[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E266-E267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE McINTYRE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2001

  Mr. McINTYRE. Mr. Speaker, each year during the month of February, we 
as a nation

[[Page E267]]

come together to honor the history of African Americans. We do so by 
celebrating this nation's greatest legacy: the legacy of liberation.
  Dr. Martin Luther King, one of this nation's greatest liberators, 
once said, ``Let's make America what it ought to be . . . Let's make 
America a better nation.'' Dr. King fought tirelessly to fulfill the 
legacy of liberation and make America a better nation--a nation of 
liberty and justice for all. Dr. King knew, as Frederick Douglass once 
said, ``Liberty given is never so precious as liberty sought for and 
fought for.'' Thanks to the efforts of freedom fighters such as Dr. 
King and Frederick Douglass, we have come a long way toward fulfilling 
the legacy of liberation. However, we still have a long way to go 
before all citizens-no matter their skin color--will be able to share 
in this legacy and truly know what it is to be free.
  Today, I want to share with you the three ingredients necessary to 
fulfill the legacy of liberation: listening, learning, and leading. We 
must listen to the voices of the past who fought for freedom for all 
African Americans. We must learn from the accomplishments and 
achievements of African Americans who helped build this nation. And we 
must lead the way to liberty by following in the footsteps of our 
greatest African-American leaders.
  First, we must begin by listening to the voices of liberty. We must 
listen to these pioneers of freedom and equality who had the vision to 
see through the injustice of slavery and recognize the value of respect 
of all individuals no matter what the color of their skin. If we listen 
closely, we will hear the voices of those who articulated the hope and 
promise of our nation. These are the voices of those who spoke up, 
stood up, and fought for the true significance of ``one Nation, under 
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'' And whose voices 
do we hear? We hear the voices of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, 
Abraham Lincoln, Carter Woodson, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King, 
Jr. Their voices are the voices of liberation. And while many have 
listened, some have not heard their message. But we cannot give up--we 
must keep listening until each and every voice of liberty is heard!
  In addition to listening to the voices of liberty, we must also learn 
from their legacy. This legacy of liberation includes the great 
contributions that African Americans have made to society. These are 
achievements that build upon the foundation of liberty and strengthen 
our nation's freedom. John F. Kennedy, one of this nation's greatest 
Presidents, once said, ``In a time of turbulence and change, it is more 
true than ever that knowledge is power.'' The turbulence of the Civil 
War and the Civil Rights Movement brought about some of the greatest 
changes that we have ever seen in the history of this nation. We, as a 
nation, were forced to address and acknowledge our total history. In 
doing so, we finally began to recognize the accomplishments of all our 
citizens. This knowledge of our past has served to strengthen the 
legacy of liberation and bring hope to the future.
  Indeed there is so much we can learn from our African-American 
brothers and sisters if we will only take the time to do so. The list 
of accomplishments is long and distinguished. I would like to share 
just a few with you today. For example, a black slave by the name of 
Onesius experimented with smallpox vaccines in the 1720s. Elijah 
McCoy's perfection of the locomotive engine led people to say they 
wanted his product, not some cheap imitation. They wanted the real 
McCoy! George Washington Carver, an agricultural revolutionary, 
concentrated his research on industrial uses of cotton, peanuts, 
pecans, and sweet potatoes. Dr. Charles Dew is responsible for 
engineering blood transfusions. Langston Hughes, who was known as the 
``Poet Laureate of Black America,'' helped bring vision and scope to 
African-American literature through his poetry. Duke Ellington brought 
jazz to the forefront of the global music scene. It is without a doubt 
that America would not be the same without the contributions of these 
pioneers. They helped to make America what it is today and further the 
legacy of liberation. If Dr. King were here today, he would be pleased 
with the progress that has been made in recognizing African Americans 
for their contributions to society. But he would also tell us to roll 
up our sleeves because the cause is not vet finished. Much remains to 
be done! Much remains to be learned!
  We must not only listen and learn from liberty's legacy, but we must 
also lead the way toward greater freedom for all. We can do so by 
following in the footsteps of some of this nation's greatest leaders--
the leaders of liberation. When jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., composed a letter in the margins of a 
newspaper and continued writing on scraps of paper some of the most 
powerful words ever written. He eloquently described many injustices 
suffered by so many African Americans. Near the end of that letter, he 
noted that, ``One day the South will recognize its real heroes.'' Those 
heroes are the leaders of liberation--leaders like Martin Luther King, 
Jr., Rosa Parks, and the Little Rock Nine. These leaders stood up and 
sat down for what they believed in: equality and freedom for all. Their 
actions changed our nation forever, and for that we are grateful.
  I had the distinct privilege to recognize the efforts of Rosa Parks 
and the Little Rock Nine when we in Congress presented them with the 
Congressional Gold Medal for their efforts to break down racial 
barriers and fulfill the legacy of liberation. I am also pleased to 
have supported legislation to construct the Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Memorial in our nation's capital. This memorial, which is to be built 
along the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC., will honor Dr. King's dream 
of freedom and equality for all.
  I also ask you to consider the impact African Americans have had in 
politics and civil rights right here in southeastern North Carolina. We 
should call attention to the African-American leaders who served our 
nation and our communities in ways unimaginable 100 years ago or even 
50 years ago. African Americans now serve in unprecedented numbers in 
elected and appointed positions at all levels of government. These 
advances would not have been possible without those pioneers who opened 
doors of opportunity for all. I'm speaking of local leaders from 
southeastern North Carolina, such as Hiram Rhoades Revels, the first 
African-American member of Congress; Minnie Evans, an artist from this 
area whose work hangs in the White House; Meadowlark Lemon, the clown 
prince of basketball who led the Harlem Globetrotters to world 
prominence; and Michael Jordan, the greatest athlete in the history of 
basketball. By listening to and learning from these African-American 
leaders of the past and present, we can honor their legacies and 
strengthen our own liberty.
  On the night before his assassination, Dr. King prophetically said, 
``Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its 
place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's 
will. And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've seen the 
Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know 
tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land.'' Together, 
we will fulfill the legacy of liberation through listening, learning, 
and leading, so that we might one day reach the Promised Land that Dr. 
King dreamed of for all Americans--a land of equality, freedom and 
justice for all. It begins now. It begins with us. We have listened! We 
have learned! We must lead!

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