Eunice Johnson and is
now operated by their daughter, Mrs. Linda Johnson Rice, and is home to
many great writers like Lerone Bennett and Alex Poinsett. In my
district I have the Parker House Sausage Company and its esteemed
president, Mr. Daryl Grisham. It is also my pleasure to represent and
to use Rabon's High-Tech Automotive Center at Kostner and Roosevelt
Road in Chicago, which is known and owned by Mr. Lee Rabon, and is
known for its precision automotive work.
I also represent Shine King, the best shoe shine shop in America,
owned by Mr. James Cole who has parlayed his original shoe shine shop
into two shops, part ownership of a bank, a construction company, King
Construction, and vast real estate holdings. Mr. Cole's shine boys are
known to earn between $400 and $500 a week, shining shoes. Many of them
have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, policemen, school teachers and
businesspersons in their own right. The most famous of this group is
the renowned National Basketball Association star and businessperson,
Isiah Thomas, or Zeke, as he was known around the shop and throughout
the NBA. Mr. Cole was recently featured in the Chicago Sun Times and
WGN Channel 9 television as a result of the work that he has done
through his businesses with young boys growing up in his community.
I also pay tribute, Mr. Speaker, to the many members of the public
housing community in my district, Ms. Martha Marshall, Shirley
Hammonds, Cora Moore, Mattie McCoy, Mamie Bone, Mary Baldwin, and
Mildred Dennis, for the outstanding leadership they are providing as
they manage the recently developed businesses that public housing
residents in the city of Chicago are putting together, managing,
owning, and carrying out the duties and responsibilities of
redeveloping their own communities. So they are a part of this great
legacy that we know as African-American history.
I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) of this event for the
leadership that he has displayed throughout the years, but in taking
out this Special Order, and pay tribute to the leader of the
Congressional Black Caucus, the erstwhile gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Waters). As a result of her leadership, the gentleman's
leadership, the work of people all over America, the legacy and the
history will continue.
I thank the gentleman.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his kind remarks
and his eloquent statement.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Oregon
(Ms. Furse).
Ms. FURSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for taking out this
hour. As the gentleman said in the beginning, this is an hour to honor
the contribution of black leaders across the world. I would like to pay
tribute to some great South African black leaders whose names I believe
should be part of our history books, who the gentleman, through his
work and the work of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) and
the gentleman from California, (Mr. Dellums) these people have brought
the possibilities of the freedoms that occurred.
I would like to remind of us Chief Albert Lithuli. He received the
Noble Peace Prize, but he was not allowed to travel to Sweden to
collect that prize, because the apartheid government of South Africa
refused to allow him to do that, but Chief Lithuli is remembered in
South Africa as such a great leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Desmond Tutu shown the light of religion on
the horrors of apartheid. He made those who said that they were
Christian look clearly at what was happening in South Africa in the
South African apartheid policy.
Deputy Premier Tabo MBeke. Taboo MBeke spent decades in exile from
his homeland because he could not live in any kind of safety in South
Africa. He is now the deputy premier of South Africa. His father, Mr.
MBeke, Senior, Mr. MBeke was in the dreadful prison that Nelson Mandela
spent so many years. Madam Speaker, Together they studied and they kept
the faith of the South Africa to-be.
Oliver Jhambo, the ANC leader who traveled tirelessly around the
world to light the fire in the world that we needed all of us to be
involved in the struggle of South Africa.
Then of course the great premier of South Africa, President Nelson
Mandela. President Mandela spent 29 years in a dreadful prison in South
Africa and he never, ever lost sight of the goal, that goal which was
realized in 1994 on a sunlit day in Pretoria, South Africa, where
President Mandela became the first President of a truly multiracial
government in South Africa, the first premier, without violence, who
led his country to democracy.
I believe, Mr. Speaker, that this history, this history of those
great African leaders should join the proud list of African-American
leaders who together have so shaped our common history. We are all in
this world so lucky indeed to have had such mentors in our lifetime. I
thank the gentleman for this opportunity to speak about those great
South African leaders.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her
participation in this Special Order.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from
Arkansas (Mr. Berry).
Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to three Arkansans who have
made a difference in their community: Arkansas State Representative Joe
Harris, Jr., Mr. Terry Woodard, and Mr. Fredrick Freeman. They are
three African Americans who have worked to make a difference in their
communities and in our State and in my congressional district. They are
people who
[[Page H416]]
have risen to the challenges handed them.
They grew up in the Arkansas Mississippi River delta, one of the
poorest regions in the country. Not only did they withstand adversity,
but they have decided to remain in the delta to make it a better place
to live and work and raise a family.
State Representative Joe Harris is a lifelong resident of Mississippi
County, Arkansas, which he now represents in the State legislature. He
is also the founder and owner of a successful business, Joe Harris Jr.
Trucking and Demolition Company. He has worked for the community by
serving on boards and commissions, by chairing the Board of Deacons of
the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, and participating in Chamber
of Commerce work.
Terry Woodard is another African-American leader in Arkansas' First
Congressional District who is a successful businessman and makes
significant contributions to his community. He is a tireless worker for
the betterment of the community in which he lives. He is the president
of Woodard Brothers Funeral Services in Wynne, Arkansas, and currently
serves as chairman of the Arkansas Funeral Directors Association.
Fredrick Freeman is a native of Forrest City, Arkansas, where he
still resides. Since graduating from North Carolina A&T State
University with a degree in business and finance management in 1981 and
returning to Arkansas, he has started and successfully managed two
family owned businesses. He focuses much of his time on community and
business development. He serves as a member of the State of Arkansas
Aviation and Aerospace Commission, as chairman of the St. Francis
County Workforce Alliance, president of the Arkansas Democratic Black
Caucus, and is active in his local NAACP chapter.
These are the kinds of community leaders the First District of
Arkansas and communities across the Nation should feel very fortunate
to have. They are people who grew up economically deprived in
economically deprived areas. They got the education they needed, and
they have worked hard and played by the rules.
Mr. Speaker, the African-American businessmen I have mentioned
deserve to be commended for the service they have given to their
communities. It is important that as this Congress addresses the needs
of public education and community assistance we make decisions to
empower a new generation of leaders for all constituencies. It is a
privilege for me today to pay honor to these leaders in the First
Congressional District of Arkansas and say thanks to them for the great
contribution they have made.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas for his
participation in this Special Order.
Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from
Florida (Mrs. Meek).
Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, my esteemed
colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), for having the insight
to organize today's Black History special.
Certainly, the history of the people of African descent is interwoven
with the history of America. The theme of African Americans in
Business: The Path Toward Empowerment, is particularly significant.
Since African Americans have been on American soil since 1619, black
Americans have played an important part in the development of this
great Nation. We helped to build this Nation. We helped to fight for
America, and we helped America to gain its independence. We helped to
build this country's thriving cities and farmed its fields and settled
the West.
{time} 2000
As we celebrate Black History Month, I am mindful of this month's
theme again, ``Black Americans in Business.'' And I can think of many
that have been mentioned, like Madame C.J. Walker, Percy Sutton, John
Johnson, Robert Johnson, and Cathy Hughes.
And then I cannot forget that blacks have owned and managed
businesses since slavery. In the 1770s, Samuel Fraunces was a
successful tavern owner in New York.
During this period, many blacks also owned well-to-do barber and
beauty shops and dry goods stores. After slavery, blacks began to
acquire more property and capital, and increasing numbers began to set
up businesses. Two of the earliest of those were Annie Malone and Madam
C.J. Walker.
Funeral services was one area where blacks had a significant number
of businesses and other personal services. Blacks have ventured into
other forays. Maggie Lena Walker became the first black woman in 1903
to become a bank president. She founded the Saint Luke Penny Savings
Bank in Richmond, Virginia, and the bank became so very strong that it
survived the Depression.
Mrs. Walker's bank was by no means the first black-owned bank. That
distinction belongs to the True Reformers Bank of Richmond, Virginia.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot overlook the North Carolina Mutual Life
Insurance Company founded in 1893 in Durham. In 1789, James Forten,
Sr., established the first major black-owned sailmaking shop. We could
go on and on talking about the good highlights of black Americans who
have distinguished themselves in the area of business.
There is a growing crowd of black men and women who have taken their
seats at the tables of business power here in America. People like
American Express President Kenneth Chenault; Maytag President Lloyd
Ward; Richard Parsons, President of Time Warner; Toni Fay, Vice
President at Time Warner; Elliott Hall, Vice President of Ford Motor
Company; and Ben Ruffin, Vice President at Philip Morris.
They are well-educated, highly motivated and strong-willed business
leaders who have raised the glass ceiling beyond any level that their
parents dared imagine. They are sharp and unapologetic. They are
influencing hiring and promotion at their companies. They are gaining
access to capital and creating unprecedented partnerships with large
companies. In short, they are obliterating the myth that blacks cannot
prosper at the highest level of industry.
Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), our
wonderful chairperson of this event tonight, as more blacks experience
corporate success, more and more are expanding and creating their own
businesses as well. Between 1987 and 1992, the number of black-owned
businesses rose 46 percent compared to the 26 percent increase in U.S.
business overall.
As we honor the legacy of achievement of blacks in business today, I,
for one, am comforted to know that history is still being made by a new
generation of blacks in business for themselves and at the highest
levels of some of our Nation's largest corporations.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for giving this time to help
America understand the significant contributions of African Americans.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentlewoman from
Florida for her statement and her participation in this special order.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentlewoman
from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio for
organizing tonight's special order to commemorate Black History Month.
I have been privileged to serve with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes) on the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education of the Committee on Appropriations, and I would like to say
what an honor it has been to work with him and that he will be truly
missed in this body. This country is a better place for his having
served in this body.
Black History Month is a time for us to join together to salute the
accomplishments of African-American men and women who have contributed
so much to make our Nation strong. I would like to take this
opportunity to remember some of the key events that took place in my
home State of Connecticut.
I guess I must deviate just a bit from the specific topic of
businesspeople, but I think that New Haven, Connecticut, has a specific
historical fact that it is important, I think, for people to understand
about the city. And I think there are so many young people in the City
of New Haven who do not realize the history of African Americans in
this city.
[[Page H417]]
These young people do not realize that their city was an important
station on the underground railroad. In fact, the Varick AME Episcopal
Church and Dixwell Avenue Unitarian Church of Christ were both way-
stations for escaped slaves traveling through New Haven toward freedom
in the North.
New Haven found itself in the center of the dispute between the
forces supporting slavery and those working for freedom when the
Amistad ship arrived in Long Island Sound in the summer of 1839. The
Amistad has become a household word, thanks to a blockbuster movie this
year, and we are grateful to Steven Spielberg for making such a movie.
But before the movie, very few people knew about this event, even
people living in the City of New Haven, where much of the action
occurred.
After the Amistad was captured in Long Island Sound, the Africans on
the ship, led by Sengbe Pieh, were put in a New Haven jail while a
court battle was waged to determine whether they would be slaves or
free men and women. The dispute forced the country to confront the
moral, social, political and religious questions that were surrounding
slavery.
Many members of the New Haven community pulled together to work for
the freedom of the Africans, including the congregation of the Center
Church on Temple Street and students and faculty from the Yale
University Divinity School. Finally, in February of 1841, the Africans,
who were defended by former President John Quincy Adams, were declared
free by the United States Supreme Court.
Today there are several memorials in New Haven commemorating the
Amistad and the story of the brave Africans who fought for their
liberty on its decks. A statue of Sengbe Pieh, who was also known as
Joseph Cinque, sits in front of the city hall in New Haven, and I was
there for the dedication, along with our sister city from Sierra Leone.
Plans are under way for a life-size working replica of the ship to be
docked on Long Wharf with exhibitions and programs on African-American
history and the long fight for true freedom.
This is a month that gives us the opportunity to remember these
events and the people behind them. Unfortunately, in our lives, we
compartmentalize and we have a month where we talk with these things.
It ought to be the topic of conversation and discussion and just woven
into our everyday lives. But we are grateful that we have a time to
single out the opportunity for the conversations, where we remember
people with the courage to stand up and fight against tyranny and
oppression, and we also have the opportunity to talk about those who
have been such a tremendous success in business and academics and the
arts and all the parts of our society.
Mr. Speaker, America is strong because we have been successful at
molding our different backgrounds into a strong Nation. We are a
diverse, tolerant and constantly changing country that has been
enriched by our differences. We celebrate our rich history, not just in
Black History Month, but throughout the year.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for organizing this
event tonight.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for
both her eloquent statement and her participation in this special
order.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the distinguished gentlewoman
from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton).
Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in commending the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) for doing this annually and for his
leadership. This hour gives us an opportunity to put in the Record some
reflection and attributes of black history. This month as a whole gives
the Nation an opportunity to reflect, but also gives an opportunity to
assess what is going on.
Mr. Speaker, last night I attended an event at which Vice President
Al Gore and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration,
Aida Alvarez, announced a new major initiative aimed at increasing loan
approvals to minority entrepreneurs.
The announcement of this initiative is most appropriate as we pause
to celebrate Black History Month. I was particularly struck by the Vice
President's remarks as he discussed the historical debate between the
value of political power as compared to economic power. The Vice
President recognized that this debate has spanned the years past and
acknowledged that it would likely continue into the years ahead. We
actually need both economic development and political power if we, as a
community, are to sustain a quality of life.
Whatever the view one may hold on this issue, it cannot be denied
that the initiative announced last night, once implemented, would
benefit the black community and, in particular, the black businesses in
ways that would be felt into the future.
This lending assistance and marketing campaign is designed to support
blacks who are interested in starting or expanding their own small
businesses. Under the campaign over the next 3 years, SBA plans to more
than double its annual level of loan guarantees now provided to blacks.
In the fiscal year 1997, SBA provided 1,903 guaranteed loans valued
at $286 million. Those funds were provided to black entrepreneurs from
the 7(a) and the 504 lending program.
By fiscal year 2000, SBA expects the annual loan guarantees to black
businesses to reach 3,900 with an estimated value of $588 million from
these 2 programs. And for the next 3 years combined, SBA expects to
provide some 9,300 loan guarantees with an estimated value of $1.4
billion.
Mr. Speaker, the impact of this kind of infusion of capital into
black enterprise is inestimable. But the true brilliance of this
initiative rests with the fact that the SBA has enlisted a number of
prominent black American groups to assist in facilitating this process
to make sure that these loan guarantees are known and indeed get out to
those entrepreneurs who may need them.
Those groups include the National Urban League, the National Black
Chamber of Commerce, the National Council of Negro Women, the Minority
Business Enterprise, the National Legal Defense and Education Fund, the
Organization for a New Equality and the Phelps Stokes Fund.
The initiative represents an important and significant step forward.
We are indeed making progress. In recent years, the number of black-
owned businesses grew by nearly 50 percent from 424,000 to almost
621,000 new businesses, according to the Census Bureau. But at the same
time, the average black firm generates an annual income of less than
$52,000 while the average small business annual income is $193,000,
some $141,000 more each year.
We are progressing, however. But yet we have a long way to go. This
is a journey we must make.
America's 200 million small businesses employ more than half of the
private work force. But that is not all. America's small businesses
generate more than half of the Nation's gross domestic product and are
the principal source of the new jobs in the United States economy and
the reason that we are enjoying prosperity today.
But in the end, Mr. Speaker, this new initiative will work best if
entrepreneurs who take advantage of it have the same daring and
pioneering spirit as the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company,
which is in my State, headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. North
Carolina Mutual, with determination and hard work, has become one of
the Nation's largest insurance companies and the largest black-managed
insurance company in the world.
Since its founding in 1898, just a few years after the doctrine of
``Separate but Equal'' was pronounced, North Carolina Mutual has been
the symbol of progress and a symbol of success and entrepreneurial
achievement, of leadership and economic vitality and the strength of
the black community.
North Carolina Mutual has achieved this triumph despite overwhelming
and seemingly insurmountable odds. Today, with assets over $228 million
and insurance in force of over $9 billion, it ranks among the top 10
percent of the Nation's life insurers. North Carolina Mutual has
offices in 11 States and the District of Columbia and is licensed to
operate in 21 States and the District of Columbia.
It is fitting, Mr. Speaker, that the company has its headquarters
atop the highest hill in Durham, because indeed it is at the top of its
industry. Poised for the 21st century and all the promise
[[Page H418]]
that it holds, North Carolina Mutual deserves our respect, our notice,
our appreciation, our admiration and our thanks for their leadership.
With this new initiative SBA is doing, we can only be hopeful that
there will be many, many more North Carolina Mutuals in the future
being multimillion dollar firms being run and managed by African
Americans.
{time} 2015
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina
for her participation in this special order. It is a pleasure to have
her participate.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms.
Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very
much for his leadership on this very special order and tribute to black
history and appreciate very much my colleagues who have come to the
floor of the House to acknowledge this very special month. By their
presence, I glean from their words that although we have this month to
commemorate black history, the contributions of black Americans are so
very important as it relates to the history of this Nation. The
Preamble to the Constitution of this great Nation aptly begins, ``We
the people.''
As I take my place on the floor of the House of Representatives to
pay tribute to African Americans, I am reminded of the fact that those
who first took their place in this very spot did not include me nor my
people and their vision of ``We the people.''
To ``secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity''
is one of the basic reasons that the Constitution was ``ordained'' and
``established.'' These are basic tenets of freedom. This portion of the
Preamble to the Constitution reminds us of the economic empowerment
that surrounded the push towards the establishment of this great
country. That is why it is so apropos that we celebrate African
Americans in business, the path towards empowerment. There is no doubt
that African Americans and Black History Month are one and the same.
They recognize the importance of providing the pathway for evidencing
what we have done for this country. African Americans have made unique
contributions to the significant scientific and technological
advancement of this country and to the growth and popularity of
American culture around the world. Many of the modern conveniences that
we enjoy today were invented by African Americans. Where would we be
without the stop light invented by Garrett Morgan; the incandescent
light bulb invented by Lewis Latimer; Dr. Charles Drew, a pioneer in
blood research who established the first blood bank; and George
Washington Carver, who so often we found as youngsters enjoyment in
studying, maybe one of the few African Americans that our teachers
allowed us to know? He revolutionized the agricultural economy of the
South with his novel ideas on crop rotation.
Today African American scientists and astronauts are expanding our
knowledge of space. How many of us know the names of these African
American astronauts who have led the way for our country to be the
leader in space exploration and space-based science? Major Lawrence,
the first African American astronaut, Ron McNair, Guion Bluford, first
African American to actually fly in space and Ron McNair who lost his
life in the tragic Challenger accident, General Fred Geory, Charles
Bolan, Mai Jaimson, first African American woman in space, Robert
Curbeam, Winston Scott, Evon Cagle, Joan Higginbotham, Stephanie
Wilson, Bernard Harris and Mike Anderson, an African American astronaut
who flew in January on the last mission of the space shuttle Endeavor
to Mir.
The economic benefits gained from the work of these African Americans
has proved monumental. Our path towards economic empowerment has forged
its way even through the hard times. And yes, even our African American
farmers, our small businesses and large businesses to pay tribute to.
For it was after slavery when we were told that we would receive 40
acres and a mule. I am sad to say that to this day, we have not
received the full measure of the 40 acres and a mule. But our African
American farmers in the deep South, the Midwest and other parts have
held steady and strong, keeping up the good fight, providing that
enhancement of economic opportunity that has kept this country going.
I hope as we proceed to celebrate this day and as well as we
celebrate African American history throughout the years to come, we
will pay tribute to our African American farmers and the justice that
they deserve.
Now let me simply say this, Mr. Speaker. I too wanted to acknowledge
the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) for her leadership in the
Congressional Black Caucus, and certainly since we are talking about
minority businesses and in this instance African American businesses,
let me acknowledge Mr. Minority Business or African American Business
in the United States Congress, Parren Mitchell, and thank him for his
leadership on these issues of opening the doors of opportunity. Kweisi
Mfume followed him with his interests in small business, and now the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Wynn).
None of these individuals gave particular interest for their own
self-aggrandizement, but they knew that it was important for us to be
strong economically. So they championed, along with other members of
this Caucus, affirmative action.
I would simply say that now is the time, as we celebrate this month,
that we recognize that the struggle is not over. Affirmative action is
under siege and many of our African American businesses that are
successful today are successful because of African American effort in
promoting affirmative action that has helped so many in this Nation,
the rule of two that has provided for opportunities for small
businesses and, yes, the Community Reinvestment Act that forced many of
our Nation's banks to recognize that they could not do business by
taking in money from the African American community and not investing
money in the African American community. The creation of BET, one of
the most well watched national stations has also been a recipient and
beneficiary of affirmative action.
Lastly I would say, Mr. Speaker, that the important thing is what our
young people believe and how they will carry the torch into the 21st
century. I hope and my challenge is that although they may not have
lived through the time frame of Dr. Martin Luther King or Stokely
Carmichael or any of the others who so aptly raised their voices for
equal opportunity and freedom, I hope that they will never forget. I
hope there is a sense of loyalty and understanding and guts that they
would feel that the work that they do, wherever it might be, those who
may work in the United States Congress, with many of the Members and
particularly those of the Congressional Black Caucus, understand that
they have a mission, that it is a challenge and an honor to be so
associated, that many of the strides that have been made by African
Americans have come from the Congressional Black Caucus.
I challenge our educators and teachers: Teach our children about
their history, do not have them scratching to find out about African
American history because school boards and schools refuse to include
those very important subjects in our curriculum. We all have a
challenge. And to our African American businesses across the Nation,
not to the exclusion of small businesses or Hispanic businesses or
women-owned businesses, you have a special responsibility to give back
to your community. I know that you live there. I know that you are
giving. Let that be your cause.
My final word is to simply say that black history must be lived and
not spoken. That means that we are all challenged to live African
American history and the contributions to this Nation every single day.
God bless you.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the theme for this year's
special order to commemorate Black History Month is ``African Americans
in Business: The Path Towards Empowerment.'' There is no doubt that the
path towards empowerment includes economic empowerment--the ownership
of businesses, as well as the creation of and participation in business
opportunities. However, this assumes the freedom and liberty to do so.
To ``secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity''
is one of the basic reasons that the Constitution was ``ordain[ed]''
[[Page H419]]
and established.'' These are basic tenets of freedom. This portion of
the preamble of the Constitution reminds us of the economic empowerment
that surrounded the push towards the establishment of this great
country.
There is no doubt that African Americans have always believed in the
principles set forth in both the Constitution and the Declaration of
Independence. Our contributions to the preservation of American liberty
even extends to the beginning of this country, when Crispus Attucks was
the first to die for the cause of American freedom and liberty in the
Revolutionary War.
From the activism of Frederick Douglas, Sojouner Truth, and Harriet
Tubman during the abolitionists movement, to the heroic efforts of Rosa
Parks, Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall and Fannie Lou Hamer
during the civil rights movement, African Americans have never lost
faith in this country to expand democracy and provide true economic
freedom for all Americans.
African Americans have been entrepreneurs from the very beginning of
this country. During Reconstruction, African American businesses
flourished in black neighborhoods largely due to the fact that we were
not welcomed in majority stores and business establishments.
When African Americans were barred from purchasing life and health
insurance coverage, African American entrepreneurs established their
own life insurance companies. Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Co.,
North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Co., and Atlanta Life Insurance
Co. are only a few of the companies that were started by African
Americans. These companies exist even today.
In Houston, Unity Bank serves as a model of African American
empowerment. It is the only African American owned bank in Houston and
serves as a beacon for African American business and commerce.
In the present era, our African American elected officials, along
with the presidents of the various civil rights, fraternal, religious
and business organizations continue to encourage our Nation to keep its
commitment to freedom, equality and economic well-being and empowerment
for all Americans.
Black History Month celebrations provide excellent opportunities to
inform young and old alike of African American contributions to America
and the world. The origins of the celebrations of black history as
Black History Month date back to 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodsen set
aside a special period of time in February to recognize the heritage,
achievements and contributions of African Americans. It has only been
since 1976 that we officially designated February as Black History
Month.
African Americans have made unique contributions to the scientific
and technological advancement of this country and to the growth and
popularity of American culture around the world. Many of the
modern conveniences that we enjoy today were invented by African
Americans.
Where would we without the stop light, invented by Garrett Morgan;
the incandescent light bulb, invented by Lewis Latimer; Dr. Charles
Drew, a pioneer in blood research who established the first blood bank;
and George Washington Carver who revolutionized the Agricultural
Economy of the South with his novel ideas on crop rotation.
Today, African American scientists and astronauts are expanding our
knowledge of space. How many of us know of the names of these African
American astronauts who have led the way for our country to be the
leader in space exploration and space based science:
Major Lawrence--the first African American astronaut; Ron McNair;
Guion Bluford--The first African American to actually fly in space;
Gen. Fred Geory; Charles Bolan; Mai Jaimson; Robert Curbeam; Winston
Scott; Evon Cagle; Joan Higgenbotham; Stephanie Wilson; Benard Harris;
and Mike Anderson, an African American astronaut who flew in January on
this last mission of the space shuttle Endeavor to Mir.
The economic benefits gained from the work of these African Americans
has proven monumental. Our path towards economic empowerment has forged
its way even through space.
After the enslavement of Africans in this country, we were promised
40 acres and a mule. This, for many, would have provided a means by
which newly freed slaves could work the land in order to provide for
themselves. It was to allow for economic empowerment. That dream did
not come true. It was readily apparent that the path towards economic
empowerment for African Americans was littered with lies,
deceitfulness, and Jim Crow laws that were designed to stifle the
ability of African Americans to own business and in turn ``secure the
blessing of [economic] liberty.''
African Americans built this country with their sweat and blood. They
served as the economic backbone of the southern economy and helped to
develop the West. During the migration from the South to the North in
the first half of this century, African Americans played critical roles
in the factories that energized the Industrial Revolution.
It is widely understood that education improves one's quality of
life. African Americans have always believed in the importance of
education. During the Reconstruction period, African Americans pooled
their resources to form schools and colleges that still exist and
thrive. Today, historically black colleges and universities are
producing the doctors, lawyers, business persons, dentists, pharmacists
and professionals that help to construct a better path to economic
empowerment.
The accomplishments of African Americans are too numerous to actually
list. From the tumultuous birth of our great Nation to this present
day, African Americans have contributed to all that is good about
America.
Black History Month is an ongoing celebration of victory. It is a
celebration of our very survival and rise from oppression to recognized
accomplishments and achievements.
Our challenge today is to become economically empowered through the
ownership of business and the aggressive participation in business
opportunities.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her
eloquent statement on this occasion.
I yield to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Waters), chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus. Over the number
of years I have taken out this special order annually to celebrate
Black History Month, I have always done so in conjunction with whomever
was the chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus. And I am
delighted this year to have my name associated with that of our
distinguished chairperson, the gentlewoman from California (Ms.
Waters), who is doing such an outstanding job in giving leadership not
only to the Congressional Black Caucus but here in the House of
Representatives. It is an honor to yield to her.
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.
I am delighted to be a part of this very special time that is taken
out and directed by a very special man. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Stokes) has led this House in celebrating Black History Month and this
will be the last year that the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) will be
here to do this for us. While we are all saddened by the fact that he
will not be here to guide us on this and in many other efforts that we
have to put forth, we are delighted that he is here once again this
evening to make sure that we take time out from our very busy schedules
to pay attention to the contributions of African Americans to this
society.
This year we have as our theme African Americans in business, the
path towards empowerment. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with all my
colleagues in celebrating this Black History Month. Each year during
the month of February we consciously take time to acknowledge and
celebrate the history and accomplishments of African Americans in this
country and worldwide. As we reflect on our history, I am more
convinced now than ever that economic development through black
entrepreneurship is a key to creating jobs, wealth and opportunities in
our communities. Our history is rich with African Americans who created
economic opportunities for others by owning, operating and building
their own businesses. The early trailblazers include black
entrepreneurs like Madam C. J. Walker, A. G. Gaston and John Johnson.
Madam C. J. Walker, the first woman self-made millionaire of any race
built an economic empire starting with $1.50 in capital. In 1905, Madam
Walker founded Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company, the Nation's
first successful black hair care products company. Madam Walker's
company trained thousands of black women in her beauty schools and
colleges. Her company sales force eventually exceeded more than 20,000
agents in the United States, the Caribbean and Central America.
Arthur G. Gaston founded the Booker T. Washington Burial Society in
1923. He parlayed his company, which guaranteed African Americans a
decent burial, into a conglomerate of 10 companies that included two
radio stations, a construction company, a bank, two funeral homes, a
motel and a nursing home. When he died in 1996, he sold several of his
businesses, valued at $34 million, to his employees.
John Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson
Publishing Company, pioneered one of the Nation's largest black-owned
businesses
[[Page H420]]
and the world's largest black-owned publishing company. In 1942, with a
$500 loan secured by his mother's furniture, Mr. Johnson started his
company, which now includes Ebony, Jet, EM, that is Ebony Man, and
other enterprises. Today Johnson Publishing Magazines employ over 2,700
people and reach more than 20,000 readers in 40 countries.
While C. J. Walker and A. G. Gaston and John Johnson paved the way,
Reginald Lewis and Robert Johnson raised black entrepreneurship to
another level. They used savvy deal-making and Wall Street financing
techniques to create two of the largest publicly traded African
American controlled companies in America. Reginald Lewis, a Wall Street
lawyer, used his financial and legal savvy to buy Beatrice
International Food Company, a global giant of 64 companies in 31
countries. With that acquisition, he parlayed TLC Beatrice into the
largest African American controlled business in the United States. In
1992, TLC Beatrice had revenues of $1.54 billion. When he died in 1993,
he had a net worth of $400 million. His wife Loida N. Lewis currently
runs the company.
Robert Johnson also recognized early on the power of Wall Street to
create economic opportunities. In 1980, he created Entertainment
Television, the largest black cable television and entertainment
network. In 1991, BET became the first African American owned and
controlled company traded on the New York Stock Exchange. BET has
revenues in excess of $132 million.
Several African American entrepreneurs and entertainers have
continued the legacy of ownership and empowerment for African
Americans. These include among others: Edward Lewis, J. Bruce
Llewellyn, Earl Graves, Berry Gordy, Bill Cosby and Oprah Winfrey.
Edward Lewis, the publisher, chairman and CEO of Essence
Communications, heads one the country's most successful and diverse
African American owned communications companies. In May 1970, Lewis and
partner Clarence O. Smith published the first issue of Essence
Magazine, a fashion magazine for black women. Today Essence
Communications Incorporated is synonymous with black womanhood.
I cannot go into Mr. James Bruce Llewellyn, Mr. Earl Graves, Mr. Bill
Cosby, Oprah Winfrey, and of course Berry Gordy. But I have mentioned
them and we shall continue to make this information available to all.
I thank the gentleman very much for this opportunity to share the
contributions of these wonderful African Americans.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join my colleagues in celebrating Black
History Month.
Each year during the month of February we consciously take time to
acknowledge and celebrate the history and accomplishments of African
Americans in this country and worldwide.
As we reflect on our history, I am more convinced now than ever that
economic development through Black entrepreneurship is a key to
creating jobs, wealth and opportunities in our communities.
Our history is rich with African Americans who created economic
opportunities for others by owning, operating and building their own
businesses. The early trailblazers include black entrepreneurs like
Madam C.J. Walker, A.G. Gaston and John Johnson.
Madam C.J. Walker, the first woman self-made millionaire of any race,
built an economic empire starting with $1.50 in capital. In 1905, Madam
Walker founded Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company, the nation's
first successful black hair care products company. Madam Walker's
company trained thousands of black women in her beauty schools and
colleges. Her company's sales force eventually exceeded more than
20,000 agents in the United States, the Caribbean and Central America.
Arthur G. Gaston founded the Booker T. Washington Burial Society in
1923. He parlayed his company, which guaranteed African Americans a
decent burial, into a conglomerate of 10 companies that included two
radio stations, a construction company, a bank, two funeral homes, a
motel and a nursing home. When he died in 1996, he sold several of his
businesses valued at $34 million to his employees.
John Johnson, Chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson
Publishing Company, pioneered one of the nation's largest black-owned
businesses and the world's largest black-owned publishing company. In
1942, with a $500 loan secured by his mother's furniture, Mr. Johnson
started his company, which now publishes Ebony, Jet, EM (Ebony Man),
and other enterprises. Today, Johnson Publishing magazines, employ over
2,700 people and reach more than 20 million readers in 40 countries.
While C.J. Walker, A.G. Gaston and John Johnson paved the way,
Reginald Lewis and Robert Johnson raised black entrepreneurship to
another level. They used savvy deal-making and Wall Street financing
techniques to create two of the largest publicly-traded African-
American controlled companies in America.
Reginald Lewis, a Wall Street lawyer, used his financial and legal
savvy to buy Beatrice International Food Co., a global giant of 64
companies in 31 countries. With that acquisition, he parlayed TLC
Beatrice into the largest African American controlled business in the
United States. In 1992, TLC Beatrice had revenues of $1.54 billion.
When he died in 1993, he had a net worth of $400 million dollars. His
wife, Loida N. Lewis, currently runs the company.
Robert Johnson also recognized early on the power of Wall Street to
help create economic opportunities. In 1980, he created Black
Entertainment Television, the largest black cable television and
entertainment network. In 1991, BET became the first African American-
owned and controlled company traded on the New York Stock Exchange. BET
has revenues in excess of $132 million dollars.
Several African Americans entrepreneurs and entertainers have
continued the legacy of ownership and empowerment for African
Americans. These include, among others, Edward Lewis, J. Bruce
Llewellyn, Earl Graves, Sr., Berry Gordy, William Cosby and Oprah
Winfrey.
Edward Lewis, the publisher and chairman/CEO of Essence
Communications, heads one of the country's most successful and diverse
African-American owned communications companies. In May, 1970, Lewis
and partner Clarence O. Smith published the first issue of ESSENCE
Magazine, a fashion magazine for black women. Today, ESSENCE
Communications Inc. is synonymous with black womanhood.
James Bruce Llewellyn has built several multimillion dollar
companies. He currently is the president of the Philadelphia Coca-Cola
bottling companies of one of the largest Coca-Cola Bottling
distributorships in this country. The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling
Company currently employs over 1,000 people.
Earl G. Graves, Sr. launched Black Enterprise magazine in 1970. His
magazine set the standard for informing African American entrepreneurs
``how to'' start and grow a successful business. Black Enterprise
magazine now boasts more than 3.1 million readers and has a controlled
subscriber base of 300,000.
Bill Cosby is one of the most highly-paid TV personalities in
America. After cutting his first comedy album in 1964, Cosby went on to
star in several television series, including ``I Spy,'' ``The Cosby
Show''--NBC's top-rated program through most of the late 80s and the
new sitcom ``Cosby.'' Cosby also is known for his Jell-o commercials
with children; as the narrator of the ``Fat Albert'' cartoons and as a
producer and creator of other television shows. Cosby and his wife,
Camille, have been active in education circles through their donations
amounting to over $20 million to black women's colleges. Mr. Cosby's
earnings exceeded $33 million last year.
Oprah Winfrey, queen of the afternoon talk shows, worked her way up
from a local TV reporter to a morning talk show host. Her lively,
aggressive, intelligence and streetwise common sense made her a popular
television personality who earns top ratings and numerous television
awards. Winfrey is also a savvy business woman. In 1988, Winfrey
purchased a Chicago-based movie and television production facility that
she renamed Harpo Studios. She has used Harpo Studios to produce her
own television dramas and series. She made over $200 million last year.
We have made tremendous strides in creating black-owned businesses.
Between 1987 and 1992, the number of black-owned businesses grew by 46
percent. Revenues also rose by 63 percent from $19.8 billion to $32.2
billion. Black Enterprise reports that the leading black industrial and
service firms created more than 4,000 new jobs between 1995 and 1996.
However, in 1992, African Americans and other minorities,
collectively, owned only 11 percent of all businesses in America.
Annual sales receipts for minority-owned businesses averaged only
$202,000, compared with an average of $3.3 million for white-owned
businesses.
To bridge those gaps and build economically sound communities, the
development of more black businesses is essential. Economic power today
will mean jobs, creation of wealth, and continuing political clout in
the future.
As Madam C.J. Walker was fond of saying, ``I am not merely satisfied
in making money for myself, for I am endeavoring to provide employment
for hundreds of women of my race.'' ``I had to make my own living and
my own opportunity! But I made it! That's why I want to
[[Page H421]]
say . . . don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come . . .
Get up and make them!''
{time} 2030
Mr. Speaker, I thank our distinguished chairperson of the
Congressional Black Caucus for her statement and her participation in
this Special Order.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased now to yield to the distinguished gentleman
from Wisconsin (Mr. Barrett).
Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Stokes). It is an honor to be here tonight with him.
Today I honor the accomplishments and advancements of African
Americans, and I join the celebration of Black History Month. It is
fitting that we honor African-American business pioneers this year, as
we are in the midst of record economic growth. Many African-American
businesses have indeed made strides in the business world.
The Reverend Martin Luther King saw the economic potential of the
African-American community and called for the use of that power. He
said, ``We are a poor people individually. Collectively, we are richer
than all the nations in the world, with the exception of nine. We have
an annual income of more than $30 billion a year. That is power right
there if we know how to pool it.''
In my home city of Milwaukee, and across the Nation, African-American
businesses have made the sacrifices necessary to achieve success in the
business world. These efforts have paved the way for today's African-
American businesses and entrepreneurs and established a solid business
environment in which minority-owned businesses now grow and prosper.
One of these businesses, the Columbia Building and Loan Association,
was the first African-American financial institution in Milwaukee. The
business has been located at Fond du Lac and 20th, in the heart of
Milwaukee, since it was founded in 1915. The founders, Wilbur and Ardie
Hayland, were committed to development in the African-American
community and used their business to invest in and develop homes and
businesses. They saw that African Americans could not secure loans from
white institutions and the housing situation in their community was
bleak. They decided to do something. As a result, great strides were
made in this community. The Columbia Building and Loan is still in
business today as the Columbia Savings and Loan.
Another Wisconsin African-American pioneer, William Green, was the
author of Wisconsin's first civil rights legislation, the Wisconsin
Civil Rights Act of 1895, which outlawed discrimination in public
places. Mr. Green came to Wisconsin in 1887 and graduated from the law
school there in 1892.
Wisconsin's first African-American newspaper, the Wisconsin
Enterprise-Blake, founded in 1916, paved the way for many of today's
successful businesses.
Wisconsin now has a number of African-American radio stations and
newspapers, including the Community Journal, the Milwaukee Time, and
the Milwaukee Courier. These publications and outlet serve as a window
on the community, highlighting the achievements of the community they
cover.
But these businesses are just the tip of the iceberg when we talk
about African-American businesses in Wisconsin. African-American
entrepreneurs have established grocery stores, child care centers,
health care centers, law firms, eye care centers, engineering firms,
data centers, sales and marketing services, and many more. Some of
these businesses have succeeded in securing contracts and investing
millions of dollars in community development projects. Just last summer
an African American-owned contracting company secured the largest 8(a)
contract awarded by the U.S. Small Business Administration in
Wisconsin's history. Bowles Construction of Milwaukee received a $6.1
million contract for a flood control project over the Wisconsin River.
This month, during Black History Month, we can all take pride in the
success of both past and present African-American businesses. These
businesses have become a growing, integral part of the healthy economy
America is enjoying today. They deserve this recognition, and we should
all be proud of what has been accomplished.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for his
participation tonight, and at this time I am pleased to yield to the
distinguished former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).
Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me congratulate the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Lou Stokes) again for his effort of bringing forth our African-
American history to the Nation. We will certainly miss him when he
departs from this great body.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues this evening in
commemorating Black History Month, which is celebrating the
achievements of African Americans in the field of business. This year's
theme, African Americans in Business: The Path Towards Empowerment, is
very fitting at a time in history when so many talented African-
American men and women are playing leading roles in our Nation's
business sector and taking their rightful place in national and
international economic affairs.
According to the Census Bureau's survey of minority-owned business
enterprises, the number of black-owned businesses has increased 46
percent in recent years. The 100 largest black-owned companies in the
United States generated revenue of over $14 billion.
Last summer Fortune Magazine profiled a new generation of African
Americans who are achieving phenomenal success on Wall Street. Among
them are John Utendahl, a bond trader who founded Utendahl Capital
Partners, the largest black-owned investment bank in the United States.
His firm has been involved in over $250 billion worth of transactions.
Another success story, a friend of mine, young Ron Blaylock from New
Jersey, a young man in his 30s, founded Blaylock and Partners, the
first minority firm to manage a corporate bond underwriting. His firm
supervised the $150 million issue on behalf of the Tennessee Valley
Authority.
We all know Marianne Spraggins, the top achieving African-American
woman on Wall Street, who took on the challenging position of CEO for
W.R. Lazard, a black-owned firm.
One African American caught in downsizing of Occidental Petroleum,
William Davis, started his own company, Pulsar Data Systems. This $166
million business is now the largest owned black computer firm.
In addition to large-scale companies, successful small businesses are
being started every week in communities throughout the Nation. I am
very proud of the entrepreneurs in my congressional district in New
Jersey, who have worked hard to build their businesses.
Our local communities are enhanced by the presence of successful
businesses in the 10th District. Starting very quickly with the City
National Bank, a minority-owned bank, chaired by Mr. Lewis Prezau; Dunn
and Sons, a janitorial service owned by Malcolm Dunn; Bradford and
Byrd, also a janitorial service, owned by Avery and Trina Byrd; Ke'Dar
Books, a store that sells books on Bergen Street, owned by a former
student of mine, Jack Martin; P.C. Pros, a computer company owned by an
outstanding businesswoman, Avis Yates; Johnson Publication Company of
New Jersey, which produces many publications, including the popular
newspaper City News; and Evan Bow Construction, owned by the Bowser
brothers; Justin's Mens Clothing in South Orange, New Jersey.
And so during this Black History Month, as we celebrate, I conclude
by saying that even during the era of slavery, free blacks were
successful business owners. Records show back in the 1700s, as we have
heard, Paul Cuffe was a shipper and merchant in New England; James
Wormley owned a hotel right here in Washington, D.C.; William Johnson
owned a string of barber shops in Natchez, Mississippi. And after the
Civil War many African Americans were established in businesses.
So as I conclude, I do want to mention this is the hundredth
anniversary of the birth of Paul Robeson, a Jersian, a 12-letter man in
every athletic event that they played at the time, an outstanding
singer, but who had to fight to get on the chorus, on the glee club,
and who was not allowed to play football initially when he first went
out.
[[Page H422]]
He ended up with a broken rib and destroyed his hands, but he went
back to say he was going to play. He became an all-American. And with
that I yield back to the gentleman.
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey and,
Mr. Speaker, I express my appreciation to all the Members who have
participated in this Special Order.
Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and join my friends and
colleagues in celebrating and honoring Black History Month. As we
observe and reflect on the achievements of African-Americans in our
Nation, I enthusiastically support and salute this year's theme, ``The
Path Towards Empowerment.''
The African-American business community has been the hallmark of
empowerment efforts in my Congressional District. This year marks the
fifth consecutive year that I will host a Small Business Conference in
my Congressional District in San Diego. These conferences have already
opened the doors of opportunity to many African-American businesses
which lacked such access in the past.
These seminars have been concentrated in the African-American
community and have produced significant achievements. Bryco
Distributing Company, one of San Diego's largest paper goods
distributing companies, has relocated into my Congressional District.
We are also developing both a Business Improvement District and a
Micro-Business District in the heart of San Diego's African-American
community.
Government contracting has also increased opportunities for the
African-American business community. The Navy Exchange system has
enabled an African-American baking goods company to acquire a Navy
vendor contract. Construction contracts for Navy housing and other
facilities have given African-American contractors, subcontractors and
vendors valuable opportunities of historic proportions.
My own efforts have also attempted to provide local empowerment
through the business community. I am working with local African-
American leaders to foster a strong working relationship with the
African-American Chamber of Commerce in my district. I regularly review
actions of the Small Business Administration (SBA) and that of local
banks to monitor adherence to California's Community Reinvestment Act
passed to guarantee investment in traditionally red-lined communities.
I have also supported efforts of the Economic Community Magazine to
create an Entrepreneurial Training Center.
Our efforts here and at home on behalf of African-American businesses
work to further strengthen this community and create additional
opportunities. It is this community empowerment which will ultimately
sustain on-going efforts to ensure equality, guarantee justice and
maintain hope in the future.
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleague, Louis
Stokes, in celebration of black history month. This special order is a
time honored tradition in the House, and I always enjoy participating.
For the past 17 years, I have celebrated black history month with the
families, community leaders and elected officials of the fifth
congressional district in Maryland, together, we reflect the memory of
African American leaders past, honor the leaders and activists in the
present, and encourage the development and education of future leaders:
the children.
One of the reasons I celebrate black history month is because I
believe that African American history is the foundation of American
history: They are indeed one in the same. African American history is a
celebration of the journey of a people from which all Americans are
able to witness the meaning of strength, perseverance, resilience,
talent, faith, leadership, economic empowerment, and vision.
Strength was what the African ancestors drew upon when they were
stripped from their native land, chained in the bowels of a slave ship,
and forced to make the traumatic transatlantic voyage into the unknown.
Strength was the African slaves' will to survive in a foreign land,
under violent, torturous and deplorable conditions for over 260 years.
Perseverance was when Harriet Tubman, ``the Moses of her people'' led
slaves to freedom countless times, dubbed ``the underground railroad''
in the face of danger and exhaustion. I am pleased to be a co-sponsor
of Mr. Stokes' bill, H.R. 1635, the national underground railroad
network to Freedom Act of 1998. This legislation would authorize the
National Park Service to link together in a coordinated and cohesive
fashion the many sites, structures, activities, museums and programs
that commemorate and celebrate this African American triumph.
Resilience is Booker T. Washington, who, after walking from West
Virginia to Hampton Institute located in Hampton, Virginia, swept the
floors of a classroom as his admissions test, and went on to become the
principal of Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. Washington played
a defining leadership role in American politics in the early 1900's.
Talent is defined by the great storytellers of the Harlem Renaissance
era, like Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Nella Larsen, and
Claude McKay--writers who drew upon their own experiences and societal
African American culture as the basis of their compelling text.
Talent is the musical genius of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella
Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, who developed the wonders of jazz music
and laid the foundation of America's appreciation for many genres of
contemporary music.
Faith is what the late Jackie Robinson had when he became the first
black player in modern major league baseball in 1947, an act which
helped break down racial barriers in professional sports. We just
celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his feat last year, marking this
triumphant point in history and reminding our youth of how far we have
come and how far we have yet to go in fighting discrimination.
Faith is what Rosa Parks had when she denied a white person a seat on
a bus, which helped lead us into the greatest movement in American
history--the civil rights movement.
Faith is what nine students in little rock, Arkansas had when they
integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957, becoming symbols of
educational equality.
The late Thurgood Marshall demonstrated leadership when he became the
first black associate justice of the supreme court in 1967. The vital
role he played as counsel in Brown v. Board of Education Topeka, Kansas
left an indelible mark on the history of education in America,
eliminating the cruel ruse of ``Separate but equal''--overturning
Plessy v. Ferguson.
The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was and will remain one of
America's most revered and honored leaders as an advocate for racial
harmony. Like many other leaders of the 1960's, Dr. King's
assassination took him from us physically, but his spirit of leadership
and his vision for racial equality still lives.
Economic empowerment is what all of us here are seeking to sustain
and create. We all want to develop and strengthen our communities
economically by creating jobs and other opportunities to make sure that
our neighborhoods are prosperous and our children are provided for.
All of these attribute I have touched upon lead us to vision.
African-Americans have always had a vision, whether it was of freedom,
equality, voting rights civil rights, economic stability or justice. It
must be noted historically that, when reviewing the visions of African
Americans from one point in history to another, one thing rings true:
The vision is always realized.
As we approach the year 2000, we should all take a long, hard look at
the journey that our ancestors have taken, that we have taken--and how,
we need to look at the road we have left for our children to take on
their journey.
We leave our children with a rich history full of leaders and
innovators, of men and women who made a difference and ensured the
survival of a race of people in the face of adversity.
Yet, as we prepare to pass the legacy of a people to the next
generation, it is still incumbent upon us to tell the story, to
celebrate the history. We must impress upon our children not to give
up, but to always hope. They must hold onto the vision for their
journey, and stick with it until it is realized--as our African
American forefathers and mothers did.
It is impossible for me to recognize all of the African-Americans
throughout history who have influenced our lives. However, I am truly
thankful that, with the leadership of Representative Stokes and others
here today on the floor, we take the time to recognize black history
month.
Today, we are celebrating the African-American journey and are
passing the legacy onto the next generation. I am proud to have
participated in this special order commemorating black history month in
1998.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this the 11th day of Black
History Month to salute African-Americans in business. In Martin Luther
King's ``I have a Dream'' speech, he spoke of a promise that America
made to its people: ``A promise that all men, yes, black men as well as
white men, should be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.'' Today as more and more young black
women and men graduate from colleges and business schools, medical and
law schools across this land, they are taking Dr. King's dream and
turning it into a reality. In 1960, 141,000 African-Americans attended
college, in 1988 785,000 African-Americans attended. Two decades ago,
only a handful of African-Americans graduated from MBA programs whereas
in 1995, 4000 African-Americans graduated. There is a strong
correlation between higher education and African-American business
success. By utilizing their hard won knowledge and mixing it with their
strength and perseverance, African-Americans are becoming more
empowered through entrepreneurship each day.
[[Page H423]]
According to ``Banking on Black Enterprise'' a new community of
African-American businesses are emerging. From 1987 to 1992, African-
American businesses grew by over 45 percent. Between the years of 1984
and 1994, African-American pilots and navigators increased 650%,
dentists 311% and black engineers 173%. Other factors such as corporate
procurement plans and municipal plans have led to empowerment for
African-Americans. Programs of this nature such as the General Motors
African-American empowerment forum for small minority-owned business
and the Michigan Minority Business Development workshops and
conferences have also opened doors for African-American businesses.
We must fight to maintain these gains and ensure the growth of the
African-American middle class into the next century. Every time that a
little black boy or black girl takes their first step into a school,
Dr. King's dream takes one step closer to becoming reality and every
time that a new African-American business opens, Dr. King's dream takes
yet another step closer to reality. Our successes in entrepreneurship
are numerous, our chances for further growth, limitless.
Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Black History Month and its
1998 theme, African-Americans in Business, I would like to draw your
attention to seven distinguished residents of Indiana's First
Congressional District. These business people have achieved stunning
success while generously giving of themselves to the community.
Nathaniel Z. Cain is a native of Gary. With his wife, Jacqueline,
they raised 3 children, Fred, Jeff and Natalie, and now have 3
grandchildren. Nate started his business career in the automobile
industry after serving 4 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and 2 tours of
duty in Vietnam. He began working at a Ford dealership in Gary in 1969,
began buying stock ownership in dealerships in 1986, and, in 1996,
bought the same Ford dealership in Gary in which he had begun his
career in 1969. He currently serves as President and Dealer-principal
of Tyson Ford and Tyson Lincoln-Mercury and Vice-President of Melrose
Lincoln-Mercury.
Nate has been recognized and rewarded for his outstanding
achievements throughout his career. He was awarded 4 medals for his
service in Vietnam: the National Defense Service medal, two Vietnam
service medals (1st & 2nd awards), and the Vietnam campaign medal. He
received numerous awards at the Tyson Motor Corp. in Joliet, Illinois,
and in 1996 received the ``100 Champions Award'' for the top 100
Lincoln-Mercury Dealers. He has also been listed on Black Enterprise
magazine's Top 100 Black Auto Dealers List since 1990. Throughout his
career, Nate has been involved in his community, serving on various
boards and councils, including the Board of Directors of the Boys &
Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana, the Gary Mental Health Association,
the Urban League of Northwest Indiana, the Board of Trustees of the
Gary YWCA, the National Auto Dealers Association, the Ford-Lincoln-
Mercury Minority Dealers Association, and the Chrysler-Plymouth
Minority Dealers Association. His story is clearly a tribute to
economic success and civic devotion.
Sharon L. Chambers is an insurance agent with State Farm in Gary,
where she lives with her daughter, Sheena. Sharon received a degree
from Indiana University and started her own insurance agency in 1984.
Sharon has received the ``Outstanding Young Women of America Award,''
and, last year, she was inducted into Gary's first Women's Museum of
Cultural Development. Sharon started her own agency with no customers
and, for years later, was the number one insurance agent in the State
of Indiana. She truly made it on her own. However, Sharon does not
focus the story of her success on herself. She talks about the support
of Gary citizens, and about the numerous young African-American women
who have worked in her office as Marketing Representatives, five of
whom have started their own businesses and four of whom have returned
to college.
Imogene Harris is a Gary native, who earned her undergraduate degree
from Indiana University and undertook graduate studies at Valparaiso
and Purdue Universities. She was a teacher with the Gary School
Corporation for 12 years and became President and Publisher of the
family-owned Harris Printing Co. and INFO News in 1978. She and her
husband, James T. Harris, have worked at their business for nearly 48
years. Imogene is actively involved in the community and works with the
Gary Chamber of Commerce Board, the Urban League of Northwest Indiana
Board, the Gary Accord Board, and the NAACP. Additionally, she holds
membership in numerous organizations, including the National Newspaper
Publishers Association, the Great Lakes Broadcasting Board, the Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority, and the Delaney United Methodist Church. She has
been honored by the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, the NAACP (nationally
and locally), NCNW and many other organizations. In addition, Imogene
has received the Gary Frontiers' ``Drum Major Award'' and the
``Distinguished Hoosier Award.'' She has continually distinguished
herself as an individual committed to equality, actively working to
eradicate racism and prejudice through providing a forum in which
issues can be addressed in a productive manner. She has been committed
to the improvement of Gary for 50 years and much of the progress that
has been made can clearly be attributed to her.
Roosevelt Haywood came to Indiana from Mississippi in 1948, and he
attended Indiana University. He has a wife and seven children and is
currently the owner of Haywood Insurance Agency in Gary. Before going
into the insurance business, Roosevelt was a member of the United
Steelworkers' Local #1014. Roosevelt built his successful business on
his own, but he has been an active member of the community while doing
so. He is currently Vice-President of the Gary branch of the NAACP,
Vice-President of the Gary Black Insurance Agents and Brokers
Association, a Deacon-Trustee at his Baptist Church, and a Board Member
of the Brothers' Keeper. His record of civil service is extensive.
Roosevelt worked as a State Chairman of the Fair Share Organization, a
civil rights group that broke down the discrimination barrier over a
decade ago in Gary, Michigan City, and East Chicago, Indiana. He
founded and served as President of both the Gary United Council of
Midtown Businessmen and the Gary Toastmasters International. He also
served as Vice-President of the Minority Business Steering Committee
and on the Advisory Board of the Urban League. He served as President
of the Ambridge-Mann Community Board and the Indiana Association of
Black Insurance Professionals. Finally, he served as a member of the
Gary Library Board, the Gary Parks and Recreation Board, the Lake
Country Economic Opportunity Council, Inc., and the Gary Common
Council.
The Reverend F. Brannon Jackson and his wife, Doris, are another
Northwest Indiana success story. Reverend Jackson came from Mobile,
Alabama in 1946, and became pastor of his church on December 1, 1965.
Doris graduated from East Chicago Washington and studied fine arts at
the Chicago Art Institute. She opened her own boutique in downtown
Gary, and has been in business for almost 17 years. While Reverend
Jackson has served as President of the Ordinary General Missionary
Baptist State Convention of Indiana, Chairman of the Office of
Convention and Meetings for the National Baptist Convention, USA, and
Treasurer of the City of Gary's Commission on Economic Development,
Mrs. Jackson has supported his efforts in a tangible way by keeping her
own shop in downtown Gary, while many of her neighbors moved their
businesses elsewhere. Both Reverend and Mrs. Jackson have stood by and
sustained downtown development and committed many hours to making
Northwest Indiana safe for worship and shopping. They are two beacons
in the Gary Community, providing both economic and spiritual
leadership.
Dorothy Leavell is the Editor and Publisher of the Crusader
Newspapers, which are published in Gary and Chicago. Dorothy attended
public school in Arkansas and Roosevelt University in Chicago. In June
of 1998, the Chicago Crusader will celebrate 58 years of continuous
publishing, and the Gary Crusader will celebrate 37 years of operation.
Dorothy took over the newspapers upon the untimely death of her first
husband, Balm L. Leavell, Jr. She had been working there for 7 years as
an Office Manager and Business Manager before taking over the helm of
the Crusader Newspapers in 1968. Dorothy's newspapers have never missed
a single issue.
Dorothy has been involved in numerous civic and humane organizations.
She founded and sponsored the ``Odyssey Club,'' a teen club at her
church, dedicated to raising funds and items necessary for teens to
further their educational and career goals. Her contribution to
community service has earned her many awards over the years, and she
has been recognized with distinction by: the YMCA of Metropolitan
Chicago; Holy Name of Mary School Board; Prospair Ladies Social Club,
and the National Association of Black Media Women. She has received the
Operation PUSH ``Family Affair Award''; ``Fourth District Community
Improvement Association Award'' in Gary; ``Dollars and Sense Award'';
Mary McLeod Bethune Award''; the ``Publishing Award'' from the National
Association of Negro Business and Profession Women's Club, and the
``NNPA's Publisher of the Year Award'' in 1989. Dorothy has been a
member of the National Newspaper Publisher Association (NNPA), for more
than 25 years, and she is currently serving her second term as
president of NNPA, which represents more than 215 African-American
newspapers in the United States. Dorothy has always had a keen interest
in art, and she donated her personal art collection valued at over
$50,000 to the DuSable Museum of African-American History in Chicago in
the 1970's. Dorothy is currently married to John Smith, and she has two
grown children, Antonio and Genice Leavell. She also raised a niece and
nephew, Sharon and Leonard Gonder, and has four grandchildren.
[[Page H424]]
Mamon Powers' college education at Campbell College in Mississippi
was interrupted when he was drafted to serve in the European theater
during World War II. He served for almost three and a half years, and
was discharged as a Sergeant Major in April 1945. He then followed his
sweetheart north, and settled in Gary to work in the steel mills. But
Mamon did not end up working in the mill, instead deciding to try
carpentry. Relying on the experience the had gleaned through this
father's long association with the trade, he joined the Carpenters'
Local #985, and was the first black carpenter's apprentice in the
program. He worked at Means Brothers Construction Co. during the day
and at night worked at getting his degree from Horace Mann, from which
he graduated in 1949.
He was then noticed by his long-time mentor, Andrew Means, who
offered him a Vice-Presidency at Means Developers. Mamon studied Mr.
Means' building techniques and financial planning, and in 1955 formed
his own partnership with drywall contractor, Hollis Winters. Winters
Powers Construction Co. built homes for 9 years before Mamon decided he
wanted a company that was truly his own. In 1967, Powers & Sons
Construction Co. began. Amidst a city that was changing economically
and politically, Mamon changed with the time, branching out into
commercial construction, and bringing two of his sons into the business
with him. In 1971, Powers & Sons won its first million-dollar contract,
and, in 1987, it was named one of the top businesses in the Nation.
Black Enterprise magazine has recognized this feat for eight years.
Mamon has contributed to many civic and charitable organizations and
continues to volunteer and donate his time by lecturing at the various
Gary schools on careers in the construction industry. Powers & Sons
continues his personal commitment on a professional level by providing
scholarships to area youths.
These people are remarkable not just for their astounding business
success. They are doubly remarkable for having achieved such success in
arenas which were just beginning to open up for African-Americans.
Marcus Garvey's prediction, that African-Americans could accomplish
what they willed, has been borne truthful by people like these fine
citizens of Northwest Indiana.
But the `bootstraps' mentality is only one aspect of Garveyism, and
these people's success can be measured in more than just professional
terms. These Northwest Indiana leaders exemplify the true extent of
success African-American business leaders have achieved; these men and
women have not only made successes out of themselves, they have, and
continue to, make successes of their communities, by devoting as much
of their time and energy to others as they do to themselves. Sharon
Chambers talks about the African-American women she has mentored, Mamon
Powers talks about the man who mentored him. Roosevelt Haywood talks
about participating in organizations which broke down the racial
barriers facing African-Americans in the area, and Dorothy Leavell
describes donating art in order to inspire other to achieve. The
Reverend and Mrs. Jackson couple their work for economic growth with a
devotion to community spiritualism. Nate Cain followed his career in
the military with a long history of devoting his time to local youths.
And Imogene Harris followed a career in teaching children with a career
in teaching the community as a whole. George Washington Carver once
said, ``How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the
young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and
tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life you will have
been all of these.'' These seven people have indeed been tender,
compassionate, sympathetic and tolerant. And they have met with great
success, both personal and professional, because of it.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my esteemed
colleagues, Lou Stokes and Maxine Waters, for arranging today's Special
Order on Black History Month. Lou and Maxine truly lead the House of
Representatives in promoting racial consciousness, and their tireless
work on behalf of African-Americans is unparalleled. With his recent
retirement announcement, Lou promises to leave a significant void in
the House of Representatives. We will miss him, but I look forward to
others benefitting from the example he has provided, as well as
continuing his legacy.
Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlemen for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to join our Nation in celebrating Black History
Month. In keeping with this year's theme of ``African Americans in
Business: The Path Towards Empowerment,'' I want to take this
opportunity to honor African American publishers in Houston who are
business leaders themselves and play a critical role in helping other
businesses to succeed.
Part of this year's theme is empowerment, and certainly the African
American press is invaluable in empowering businesses to succeed, both
in providing them with important community information and linking them
to customers through advertising. I have seen the value of the African
American press firsthand in Houston, which benefits greatly from a
healthy number of African American community newspapers.
Today, I want to take the opportunity to honor the publishers of
these newspapers, including Sonceria ``Sonny'' Messiah Jiles of The
Houston Defender; Dorris Ellis of The Houston Sun; Lenora ``Doll''
Carter of the Houston Forward Times; Francis Page, Sr., of The Houston
NewsPages; and Pluria Marshall, Jr., of The Houston Informer. These
newspapers and their publishers were honored when the National
Newspaper Publishers Association held their annual convention in
Houston in 1996, and it was rightly noted how remarkable it is that
Houston has so many members of the Association. This is a testament to
the strength of the African-American community in our city and to the
diversity of voices heard in Houston's marketplace of ideas.
I want to take the opportunity to honor each of these newspapers and
their publishers.
The Houston Defender was founded in 1930 by C.F. Richardson Sr., a
journalist who used his newspaper to fight racism and was often the
target of death threats and beatings by the Ku Klux Klan. Since
becoming the publisher in 1981, Sonny Messiah Jiles has steered the
paper back to its roots, focusing on economic and political issues
while striving to promote positive images of African-Americans.
Sonny Messiah Jiles is a 20-year veteran of Houston media, having
worked in public relations and radio, as well as hosting two long-
running talk shows on minority issues. She bought the Houston Defender
at the age of 27 with money she had saved and borrowed from family and
friends and practically ran it by herself during her first year of
ownership. Since then, the Houston Defender has won numerous awards,
including an NAACP Carter G. Woodson Award in the early 1990s for the
paper's focus on equity issues, and Sonny Messiah Jiles was selected as
publisher of the year in 1991 by the National Newspaper Publishers
Association.
The Houston Sun provides extensive coverage of community, local, and
national news, with a goal, as stated by publisher Dorris Ellis, ``to
provide news and information the community could use and trust.''
Dorris Ellis began publishing The Sun out of an extra room in her home,
and it has since grown into much larger offices and a respected role in
Houston's African-American community.
Dorris Ellis has long been active in a wide range of community
activities, dating back to her work as a poll-watcher at age 14 after
elimination of the poll tax enabled more African-Americans to vote.
Today, she is president of the Houston League of Business and
Professional Women and of the Houston Association of Black Journalists,
working successfully to double the membership of each organization. A
former kindergarten teacher, Dorris Ellis has always made education and
youth high priorities. She has led many efforts to improve literacy,
volunteers often in public schools, and publishes articles by student
journalists in The Houston Sun.
The Houston Forward Times has been a family affair since its founding
in 1960 by Julius Carter. His wife, Lenora ``Doll'' Carter, joined the
paper in 1961 as its advertising director and office manager. After the
death of her husband in 1971, she became the publisher, and her
children grew up working at the paper.
The Houston Forward Times has sought to serve as an effective
watchdog and voice for African American concerns in Houston, providing
tough reporting on critical government and community issues. Relying on
a staff of 15 full-time employees, the Houston Forward Times plays a
specific role in keeping the community informed on such issues.
The Houston NewsPages began publishing in 1986 as a newsletter in
which retail tenants could advertise their businesses. Publisher
Frances Page, Sr., remembers the painstaking and time-consuming process
of taking each article individually to the typesetter after it was
written by his wife Diana Fallis Page, who is co-publisher and editor-
in-chief. Today, the paper is published utilizing state-of-the-art
computer technology.
The Houston NewsPages seeks to highlight the achievements of African-
Americans and is known for its uplifting stories and eye-catching
covers. From its humble beginnings, the paper has grown tremendously
and won numerous journalism awards, including the 1990 John H.
Stengstacke National Merit Award for General Excellence, the most
prestigious award given to African-American publications by the
National Newspaper Publishers Association.
The Houston Informer & Texas Freeman is the oldest African-American
newspaper in Texas and the third-oldest in the nation. While it has
changed ownership several times in its 105-year history, this weekly
paper has never missed an edition or lost its commitment to firebrand
journalism.
[[Page H425]]
Pluria W. Marshall, Jr., the current publisher of The Informer, has
inherited a piece of Texas history. The first issues of the paper
focused on eradication of Jim Crow laws, equal pay for black teachers,
and other race related issues. In the 1920s and 1930s, the newspaper
became a strong advocate for civil rights and grew into a chain--since
disbanded--that reached all major Texas cities and New Orleans. For
more than two decades, George A. McElroy, a former Texas Southern
University journalism professor, has served as editor-in-chief, leading
the paper to numerous honors from the Texas Publishers Association and
other organizations.
These five newspapers and their publishers play vital roles in
Houston's African-American community, creating jobs and business
opportunities themselves, helping other businesses to succeed, and
improving our community for all Houstonians. I am pleased to honor them
as we celebrate Black History Month.
Mr. DIXON. Mr. Speaker, in commemoration of Black History Month, I
rise to recognize the contributions of my fellow Los Angeleno William
Kennard, the new Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to
the expansion of minority entrepreneurship in the telecommunications
industry. As we observe 1998 Black History Month's theme of ``Africian
Americans in Business: the Path to Empowerment,'' it is important to
highlight the unique opportunity that Bill Kennard will now have as FCC
Chairman to influence the path of minority entrepreneurship in the
modern technological age. Bill is in a position to promote a prosperous
business climate through his stewardship of FCC actions impacting the
communications and broadcasting industries. As we near the end of the
20th Century, there will be few businesses unaffected by changes in
telecommunications, internet and wireless services. As chairman of the
FCC, this distinguished Africian American will play a significant role
in ushering in these changes.
Bill Kennard became chairman of the FCC on November 7, 1997, after
having served several years as General Counsel of the Commission. A
native of Los Angeles, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford and
received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1981. Before joining
the FCC as its first Africian American general counsel, a primary focus
of his law practice was committed to assisting minority business entry
into the communications marketplace. Bill served on the FCC's Advisory
Committee on Minority Ownership in Broadcasting and was instrumental in
expansion of the FCC's minority tax certificate program adopted by the
FCC in 1982. When members of Congress targeted the tax certificate
program for elimination, Bill Kennard became the only senior FCC
official to publicly defend the program and advocate for its retention.
As general counsel of the FCC, he actively recruited minorities to
serve in policy making positions, helping to place Africian Americans
in charge of four of the Commission's 16 operating bureaus and offices.
Bill Kennard's recruitment efforts resulted in significant increases in
the number of minority lawyers throughout the commission. Prior to his
arrival, few minority attorneys had ever served in the Office of
General Counsel in its 60 year history; during his tenure, the office
hired over 15 minority attorneys, including 12 Africian Americans. In
addition, Bill created a Commission-wide mentoring program for new
attorneys.
Outgoing FCC Chairman Reed Hundt said this about William Kennard:
``Bill Kennard has been the best General Counsel in FCC history and has
successfully run the most difficult cases this commission has ever
encountered. Under his leadership, we have dramatically improved our
win record in the Court of Appeals. We have also greatly expanded the
depth and breadth of our recruiting and instilled in all our audiences
an awareness of fairness and impartiality of our rulemaking.''
As Chairman of the FCC, Bill continues to demonstrate his commitment
to assisting minorities and small businesses through the
Telecommunications Development Fund (TDF), authorized under the 1996
Telecommunications Act. The TDF promotes access to capital for small
businesses to enhance competition in the telecommunications industry,
stimulate new technological growth and development, and promotes
universal service. TDF is an important tool for minority entrepreneurs
to access the capital necessary to participate in the communications
revolution. He is a strong advocate for universal service, an essential
part of the 1996 Act that seeks to ensure that communities and
consumers are not negatively impacted by telecommunications
deregulation.
In talking of Bill's accomplishments, I want to knowledge the role
that his parents, Robert and Helen played in raising this important
member of our community. I was a friend of Robert Kennard, and greatly
respected his accomplishment in creating the largest black-owned
architectural firm in the western United States. He started his Los
Angeles firm shortly after returning from service in World War II, at a
time when it was particularly difficult for Africian Americans to break
into this business. Clearly his dedication and commitment to excel has
been passed on to his son. His mother, Helen, worked in the Los Angeles
school district, teaching English to non-English speaking students. It
is noteworthy that in his FCC biography, Bill credits his parents with
teaching him the power of communication and the importance of building
communities.
With our help and support, the potential impact that Bill Kennard can
have on minority business development in the telecommunications
industry cannot be underestimated. I ask my colleagues to join me in
congratulating him on his accomplishments, and wishing him much success
in a complex, often controversial, and powerful role as Chairman of the
Federal Communications Commission.
Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, when Dr. Carter Woodson established the
first black history observance in 1926, he had several goals in mind.
As a historian, he wanted to make American history as accurate and as
complete as possible. As an African-American who worked his way up from
poverty to become a renowned teacher, writer and scholar, he wanted to
give black people, particularly young people, a better sense of their
heritage and a more hopeful vision of their own future and the
country's future.
These goals are being fulfilled. Americans everywhere recognize that
African-Americans have made substantial contributions in the sciences,
in exploration, in business, in education, in the arts, in politics and
government, in entertainment and sports, in the military, in religion,
in citizenship, in every endeavor that has made our country what it is.
As we observe Black History Month, I would like to recognize several
African-Americans from the area of middle and south Georgia that I have
the honor of representing who have achieved greatness--greatness not
only because they have been extraordinarily successful in their own
lives, but because they have reached out and uplifted many others.
One of these Georgians is Apostle Isaiah Revills, a man of great
stature physically who is also a giant spiritually. He was born in
Moultrie, Georgia, in humble circumstances, 66 years ago, and was
called to the ministry at age 21. Since then, he has extended his
ministry in tent crusades throughout the United States and has preached
in Africa, Israel, Haiti and much of the world. He attracts thousands
to his services at the First Albany Deliverance Cathedral in Albany,
Georgia. He has been named one of Georgia's 10 most prominent black
pastors and has been honored by governors, legislators, mayors and
members of Congress. But most of all, his positive, visionary ministry
has changed the lives of thousands and thousands of God's children.
Brady Keys, Jr., a native of Austin, Texas who attended Colorado
State on a football scholarship and went on to become an all-pro
defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is now a businessman in
Albany, Georgia who oversees an empire that includes restaurant
outlets, hair styling salons, a steel company, real estate, oil and
coal interests, and a vending company. He was the first African
American to own and operate a franchise company. His firm, The Keys
Group Company, is ranked as one of the largest black-owned businesses
in the country. He has served in many leadership positions, including
membership on President Nixon's Advisory Council on Minority Business
Enterprise. His greatest success story, however, is the opportunities
he has given to young people. He has hired and trained more than
150,000 youth, giving many their first real job opportunity.
John R. Harris was an educator who stayed close to home, serving as a
teacher and principal for 40 years in his native Early County Georgia--
19 years as principal of Early County Middle School in Blakely. He has
been an inspiration to thousands of young people and a leader in his
community for many years. He has served with the Chamber of Commerce,
worked on literacy projects, and served as a gubernatorial appointee on
the Georgia Agrirama Development Authority, which has meant so much to
his area of Georgia. In 1981, the Early County Board of Education named
and dedicated the Middle School Media Center in his honor in
recognition of the many contributions he has made to the community.
America has produced many heroes. They are not limited to any race,
or creed, or national background. We find examples of greatness among
all people in this patchwork of cultures that has become the strongest,
freest, and most productive nation the world has ever known Black
History Month gives us an opportunity to learn from their lives.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Black History Month for
1998. I would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes] for
arranging this special order.
It is appropriate at this time that we call to mind the outstanding
black men and women who have contributed so much to our national
prosperity. Many of these men and women are
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yet to be properly recognized in history texts, and as we approach the
next millennium we must continually work towards correcting this great
injustice, and towards acknowledging the role African Americans have
played in making America the great nation that it is today.
For example, Crispus Attucks, a free black man of Boston, Mass., was
the first American to die for the revolutionary cause. After we
achieved our national independence, a black man by the name of Benjamin
Banneker was an integral planner in the lay-out of the Capital city,
working to assist and expand upon the ideas of Pierre L'Enfant.
In our nation's fight to achieve civil rights and equality black men
and women always took a leadership role. In the late nineteenth
century--when our nation stood divided, and many black slaves were
being massacred as examples to their peers--heroes such as Harriet
Tubman and Sojourner Truth organized the underground railroad, leading
thousands of black men and women to freedom, and ensuring that the
lives of those murdered were not spent in vain.
When the Civil War was brought to its end, and racial discrimination
was de jure abolished, black leaders such as Frederick Douglass and
W.E.B. DuBois fought to bring discrimination to its de facto
conclusion, speaking out against the hypocritical, racist Jim Crow laws
of the South.
These heroic pioneers of the civil rights movement brought about a
new way of thinking in our nation. In the twenty-first century the
movement reached epic proportions, and the goals of national equality
and non-discrimination were further advanced through the heroic actions
of black men and women.
As Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in professional major
league baseball, Marian Anderson became a symbol of equality in the
world of music. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. opened the public's eyes to
the horrors of racial discrimination through his policy of ``peaceful
demonstration,'' and inspired our hearts through his ideas of American
unity and brotherhood. Mrs. Rosa Parks became a symbolic hero around
which an entire nation rallied when she refused to move ``to the back
of the bus.''
In modern-day America, the barriers which once separated black men
and women from pursuing their dreams have virtually disappeared. The
worlds of entertainment, politics, scholarship, sports, arts and
literature have all been significantly improved by the contributions of
African Americans. Men and women such as Dr. Mae C. Jemison, our first
female astronaut; Akua Lezli Hope, a poet and Amnesty International
leader; Zora Neale Hurston, anthropologist; and William Brown, the
mayor of San Francisco, are the modern day pioneers who lead our nation
towards the twenty-first century in the hopes of full racial equality.
Black History Month is also an appropriate time to look forward, and
as we pause to recall and recite the actions of the innumerable black
men and women who changed our Nation's policies and attitudes, we must
also remind ourselves to look ahead, and vow to work harder towards
resolving the struggle for equality which persists not only in the
United States but also abroad.
Our society's strength is a direct result of its great diversity. It
is this diversity which we rightfully honor today and all throughout
this month. I urge my colleagues and all Americans to recognize the
contributions African Americans have made to our nation.
Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, during the month of February our great
Nation's schools, businesses, churches, and civic organizations are
making a special effort to proclaim the importance of African-Americans
to this Nation's progress and success.
We make this special effort for two fundamentally important reasons:
First, Black people of this Nation have suffered unfairly through
generations of slavery and oppression. Today, I am grateful that we are
working together to ensure that all people are treated equally, both in
word and deed.
The second reason we mark this time with Black History Month is that
African-Americans have made substantive and vitally important
contributions to this Nation's progress and success. Quite simply, we
would be much diminished as a nation if it were not for the hard work,
insight, activism, leadership, and excellence found within the African-
American community.
At the base of the Statue of Freedom on the Capitol Dome in
Washington is the Latin phrase ``E Pluribus Unum''--Out of many, one.
This motto expresses very simply the key to success for our great
Nation. Out of the many citizens of the United States, we must come
together to form one America. Building a united America is vital to the
success of our great democracy.
This phrase--``Out of many, one''--is also a great challenge. If we
meet the challenge to build a better America, we must face three very
important questions:
How should we unite as a people?
What is our purpose in seeking a united American people?
And what kind of partnership do we need to achieve our purpose?
people: recognizing what is important for america
President Woodrow Wilson, who led our Nation during the first half of
this century, has a message for us as we enter the 21st century:
It was . . . an historical accident . . . that this great
country was called the ``United States;'' yet, I am very
thankful that it has the word `United' in its title, and the
man who seeks to divide man from man, group from group,
interest from interest in this great Union is striking at its
very heart!
His words remind us that people matter and that we are doomed as a
nation if we allow one race to oppress the other.
However, unity has not always been the case in America. For too long,
issues of unfair treatment have divided the citizens of the United
States. If we are to ever be united in the good sense of the word, we
must ensure that all individuals, regardless of race, share the same
rights and are granted equal protection under the law.
The African American people--whose heritage we celebrate here and
now--have fought long and hard for fair treatment and equal opportunity
while working to make a better united America.
The great Black leader Frederick Douglas was right when he said,
``Liberty given is never so precious as liberty sought for and fought
for.'' The founders fought for their freedom from Britain during the
American Revolution, but they left the American people less than
totally free. It is up to us to work for liberty for all people in this
Nation. To accept anything less diminishes the greatness of our Nation.
As your federal representative in Washington, I want to tell you
about several important pieces of legislation that I am cosponsoring
that will provide long overdue recognition to the African-American
community. Recognition of the varied and numerous contributions of the
African-American people to this country is crucial to achieving our
goal of unity and understanding the complete--not partial--history of
our Nation's African-American citizens.
H.R. 773, the National African-American Museum Act, seeks to remember
the people who have shaped this country's history. This bill would
authorize the establishment of the National African-American Museum
within the Smithsonian Institution and thereby provide a center for
scholarship and location for exhibits related to African-American art,
history, and culture.
That museum will be a wonderful starting point for recognizing and
respecting the African-American people and their history of suffering
and accomplishment.
Consider the impact African-Americans have had in politics and civil
rights. Of course, Blacks have always been politically active. Today,
we should call special attention to Blacks who serve their Nation
and communities in ways unimaginable one hundred years or even fifty
years ago. Blacks now serve in unprecedented numbers in elected and
appointed positions at all levels of government. In our Congressional
district, several black leaders have served on the city council, school
board, board of county commissioners, community college board members,
state board of transportation, numerous other state boards and
commissions, state legislature, and in government positions at all
levels, including Congress, for many years with distinction. The civil
rights advances in our nation could not have been made without these
fine citizens. We must recognize the importance Blacks have in shaping
our political lives.
We should also recognize Blacks for their contributions to advancing
American science and technology. Blacks have been vitally important
inventors and scientists from our nation's earliest days. Did you know
that Onesimus, a black slave, was experimenting with smallpox vaccines
in the 1720s? This pioneer of modern medicine was followed by others
such as Dr. Charles Drew, who engineered blood transfusions; and Samuel
Kountz, who made kidney transplants more successful. Elijah McCoy's
perfection of the locomotive engine led to people saying they wanted
his product--not some cheap imitation. They wanted ``the real McCoy''--
a saying which became popular in society for those who want the real
thing, the best there is! In technology, Blacks have invented the
incandescent light bulb, truck refrigeration, polymer fabrics, and
automated manufacturing machines used in making shoes, telephones, and
other items essential to our daily lives. In space, Lt. Colonel Guion
Bluford was the first Black to fly in space. Hoping to advance human
sciences, astronaut Ronald McNair tragically died in the Challenger
shuttle explosion. These individuals and many many other African-
Americans must be fully recognized for their contributions to American
life.
Once we recognize African-Americans for their accomplishments, we
must respect them
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as valuable contributors to American society. In North Carolina, the
African-American community emerged from the shadows of slavery to
quickly take positions in government, education, entertainment, and
media.
Take, for example, two North Carolinians who should have our respect.
First, in the early 1900s Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown founded a school
for African-American children. Although she was attacked and oppressed
with Jim Crow laws, her faith in God and her commitment to her
community gave her the strength to ensure that her school, known as the
Palmer Institute, educated Black children in the sciences, language,
and culture. She received many honors, and was a friend of Eleanor
Roosevelt, W.E.B. DuBouis, Booker T. Washington, and other leaders of
the day. I have nothing but respect for people like Dr. Hawkins, who
spend their lives committed to God and community.
There is one more person who exemplifies the sort of success that we
should respect. Hiram Rhoades Revels is especially significant to me
for three reasons. First, he committed his life to God and proclaiming
the truth of the Christian Gospel. Second, he was born in Fayetteville,
North Carolina, only 30 miles from where I was born. Third, he was the
first Black member of the United States Congress. It is remarkable that
his adult life spanned the Civil War, Reconstruction, and ended in 1901
during the Progressive Era. He was a true pioneer of American political
life.
All the people I have mentioned today--the scientists, teachers,
inventors, politicians, and every African-American--should be respected
members of our Nation. And they would make wonderful additions to our
nation's official African-American museum.
Purpose: Living Up To America's Ideals
As we have seen, it is critically important that we work to make
America a united country of diverse people. Yet it is also important
that our work have a worthy purpose. We cannot satisfy ourselves with a
united America that fails to live up to our guiding ideals.
As the great American President Abraham Lincoln told the nation at
Gettysburg in 1863, ``we are here highly resolved that these dead shall
not have died in vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new
birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for
the people, shall not perish from the earth.''
In the 133 years since the end of slavery in America, all of the
races in America have had to confront the struggles and successes of a
nation working to better itself in difficult times. We joined together
to defeat the racist rulers of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and
African Americans were emboldened to insist that America live up to our
values.
On September 25, 1957, nine African-American children pioneered the
civil rights movement by voluntarily integrating the all-white high
school in Little Rock, Arkansas. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of H.R.
2560, which seeks to award the Congressional Gold Medal to each of
those nine brave souls.
Later, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., led the mass civil
rights movement that gave us a chance to redeem our nation's soul by
embracing freedom and opportunity instead of hate and oppression. Our
nation's ideals made Dr. King love America. He often spoke about the
``great glory of America, with all its faults.'' On the night before
his assassination, Dr. King prophetically said, ``Like anybody, I would
like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not
concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's
allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've
seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to
know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land . . .''
Today we remain committed to fulfilling Dr. King's dream of reaching
the promised land--a land where all citizens regardless of their race--
are treated equally. We have come a long way in reaching this land, but
we still have a long way to go.
Today, we live in a country where African Americans are narrowing the
gaps in salaries and education between themselves and the majority of
Americans. Today, African-American employment is at its highest level
in history, and African-American poverty is at its lowest in history.
Yet black people still earn about 40% less than most whites,
unemployment for blacks is still about twice the level for whites, and
fewer blacks graduate from college than whites of similar backgrounds.
Clearly, we must stay true to America's purpose because we still have
work to do.
partnership: building a better america
Once we recognize the importance of the African-American people, we
must continue to live up to America's purpose. But our great Nation's
purpose will never be realized unless we enter into partnership with
one another to build a better America.
A partnership can be a powerful and positive influence on our lives
when it is between people who are able to bring their own unique gifts
to our nation's progress. God has given the people of this nation a
mission to prove to men and women throughout the world that people of
different races and ethnic backgrounds can not only work and live
together, but can enrich and ennoble both themselves and our common
purpose.
In the 7th Congressional district, we have the great opportunity to
bring into partnership all the different peoples who live here: African
and Native Americans, new immigrants, and whites. Together--and there
are over a half million citizens in this district--we can make a real
difference in America's future.
With a strong people, a guiding purpose, and a powerful partnership,
we can create better schools, better families, and better jobs for
everyone.
My very first job while in college was a delivery boy for a black-
owned business, Wesley's Florist, in Lumberton. Not only did I need
that job, I found that being the only white employee required a special
partnership between me and his family!
When I was a student at Lumberton Senior High School, I worked in
partnership to help the first black female be elected as president of
the student body.
I have had the honor to coach black boys and girls on local sports
teams and to work with children of all races as a volunteer in the
schools for the last 17 years.
The first person I hired on my congressional staff was a black woman.
Why? Because she was the most experienced caseworker on Capitol Hill
that I knew, and she deserved it!
Today, as your Congressman, I know full well how powerful
partnerships can be. That is why I am fighting to recognize the
importance of African-Americans, working to build better schools, and
striving to bring fair treatment and economic security to every
American in our district.
Education and the best public schools possible are at the foundation
of our efforts to build a lasting and positive partnership for America.
That is why I am committing my time and energy in Washington and at
home in North Carolina to better schools, better teachers, and better
opportunities for our students. I have cosponsored:
HR 1154 The Partnership to Rebuild America's Schools Act. This bill
would provide $77.1 million for school construction in North Carolina.
Our district would be eligible to receive nearly $21 million. The money
would go toward paying up to 50% of the interest on school bonds.
I am also an original Cosponsor of the State Infrastructure Bank Act.
This legislation would establish State Infrastructure Banks (SIBs) for
school construction. The proposal is based on the SIBs for the
transportation program established through the National Highway System
Act during the 104th Congress and is also similar to the widely
successful State Revolving Funds (SRFs) used for Clean Water Act and
Safe Drinking Water Act infrastructure improvements.
The Computer Donation Incentive Act, HR 1278, will allow companies to
donate computer equipment and software, as well as training related
thereto, to elementary and secondary schools for use in their
educational programs. It will also allow donations to organizations
that work with the disabled. This bill is designed to provide an
incentive for businesses to donate equipment to local public schools.
I also supported HR 2264, the bill that appropriates funds for
Education programs. Impact Aid was funded at $796 million, $66 million
more than FY 1997. $1.1 BILLION for education reform programs. $531
million in block grants for Safe and Drug-Free Schools Programs. Over
$1.5 BILLION for higher education programs such-as work study and Pell
Grants. $435 million for Education Technology programs and installing
computers in our schools.
On November 3, 1997, I hosted parents, teachers, school
administrators, and local leaders at a summit entitled ``Successful
Schools for the 21st Century.'' Three themes that focus our attention
on critically important factors in education--commitment, construction,
and computers--were highlighted.
I am excited about what the future holds for our district and our
schools. But we should not lose sight of schools and colleges as places
where we learn about character and values. Respect, responsibility, and
hard work are all things that our schools can help us better understand
and experience. In fact, the concern and commitment required for
success, which begins in our families, should be nurtured in our
schools.
With God's help, we can not only share His love, but also have His
strength: to continue to recognize and respect our country's unique
people, to re-commit ourselves to America's purpose, and to work
together in partnership for a better future.
Will you join me in respecting America's people?
Will you join me in living up to America's purpose?
Will you join me in the partnership for a better America?
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Together, we can take the steps toward a 21st century full of
appreciation and hope. Much has already been done; however, I am sure
you know that much more must be done.
And may we remember the words from Abraham Lincoln's last great
speech--his second inaugural address--when he tells us even today:
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with
firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let
us strive on to finish to work we are in, to bind up the
nation's wounds . . . to do all which may achieve and cherish
a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all
nations.
I appreciate and commend each of you for your leadership within the
African-American community, and I want to challenge you to never forget
how great this democracy is. It is up to us to reach beyond our
differences and pain and hold on to the strength to stand for what is
right and what is good so that we are truly united. May God bless and
strengthen us all. By his help, we will not fail!
Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, it is once again an honor for me to take part
in this Special Order for African-American History Month. I know I join
with every American in this continuing effort to educate both ourselves
and our children about African-American culture and history.
One of the most underappreciated segments of American history are the
scientific achievements by African-Americans. For the past one hundred
years, African-Americans have made crucial inventions in engineering,
performed great scientific feats, and have served as inspirations to
all Americans through their perseverance and determination, yet such
accomplishments go widely unnoticed.
One of those inventors was Granville Woods. Mr. Woods was a great
electrician and inventive genius who developed and patented a system
for overhead electric conducting lines for railroads, which aided in
the development of the overhead railroad system found in contemporary
metropolitan cities such as Chicago, St. Louis and New York City.
As well, in the late 1800's Woods patented the Synchronous Multiplex
Railway Telegraph, which allowed train stations as well as moving
trains to know each others whereabouts. Train accidents and collisions
were causing great concern at the time because train stations had no
way of tracking their moving trains. This invention made train
movements quicker and prevented countless accidents and collisions.
Garrett Morgan, who was born in 1875, also deserves wide recognition
for his outstanding contributions to public safety. Firefighters in
many cities in the early 1900's wore the safety helmet and gas mask
that he invented. The gas mask Morgan invented in 1912 was used during
World War I to protect soldiers from chlorine gas fumes.
In 1923, Morgan received a patent for his new concept, a traffic
signal to regulate vehicle movement in city areas. It is impossible to
overestimate the importance of this event to our country's history.
This single invention helped bring order out of the chaos of regulating
pedestrian and vehicle traffic on city streets.
In more recent times, Dr. Mae Jemison was our nation's fifth African-
American astronaut, and the first African-American female astronaut. In
August 1992, she participated in a successful joint U.S. and Japanese
science mission that made her the first African-American woman in
space. Dr. Jemison's perseverance and success as as astronaut should
serve as an inspiration to all Americans.
Mr. Speaker, when we honor great achievements in science by African-
Americans, we inspire the next generation of Americans to achieve great
things. I hope that all of our young people take a moment during
African-American History month to reflect on what they can do in their
communities and in their lives to make a difference.
General Leave
Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on
the Special Order regarding Black History Month.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gilchrest). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
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