[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E259]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO AHLERMAN VAN LEWIS, SR., PRESIDENT OF OAKLAND AFRICA SISTER 
                          CITIES INTERNATIONAL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2001

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Mr. Ahlerman Van Lewis, 
Sr. Mr. Lewis served as the President of Oakland Africa Sister Cities 
International for many years and was an active member of the Ninth 
Congressional District. Sadly Mr. Lewis passed away on January 25, 2001 
after a brief illness.
  Ahlerman was the youngest son born to Fred and Mercie Lee Williams 
Lewis on September 11, 1931 in Diboll, Texas. He graduated from Henry 
G. Temple High School and attended Texas Southern University on a 
basketball scholarship. He was a member of the United States Air Force, 
where he served as a Morning Report Clerk.
  After leaving the military, he joined his brothers, Raymond Rish and 
Henman ``Lefty'' Lewis, in the Oakland--Bay Area where he worked in the 
field of administrative services both at Fort Mason and the Presidio, 
in San Francisco, California.
  Ahlerman married FranCione Newellene Johnson, on June 16, 1962. From 
this union came the two sons he cherished, Ahlerman ``Ahlee'' Van 
Lewis, II and Frederic Paul Lewis.
  As the United States became vibrantly alive with civil rights 
activity, during the early 1960s, Ahlerman was inspired by the Black 
self-determination message of Malcom X and The Honorable Elijah 
Muharnmed, An ardent member of the Fruit Of Islam, Brother Akbar Ali, 
as he was known in the Muslim community, dedicated himself to working 
with the local community to improve the conditions of African Americans 
in the city of Oakland and its surrounding environs. He was a member of 
Muhammed's Mosque # 26 for 40 years.
  Fascinated with the thrust for Black business ownership and 
management, Ahlerman was first drawn to the catering business. This 
motivated him to obtain an Associate Arts Degree in Food Management 
from Laney College before he matriculated to San Francisco State 
University.
  Turning his attention to inspiring African American youth, Ablerman 
began his teaching career with the Pittsburg School District before 
joining the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). While teaching in 
Oakland, Ahlerman participated in the OUSD and Stanford University--
Global Education Curriculum Development Project. This activity sparked 
a deep interest in West Africa. It was this interest that led Ahlerman 
to form Oakland Africa Sister Cities International, which was set up to 
foster a close relationship with Secondi-Takarodi, Ghana. As President 
of the Sister Cities project , Ahlermnan led the organization to host 
many special events. One such event was a collaboration with Rev. 
FranCione and the Pan Oaks Center for the Creative Arts to sponsor an 
exhibit of the work of more than ninety Oakland High School students' 
artistic impression of Jeff Stetson's play The Meeting.
  Ahlerman worked with the OUSD's School to Careers Program to secure 
internships for students to work with the Sister Cities organization. 
One of the major projects the students were able to work on under 
Ahlerman's leadership was the George Washington Carver Exhibit. This 
exhibit was initiated by Tuskegee Institute. The exhibit was such a 
resounding success that Ahlermnan was later invited to Tuskegee, to 
receive a special honor for his work commemorating Dr. George 
Washington Carver.
  Ahlerman Van Lewis, Sr. will be deeply missed by all who were blessed 
to have known and worked with him. He leaves behind a rich legacy of 
leadership and service to the African American community in Oakland, as 
well as the Ghanaian community in Sekondi-Takarodi, Ghana. We in the 
Ninth Congressional District can pay tribute to Ahlerman's memory by 
carrying on his work-of fostering a deeper interest and relationship 
with the continent of Africa, while at the same time continuing to 
commemorate the life of our own African American heroes, such as George 
Washington Carver.

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