[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 113 (Thursday, September 21, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1558-E1559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WEEK

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                               speech of

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 19, 2000

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to join with my 
colleagues in honoring this country's Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities, three of which are located in my district, the 5th 
district of Tennessee. These schools are: Fisk University, Meharry 
Medical College and Tennessee State University. For well over a 
century, HBCUs have made their mark as vital institutions of higher 
learning. After the Emancipation Proclamation, the continuing legacy of 
racism in the 19th century barred African Americans from most higher 
education opportunities. As a result, colleges and universities devoted 
to educating African Americans were established, mostly in the South, 
where the majority of freed slaves remained after the Civil War.
  Generations of African American educators, physicians, lawyers, 
scientists and other professionals found at HBCUs the knowledge, 
experience and encouragement they needed to reach their full potential. 
Over the years, HBCUs have compiled an enviable record of achievement, 
educating almost forty percent of our Nation's black college graduates. 
They have educated millions of young people and have prepared African-
Americans students for the challenges and opportunities of this new 
century.
  The faculty and staff of HBCUs have created a nurturing environment 
for their students, set high academic standards and expectations and 
served as inspiring role models for the young people around them. HBCUs 
have accomplished this in the face of daunting challenges including 
limited financial resources.
  HBCUs' limited pool of private financial contributors have denied 
many of the institutions the opportunity to meet their capital needs. 
That is why I was pleased to join with Congressman James Clyburn in 
1996 to secure the authorization of $29 million for HBCU historic 
preservation.
  Historic structures that attest to the contributions HBCUs have made 
in education our students are at risk of being lost forever. At the 
close of the 104th Congress, the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands 
Management Act was signed into law. This legislation earmarked twelve 
schools to receive desperately needed funds to preserve their campus' 
historic structures. These funds have been used to repair numerous 
buildings on Fisk University's campus in Nashville and return the 
campus to its former beauty. This is the last year of that 
authorization and I am hopeful that we will be successful in securing 
the remaining $7.2 million in appropriation funding in this year's 
Interior appropriations bill.
  I am extremely proud of the success Nashville's HBCU's have had in 
educating African-Americans from across the country. Fisk University, 
Meharry Medical College and Tennessee State University have all made 
deep marks on the Nashville community and have enriched all of our 
lives.
  In addition to educating many of our Nation's most distinguished 
African American professionals, HBCUs reach out to improve the quality 
of life in surrounding communities. Fisk's world-famous Jubilee Singers 
originated as a group of traveling students in 1871. The singers 
struggled at first, but before long, their performances so electrified 
audiences that they traveled throughout the United States and Europe. 
The Jubilee Singers introduced much of the world to spirituals and, in 
the process, raised funds that preserved their University and permitted 
construction of Jubilee Hall, the South's first permanent structure 
built for the education of black students.
  From its earliest days, Fisk has played a leadership role in the 
education of African-Americans. Fisk faculty and alumni have been among 
America's intellectual, artistic and civic leaders in every generation 
since the University's beginnings. Among currently practicing black 
physicians, lawyers and dentists, one in six is a Fisk graduate.
  Today, Meharry Medical College is the largest private, historically 
black institution exclusively dedicated to educating health care 
professionals and biomedical scientists in the United States. Meharry 
has graduated nearly 15 percent of all African American physicians and 
dentists practicing in the United States. Since 1970, Meharry has 
awarded more than 10 percent of the Ph.D.'s in biomedical sciences 
received by African Americans. Today, the majority of Meharry's 
graduates practice in medically under-served rural and inner city 
areas. As Meharry takes its place among the leading institutions 
preparing health professionals to meet the challenges of the 21st 
century, the College remains true to its heritage of serving the under-
served of all origins, while maintaining an uncompromising standard of 
excellence.
  Tennessee State University, which is also located in Nashville, 
continues the tradition of educating African-Americans and preparing 
future leaders of our communities and country. Oprah Winfrey and the 
late Olympic track star Wilma Rudolph are among its long list of 
distinguished graduates. TSU has recently been acknowledged as one of 
the 100 ``most wired'' universities, ranking 55th this year. I applaud 
TSU's achievement in bringing 21st century technology to all of its 
students and classrooms. This is quite an accomplishment and one of 
which the entire TSU community should be proud. TSU is doing its part 
in closing the digital divide by ensuring that all of our students, 
regardless of socio-economic class, have access to computers and the 
Internet. This training is vitally important to ensuring their academic 
success in the future. TSU continues to meet the challenges and demands 
of a 21st century education.

[[Page E1559]]

  As TSU, Fisk and Meharry demonstrate, HBCU play an array of roles in 
educating our African-American students. They, along with the many 
other HBCU's across our country are to be commended for their 
dedication to academic excellence and commitment to educational 
opportunity for all. I look forward to working with my colleagues in 
supporting HBCU's and ensuring that they receive the resources and 
support necessary to continue their mission.

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