[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 102 (Wednesday, September 6, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H7227-H7230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REVEREND J.C. WADE POST OFFICE
Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4615) to redesignate the facility of the United States
Postal Service located at 3030 Meredith Avenue in Omaha, Nebraska, as
the ``Reverend J.C. Wade Post Office.''
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 4615
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. REVEREND J.C. WADE POST OFFICE.
(a) Designation.--The facility of the United States Postal
Service located at 3030 Meredith Avenue in Omaha, Nebraska,
and known as the Ames Station, shall be known and designated
as the ``Reverend J.C. Wade Post Office''.
(b) References.--Any reference in a law, map, regulation,
document, paper, or other record of the United States to the
facility referred to in subsection (a) shall be deemed to be
a reference to the ``Reverend J.C. Wade Post Office''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
General Leave
Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on H.R. 4615.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
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Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) introduced
H.R. 4615 on June 8, 2000. This legislation has been supported by the
entire House delegation of the State of Nebraska pursuant to the policy
of the Committee on Government Reform.
H.R. 4615 designates the facility of the United States Postal Service
located at 3030 Meredith Avenue in Omaha, Nebraska, as the Reverend
J.C. Wade Post Office.
Reverend James Commodore Wade was a noted pastor and a civic leader.
He was born in Oklahoma in 1909. His mother died when he was 5 years
old, his father died when he was 8, and his grandfather died when he
was 11. At age 17, he was completely out on his own. He joined the
ministry at age 21. He was known as being the youngest pastor in the
State of Oklahoma.
J.C. Wade was invited to speak in Omaha in 1944 and stayed on. He
served on the Mayor's Advisory Committee in Omaha and organized the
first Head Start Program in Salem, Nebraska. He was a member of the
Baptist Pastors Conference and the Interdenominational Alliance. He
served as the President of the New Era Baptist State Convention,
Incorporated, for 9 years, and also as the State vice president to the
National Baptist Convention for 9 years. On the national level, he was
a member of the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc.; the Gospel
Music Workshop of America; and the NAACP. Dr. Wade died in August 1999.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Terry) for introducing this legislation, and I want to urge our
colleagues to support H.R. 4615.
{time} 1515
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 4615, which names a post office after the
Reverend J.C. Wade, was introduced by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Terry) on June 8, 2000. We thank him for doing that.
Reverend James Commodore Wade was a noted pastor and a civic leader.
He was born in Oklahoma in 1909. He served on the Mayor's Advisory
Committee in Omaha, and organized the first Head Start program in
Salem, Nebraska. He was a member of the Baptist Pastor's Conference and
the Interdenominational Alliance.
He served as a President of the New Era Baptist State Convention for
9 years, and also as a State Vice President to the National Baptist
Convention for 9 years. I want to personally note as a member of that
convention that I am very pleased to see that we are honoring him
today.
On the national level, he was a member of the National Baptist
Convention, the Gospel Music Workshop of America, and the NAACP. Ralph
Waldo Emerson once said that you cannot judge a man by his station in
life, but what he has done to get there.
I listened to the words of my distinguished colleague, the
gentlewoman from Maryland, as she noted the fact that his parents died
at an early age but yet he was able to overcome, and as a matter of
fact, become a minister at a very early age. Again, on a personal note,
as the son of two ministers, I can appreciate what we are doing here
today.
Just to know that this gentleman who hales from Oklahoma was able to
and became a significant part of the National Baptist Convention says a
whole lot. It is a very distinguished convention, and it is a very
important one in our Nation.
With that, Madam Speaker, I urge the swift adoption of this measure.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry), and I thank him for
introducing this piece of legislation.
Mr. TERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time
to me, and I thank the gentleman from Maryland. I thank both members
for managing this bill on the floor. I also thank the chairman of the
committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh), and the ranking
member, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), for their efforts
in committee to make sure that this bill passes and becomes reality.
In our society I think it is important, and especially for our
children, to recognize those people that have had such a positive
impact and effect on their community. It is truly an honor to be able
to stand here and name a post office after one such gentleman in Omaha,
Nebraska.
This bill renames the Ames Street Station after Reverend J.C. Wade,
who for 44 years was the pastor and emeritus pastor of the Salem
Missionary Baptist Church in north Omaha, which is the largest African-
American church in Nebraska, and frankly, is one of the largest
churches, period, in the State of Nebraska, because of his commitment
and leadership.
Reverend Wade, as we learned, was born in Oklahoma, Wybark, Oklahoma,
September 1, 1909. Wybark, by the way, is now called Chase, Oklahoma.
Unfortunately for the Omaha, Nebraska community to which he moved in
around 1950, he passed away on August 30, 1999.
Madam Speaker, I submit for the Record the program of his memorial
service that outlines in more detail his achievements for his
community.
A copy of the memorial service program is as follows:
Rev. Dr. James Commodore Wade, Sr.
Sunrise--September 1, 1909
Sunset--August 30, 1999
Homegoing Celebration for Rev. Dr. James Commodore Wade, Sr.
``And I will give you pastors according to mine heart,
which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.''--
Jeremiah 3:15
``And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is
written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!''--
Romans 10:15
Friday, September 3, 1999 10:00 A.M.; Salem Baptist Church, 3336 Lake
Street, Omaha, Nebraska; Rev. Maurice Watson, Officiating
Obituary
(The obituary was prewritten by Rev. Dr. James Commodore
Wade, Sr.)
The life of James Commodore Wade, Sr. is a theocratic reply
to the somewhat desparaging question, ``Who's gonna take the
boy?'' James Commodore Wade, Sr. was birthed in a small
hamlet called Wybark, Oklahoma, now Chase, Oklahoma, on
September 1, 1909 to the parentage of George W. Wade and
Henrietta Ayers Wade. When the boy, James, was 5, his mother
died and that marked the beginning of that disparaging
question, ``Who's gonna take the boy?'' At age 8, he
experienced the death of his father and again the question
was raised, ``Who's gonna take the boy?'' Then at age 11, he
witnessed the demise of his grandfather, Mr. Samuel Ayers,
who at the time was his guardian. Once more, we encounter the
query, ``Who's gonna take the boy?'' Seeming to be an orphan
child, living as he says, ``from pillar to post,'' it was at
that point that God intervened and replied to that
disheartening question by saying, ``I will take the boy and
make him the beneficiary of special providence.'' And the
rest of the life of James Commodore Wade, Sr. is but a
constant unfolding of God's providential care for a boy
without a guardian or a home. Prior to the death of his
grandfather, at age 10, he accepted Christ at the Union Grove
Baptist Church, Wybark, Oklahoma, and was baptized in the
Arkansas River by the late Rev. W.L. Turner.
Because of the twin afflictions of poverty and segregation,
James went to a little one-room school, when he could, and
finished the eighth grade in his mid-teens. By the time James
was 17, he was completely out on his own. It was at this
point that James left his native home and moved to Tulsa,
Oklahoma. After moving to Tusla, he united with the St.
Andrews Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. W.H.
Woods. It was during these years that James picked up the
pace of his flight from his life's calling. He attempted to
do what so many have sought to do, and that is to run away
from the ``preacher'' calling. But God always has a way of
making his servants give in to the clarion call. For J.C.
Wade, God brought about a cataclysmic experience in the solar
system. According to Rev. Wade's own testimony, ``The sun,
instantaneously switched places.'' Because of that stunning
experience, J.C. Wade, Sr. confessed his call to the ministry
at age 21 and preached his first sermon on April 1, 1931 at
the St. Andrews Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma, whose
pastor was Rev. W.H. Woods.
The year 1933 began another phase in the life of Rev. J.C.
Wade, Sr., for in 1933, Rev. Wade was called to be the pastor
of the Fountain Baptist Church in Haynes, Oklahoma for an
overwhelming salary of 50 cents per week, sometimes! Pastor
Wade had the sweet, torturous task of walking five miles on
Sunday to preach the gospel to a dense
[[Page H7229]]
crowd of 50 to 100 people, that is, if it didn't rain or
snow. After serving the Fountain Baptist Church, the oldest
church in the state of Oklahoma for approximately 2-2\1/2\
years, Pastor Wade, who bore the distinction of being the
youngest pastor in the state of Oklahoma, resigned the
Foundation Baptist Church and moved to the southern
metropolis of Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis, at that time, was
considered to be the haven of great preachers. There were two
significant reasons for his moving to Memphis. One was that
his father in the ministry wanted him to go to school; and
secondly, he wanted him to be his assistant pastor at the
Bethlehem Baptist Church.
After moving to Memphis, Rev. Wade met at Bethlehem a
tender young lady named Mary Frazier, whom God had delivered
from the crippling affliction called polio. Rev. Wade was
most impressed with Mary, but Mary was most unimpressed with
him. In fact, she was so unimpressed with him until when he
would seek to pay her a visit, she would say, ``Here comes
that Old Esau.'' But her being unimpressed did not deter nor
dissuade Rev. Wade. There was a prominent member of the
Frazier family who genuinely admired ``Old Esau,'' and that
was Mary's mother, who everybody affectionately called ``Mama
Frazier.'' Since Mary refused to court Rev. Wade, Rev. Wade
took a most effective alternate approach. He courted Mary
through her mother, ``Mama Frazier.'' It was an effective
approach because on December 18, 1935, Rev. Wynn united in
holy matrimony, Rev. J.C. Wade, Sr. and Mary ``Unimpressed''
Frazier.
Those early years were some tough days. Because of grave
circumstances, Rev. and Mrs. Wade lived five years with her
mother, ``Mama Frazier.'' Rev. Wade worked at the government
fleet, better known then as working on the levy. While
working on the levy in the fall of 1936, Rev. Wade was called
to be the shepherd of the Middle Baptist Church. However, a
strange thing occurred: After serving as pastor for
approximately three months, Rev. Wade permitted a visiting
minister to preach for him during the Christmas season; he
had to work on Sundays. The congregation, feeling that the
visiting minister could outpreach Rev. Wade, dismissed him
and called the visiting minister.
In the year 1937, Pastor Wade became pastor of the Shiloh
Baptist Church on Court Street in Memphis, Tennessee. The
membership totaled less than 100 people. This time, there was
a substantial pay increase from ``sometimes'' 50 cents per
week. The financial arrangement at Shiloh was 40/60.
Whatever was raised on Sunday, 40% was to be retained by
the church and 60% was to be given to the pastor-elect. What
an arrangement! However, the offering was a modest $6.00 per
Sunday.
Then in 1940, Pastor Wade accepted another church in
Memphis called the Riverside Baptist Church in the south
Memphis area which had a membership of 200 people. Pastor
Wade did something that was a church custom in the South
at that time. That custom was to pastor, simultaneously,
more than one church. Pastor Wade accepted the Riverside
Baptist Church at a great salary increase: He began his
ministry there at $25.00 per week.
To show you that Pastor Wade was concerned about providing
for the needs of his family, while pastoring two churches, he
took on a job at Mr. Green's store on Horn Lake Road and
Ingle as a butcher.
In Genesis 1:28, we read, ``And God said unto them, be
fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.'' The year
1937 marks the beginning of the Wade's being fruitful. On
March 20, 1937, a little girl was born, and she was named
Ruth Evelyn. On July 24, 1938, a boy was born and he was
named James Commodore Wade, Jr. In the fall of 1939, tragedy
almost struck the Wade household. Mrs. Wade became
dangerously ill and was carried to the hospital in an
unconscious condition. While Mrs. Wade was en route to the
hospital, Rev. Wade went into their pantry and shut up with
God and said, ``God, you can't take her now. I don't want my
children growing up as I did, not knowing Mother.'' God heard
and answered that prayer because by the time Rev. Wade
arrived at the hospital, Mrs. Wade was sitting up, dangling
her feet on the side of the bed. After Mrs. Wade's recovery,
they moved from Mama Frazier's to rent from Mr. George
Griffin on Dixon Street. After having moved on Dixon, the
Wades continued to be fruitful, for on March 15, 1941,
another girl was born. She was named Doretha. Then on
September 18, 1944, another son was born, and he was named
Melvin Von.
In the early summer of 1944, Rev. Wade was invited by Rev.
Woods, his father in the ministry, to preach a two-week
revival at the Salem Baptist Church in Omaha Nebraska.
Excitedly, he told many ministers who would gather at the
Polk Printing office on Monday mornings. With a jubilant
spirit, he went to Omaha to preach, for two weeks, only to
find out after reaching Omaha, that Rev. Woods was not in the
city. So, in an embarrassed state and at the request of the
official board, Rev. Wade remained in Omaha. On the third
Sunday in July, Rev. Wade was called to be the pastor of the
Salem Baptist Church which had a roll of 250 members with 88
present. Rev. Wade states that there were three significant
reasons for accepting a church who kept their pastors for two
years at a time: 1) God ordained it so; 2) He did not want to
rear his children in the segregated South; and 3) His mother-
in-law's sainted sister Emma Highsmith told him that the Lord
told her that his field was not in Memphis, and pointing in a
northern direction, she said it's going to be that way.
The unique thing about Pastor Wade moving to Omaha was
that, gradually, all of Sister Wade's family moved to Omaha.
After moving to Omaha, the Wades continued to be fruitful.
In 1949, Sister Wade conceived a son, and to their dismay,
that son passed away at birth. However, desiring to have one
more child, on March 10, 1951, a little girl was born, and
she was named Marsha Ann.
In 1949, Pastor Wade began to make extensive changes on
Salem's structure. Then in 1955, with the membership having
exceeded the present seating capacity. Rev. Wade sought to
enlarge the sanctuary to accommodate the overflow crowd. That
vision met with much opposition. But in spite of opposition,
the structure was completed in 1956. Two years after that
completion, the loan which they almost didn't get, was
paid off.
1957 and 1958 were exciting years, not only because a loan
was paid off, but because in December, 1957, Pastor Wade
watched his daughter Doretha conduct her first musical. It
was a Christmas cantata. And then in the spring of 1958, his
elder son James confessed his call to the ministry and
preached his first sermon. Then in 1961, with much ecstasy,
he watched his son James receive a B.A. degree from Bishop
College. Another exciting year for Pastor and Mrs. Wade was
1962. For 27 years, Rev. and Mrs. Wade lived in the following
places: with Mama Frazier, in a rental house, and in a church
parsonage. But in 1962, a dream came true. They purchased
their first home at 3612 North 42nd Street. Then in 1963, his
second son, Melvin, preached his first sermon.
After being told that the freeway was going to include the
Salem structure at 28th and Decatur, Pastor Wade began to
search out a location for a new Salem site.
In 1970, ground was broken for a new church structure at
34th and Lake Streets and was completed in April, 1971. That
loan was paid off in 1978.
Another milestone was reached when he was informed in 1982
that government funds had been granted for the construction
of a senior citizens' complex.
Yes, it was God who took the boy. For only God could take
an orphan child, without much education, call him to preach,
change his education insight, make him a rhetorical genius,
and a linguistical genius. Make him a husband, a father, a
pastor, a shepherd, a builder, and an evangelist. Because God
had taken care of the boy, Rev. Wade was one of the most
influential pastors in Omaha. He stood in some of the great
preaching places in America, and he traveled extensively,
evangelizing and proclaiming the gospel. Because God had
taken care of an orphan boy from Wybark, Dr. Wade held key
denominational positions, both locally and nationally.
Yes, God, indeed had taken care of the boy, James Commodore
Wade, Sr. Rev. Wade also acknowledged, lest he seem
ungrateful, the three years he spent as a member of the
Friendship Baptist Church, Kansas City, Missouri, under the
pastorate of the Rev. S. C. Doyle, who was a pastor and
friend to him.
Rev. Wade will be greatly missed by ALL who knew him but he
leaves to cherish his memories his wife of sixty-three years:
Mary Frazier-Wade, Omaha; three daughters and son-in-law:
Ruth Murray, Doretha Wade-Wilkerson, Los Angeles, California,
Marsha Ann (Rev. Clyde) Nichols, Denver, Colorado; two sons
and daughters-in-law: Rev. James C., Jr. (Ella) Wade, East
Chicago, Indiana, Rev. Melvin V., Sr. (Jacquie) Wade, Los
Angeles; nephew: Gene Bell, Evanston, Illinois; four nieces:
Tina Williams, Chicago, Illinois, Marguerite Anderson,
Cincinnati, Ohio, Myrtis Twyman, Westchester, Illinois, Wilma
Hardiman, Omaha; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Susan
and William Cooper, Queon Temple, Agnes Brown, Sam (Grace)
Frazier, all of Omaha; nine grandchildren; six great-
grandchildren; and other relatives.
Madam Speaker, renaming this postal facility in his honor is an
attempt to pay tribute to this outstanding citizen and dedicated man of
God. The work initiated by Reverend Wade continues to this day in our
community, and his impact on our community should be remembered, as it
will forever have changed our community.
Among the notable community service achievements, Reverend Wade
created the Salem Preschool for Children. In the early fifties, he
realized that our youngest children have to go to school ready to
learn, so he started the preschool to make sure that when they entered
school they were ready; the precursor to what we call the Head Start
program today. He started it before anyone in government had ever
thought of that concept.
He organized, too, the first adult basic education in Omaha,
Nebraska, at the church. He participated, and we have heard deeply in
our community through the Mayors' Advisory Council, the
Interdenominational Council, which by the way unifies our community
from all faiths and geographic areas.
As a leader in the religious community, Reverend Wade served as the
[[Page H7230]]
President of the New Era Baptist State Convention, the State Vice
President to the National Baptist Convention, and director of religious
education for the Sunday School and Baptist Training Union of the New
Era State Convention.
As a member of the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Reverend Wade
brought the Baptist National Convention to Omaha three times. During
his tenure at Salem Baptist, Reverend Wade grew the congregation from
250 members to nearly 4,000 members.
I was reminded the other day of a fascinating story about this man
who took the Salem Baptist Choir to Crookston, Minnesota, for a concert
in the late 1960s. This church in Crookston was based in an all-white
community. Some of the Crookston members had never associated with
African-Americans before, but this choir performed their concert even
while their hearts were grieving because of riots that were occurring
in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Choir fellowshipped with church members at a picnic following the
concert, and later stayed in Crookston members' homes. The event broke
down racial barriers and helped develop friendships between the two
congregations that last to today. This outreach was a great success,
particularly at a time when riots were going on not only in our
hometown but throughout the country. It greatly affected the members of
both churches.
All these earthly achievements testify to the character of Reverend
J.C. Wade, who we seek to honor today by passing H.R. 4615 designating
the Reverend J.C. Wade Post Office.
Finally, I would like to honor Reverend Wade's wife of 63 years, an
amazing woman, Mary Frazier Wade, and thank her for her assistance and
her support in this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I was very pleased to hear the gentleman from Nebraska
(Mr. Terry) reiterate the concern that Reverend J.C. Wade had for the
education of young people. If we were to honor him, I am sure he would
want to be honored for his pastoral duties and his efforts, but I am
sure he would also want to be honored for looking towards the future so
that he could make sure that young children could rise up to be the
very best they could be.
When we are talking about establishing the first Head Start center in
Omaha, I think that says a lot, because he clearly had a vision of the
future. As I often say, he cared about somebody other than himself. He
wanted to make sure that those children were able to rise up.
I am sure that as they pass the post office, a lot of those children
who benefited from his efforts, they can only stop to salute and say,
thank you.
Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I am very moved to hear about the contributions of
Reverend J.C. Wade. I want to thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr.
Terry) for so acknowledging and for introducing this legislation to
name a post office building in his name.
Madam Speaker, I urge support for the bill, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4615.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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