[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2600-H2601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING THE CHICAGO DAILY DEFENDER ON ITS 95TH ANNIVERSARY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to extend congratulations 
to the Chicago Daily Defender newspaper on the celebration of its 95th 
year. The Chicago Defender was founded as a weekly newspaper on May 5, 
1905 by Robert Sengstacke Abbott. His goal was to use the power of the 
press to address concerns of blacks worldwide, with special emphasis on 
the United States.
  During Mr. Abbott's lifetime, the Chicago Defender amassed impressive 
achievements. Some examples are the Great Migration, the mass exodus of 
blacks from the South to the so-called promised land of the North; the 
first black publication to reach a circulation of 100,000; initiation 
of the Bud Billiken Parade, and much more.
  Mr. Abbott formulated the following nine-point platform for his paper 
in 1905:
  Racial prejudice worldwide must be destroyed;
  Racially unrestricted membership in all unions;
  Equal Employment Opportunities on all jobs, public and private;
  True representation in all United States police forces;
  Complete cessation of all school segregation;
  Establishment of open occupancy in all American housing;
  Federal intervention to protect civil rights in all instances where 
civil rights compliance at the State level breaks down;
  Representation in the President's Cabinet;
  Federal legislation to abolish lynching.

                              {time}  1715

  Mr. Abbott passed in 1940. Upon his death, John Sengstacke, his 
nephew, took over operations of the newspaper. Despite the change, the 
achievements continued.
  Under Mr. Sengstacke's leadership, the National Newspaper Publisher's 
Association, an organization of black newspaper publishers, was formed. 
This occurred despite skepticism about uniting the Black publishers 
into one organization.
  Another accomplishment, despite belief that it would not work, was 
the conversion of the Chicago Defender from a weekly to a daily 
newspaper in 1956. Mr. Sengstacke was also instrumental in integrating 
the armed forces through several presidential administrations, 
integrating major league baseball, construction of the new Provident 
Hospital, and continuation of the Bud Billiken parade. Today the parade 
is sponsored by the Chicago Defender Charities and is second in size 
only to the Tournament of Roses Parade.
  In 1997, John Sengstacke passed, leaving behind Sengstacke 
Enterprises, which includes the Chicago Defender, the Michigan 
Chronicle in Detroit, the Pittsburgh Courier, and the Tri-State 
Defender in Memphis.
  Today the Chicago Defender remains a significant force in journalism. 
Its importance is noted by the fact that only two points of the 
original nine-point platform have been removed. They are representation 
in the President's cabinet and Federal legislation to abolish lynching. 
The presence of the remaining seven points and their existence since 
1905 is the principal guiding force of this publication as it moves 
forward.
  This paper, Madam Speaker, was an inspiration to many, even to myself 
as I was a young boy growing up in rural Arkansas, where we used to 
wait for the pullman porters to bring copies of the Defender to our 
town. As a result of

[[Page H2601]]

reading the Defender, it gave us contact with the outside world.
  The Defender has been most fortunate to have outstanding journalists 
like Lou Palmer, Vernon Jarrett, Faith Christmas, Jennifer Strasburg, 
and countless others.
  So as they celebrate their 95th year anniversary, I simply want to 
say to the Defender and all of its staff persons, continue the great 
legacy, continue the great work. They have been an inspiration, and 
they continue to be a bright star that shines.

                          ____________________