[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 11 (Wednesday, February 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 2000

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 
African-American History Month. The contributions of African-Americans 
to America are too numerous and wide-sweeping to mention in a minute, 
so I decided to tell you about my district's Citizen of the Month, a 
shining example of a strong, determined, beautiful African-American 
woman.
  Hempstead Town Board Member Dorothy L. Goosby is an amazing person, 
embodying what it means to be well-rounded person, a community 
activist, a citizen legislator and a trail-blazer.
  Dorothy is a woman whose life reflects many ``firsts.'' On November 
2, 1999, she was elected to the Town of Hempstead Town Board as only 
one of three Democrats to serve on the board since 1905. A major 
achievement topped by the fact she is the first African American woman 
elected to the board. To her political experience, Dorothy brings her 
careers as a dietician, chemistry teacher and nursing home 
administrator.
  Long been a community activist in Nassau County and the Town of 
Hempstead, Dorothy challenged the very town on whose board she now 
sits. In 1988, Dorothy and others filed a class action suit against the 
Town of Hempstead charging voters' bias. In 1997, a federal judge 
agreed and ruled that the town's voting methods was not representative 
of all its residents.
  Twelve long, hard years later, Dorothy's class action suit came to a 
positive close recently when, on January 24, 2000, the New York State 
Supreme Court ruled that the Town of Hempstead did in fact discriminate 
against African-Americans and that board members must be elected from 
council districts rather than in town-wide voting.
  A long-time advocate and supporter of children and youth programs, 
Dorothy is an adult member of the Girl Scouts, and has served on the 
Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. She is the 
former Vice President of Hempstead School Board; former President of 
Hempstead's United Parents Association and retired President of 
Marshall School's Parents Teachers Association.
  Dorothy's success and sheer determination to do the right thing is an 
inspiration to everyone. I hold up my friend, Dorothy Goosby, as a 
shining example in this bright month of African-American History Month.

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