[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 34 (Thursday, March 4, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING HORTENSE TATE ON HER 100TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 4, 1999

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, March 9th will be a landmark date for a 
special person in Montclair, NJ, as Mrs. Hortense Tate celebrates her 
100th birthday. Mrs. Tate has distinguished herself through her 
generous contributions of her time and talent to the Montclair 
community over the course of many years. She is greatly admired and 
respected by all who have had the privilege of knowing her.
  Mrs. Tate's career has spanned seven decades of service through 
education as a teacher and guidance counselor, the enrichment and 
development of young women through the Montclair YWCA and the AKA 
Sorority, through her Christian faith and over 70 years of dedicated 
service to St. Mark's Methodist Church to address social and community 
issues.
  Mrs. Tate was an educator and guidance counselor in the Newark and 
Montclair Public School systems and continued to tutor junior high and 
high school students for the Montclair School System until she reached 
88 years of age. When I began teaching in 1957 at Newark's Robert Treat 
School Mrs. Tate was a member of the faculty. She was very helpful, 
especially to new teachers. She was so inspirational and supportive. 
Her lifelong dedication to the education and development of young 
people was inspired by her father Ezekiel Ridley, a teacher and later 
principal of Topeka, Kansas, for 50 years. Mrs. Tate graduated from 
Washburn University in Topeka in 1920 and settled in Montclair, NJ. In 
1921, she began her lifelong mission of service to young women at the 
Montclair YWCA as secretary in charge of club activities. In addition 
to her service to the YWCA and the Newark and Montclair Public Schools 
systems, she has been an important member of the Montclair Public 
Library, establishing programs for the cultural enrichment of young 
people.
  Mrs. Tate has been a member of St. Mark's Church for more than 75 
years, holding countless positions, including Chairperson of the 
History Committee and President of the Women's Society, and has served 
in many outreach and community programs to enrich the lives of her 
parish and the Montclair community.
  Mrs. Tate was a member and United National Observer of the National 
Council of Negro Women, working for international peace.
  Mrs. Tate recently was honored as a Diamond Member of 75 years of 
membership in the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, which she has dedicated 
her life's work to and has been a founding member of five separate 
chapters.
  In 1992, Mrs. Tate received the National Sojourner Truth Award for 
Meritorious Service from the National Association of Negro Business and 
Professional Women's Clubs for her many years of service to the 
development of African American women.
  As you can imagine, the Tate family is an important one to our 
society. Her son, the late Herbert Tate, Sr., was an outstanding 
foreign service officer. He served our country in Pakistan. He was a 
leader in the international and national YMCA movement. Her grandson, 
Herbert Tate, Jr., was the first African American Prosecutor for Essex 
County, New Jersey. He continues the legacy of public service as he 
currently serves as Chairman of the New Jersey Board of Public 
Utilities.
  Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in sending Mrs. Tate our 
appreciation for her spirit of community service and our best wishes 
for a wonderful birthday.

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