[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 90 (Thursday, July 13, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6673-S6674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                WILLIAM J. BECKHAM, JR. MEMORIAL TRIBUTE

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I want to pay tribute to the life of 
one of Michigan's great civic leaders, William J. Beckham, Jr. After 
living a remarkably accomplished life, sadly, Bill passed away April 27 
while on vacation with his beloved wife, Mattie Maynard Beckham. This 
week, Bill's friends and colleagues and members of the Senate and the 
House will come together in our Nation's capital to celebrate his 
memory and his legacy.
  Bill loved life and all the important things in it--his family, his 
friends, school kids, and his African American heritage. Bill loved the 
difference that he was making in Michigan through his work on school 
reform--enhancing and expanding the quality of education for all 
students in the Detroit public school system. Behind Bill's dignified, 
gentle yet deliberate manner was a fierce determination to help improve 
the everyday lives of families. Multitudes were beneficiaries of his 
visionary efforts. He showed that character and the principles of hard 
work, integrity and perseverance can transform one's dreams into 
reality. He has left a mark of great achievement in civil rights, 
education, economic and political reform.
  Bill had a distinguished career of public service in Michigan, which 
included positions as Vice Chair of the School Board for the Detroit 
Public Schools, Chairman of the Schools of the 21st Century 
Corporation, President and Trustee of The Skillman Foundation, the 
first Deputy Mayor of Detroit, and President of New Detroit, Inc. His 
successful career in the private sector included key leadership 
positions at Burroughs/Unisys Corporation, Envirotest Systems 
Corporation in Phoenix and the Ford Motor Company.
  Bill also enjoyed a long and noteworthy career in federal service 
from 1967 through the early 1980s. Over a period of eight years, he 
served Senator Phil Hart in several capacities including Policy Adviser 
in his Washington office for four years, Chief of Staff of the 
Senator's office in Detroit for three years, and Campaign Assistant for 
one year. Bill subsequently served as Staff Director to the House 
Education and Labor Subcommittee on Equal Opportunity, chaired by 
Representative Gus Hawkins. Sought out by President Jimmy Carter, Bill 
was nominated and confirmed first as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. 
Department of the Treasury and later as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. 
Department of Transportation.
  During his tenure on Capitol Hill, Bill joined with several of his 
staff colleagues to establish the first minority congressional staff 
group to study and act on the political and legislative demands of 
minority communities nationwide. The group's pioneering efforts in 
Quitman and Cohoma Counties in Mississippi, along with civil rights 
leader John Lewis and, my brother, Sander Levin (both of whom now serve 
in the House) helped to mark a new and powerful political and 
participatory direction for the people of the Mississippi Delta. Wise 
and loyal colleagues--Gordon Alexander, Jackie Parker, Judy Jackson, 
Willa Rawls Dumas, Alan Boyd, Dora Jean Malachi, Mattie Barrow and Bob 
Parker--declared Bill their leader. The group moved ahead and soon 
designed the legendary mission to the Mississippi Delta; and, under the 
direction of Julian Bond of the then-Southern Elections Fund, pursued 
other worthy political initiatives, during a time when there was only a 
handful of minority elected officials nationwide.
  Mr. President, I include for the Record the names of the members of 
the William J. Beckham, Jr. Memorial Committee, all of whom were former 
staff colleagues of Bill's during his tenure of federal service, 
including my current Deputy Legislative Director Jackie Parker. These 
devoted friends and former colleagues organized this week's great 
tribute to Bill and will be attesting, along with others, to the truly 
incredible life that Bill led and the impact he had on their lives. 
They are as follows:

               William J. Beckham, Jr. Memorial Committee

       Gordon Alexander, Legislative Assistant, former Senator 
     Birch Bayh
       *President, 40+ Parenting, Inc.
       Robert Bates, former Special Assistant, Senator Edward 
     Kennedy
       Alan Boyd, Senior Aide, former Senator Clifford Case
       *Charitable Games Control Board
       George Dalley, former Chief of Staff, Rep. Charles Rangel
       Winifred Donaldson, Chief of Staff, former Rep. Andy Jacobs
       Willa Rawls Dumas, Office Manager, former Rep. Silvio Conti
       *Vice President for Administration, Directions Data, Inc.
       Ernestine Hunter, Senior Aide, former Senator John Glenn
       Judy Jackson, Senior Aide, former Rep. Bob Eckhardt and Ex 
     Assistant,

[[Page S6674]]

       Senate Finance Committee
       *Executive Assistant, TRESP Associates
       Carolyn Jordan, Legislative Assistant, former Senator Alan 
     Cranston and Counsel, Senate Banking Committee
       *Executive Director, National Credit Union Administration
       Dora Jean Malachi, Senior Aide to former Senator Walter 
     Huddleston and Senate Budget Committee
       Mary Maynard, Clerk, House Subcommittee on Equal 
     Opportunity
       *AFL-CIO Legislative Division
       Jackie B. Parker, Legislative Assistant, former Rep. James 
     A. Burke
       *Deputy Legislative Director, Senator Carl Levin
       Annette C. Wilson, *U.S. Department of Transportation
       *Currently

  Mr. President, Bill leaves his beloved mother, Gertrude; his wife 
Mattie, their two children, Monica and Jeffrey; Bill's three older 
sons, William, III, Jonathan, and Reverend Eric Beckham; his two 
sisters Connie Evans and Elaine Beckham of Florida; his brother Charles 
of Detroit; seven grandchildren, and enumerable friends. Together we 
will celebrate his life and cherish his memory.

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