[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 110 (Wednesday, August 1, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF CHARLES SPENCER POMPEY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 31, 2001

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration 
of the life of an inspirational leader and a truly committed social 
activist, my good friend, the late Charles Spencer Pompey. At a time 
when Martin Luther King Jr. had not yet shared his dream of racial 
equality with America, Mr. Pompey challenged the injustices of 
segregation with his work ethic and his passion. ``If you are ever 
fired from a job,`` Spencer Pompey would say, ``let it not be because 
of the color of your skin, or the lack of preparedness to do the job.'' 
Today, Congress must be prepared to do its job, and continue to tear 
down the barriers of racial inequity that linger within our nation.
  When Mr. Pompey came to Palm Beach County in 1939, as one of five 
teachers at Washington Junior High School, it was clear that separate 
but equal was more of a rhetorical myth than a reality. Black students 
were taught in dilapidated buildings, using supplies that white schools 
had discarded. To make matters worse, black teachers could not join the 
only teachers' union of the time, the Florida Education Association. 
Always a crusader, Mr. Pompey organized black teachers to form the Palm 
Beach County Teachers Association and served as the group's first 
president. Twenty-four years later, he was named to the board of the 
Florida Education Association, which had once made the mistake of 
judging him by his skin color rather than the content of his character.
  Perhaps the most inspirational aspect of Mr. Pompey's life was his 
unwavering dedication to helping youth in his community. He was the 
first individual, white or black, to develop a program of organized 
recreation for young people, working through the Naciremas Club. In 
addition, Mr. Pompey served as a coach of several champion football 
teams, emphasizing the importance of being a scholar as well as an 
athlete. As a principal, teacher, and coach, as well as a religious 
leader, Mr. Pompey taught a generation of young black Floridians to 
dream, to aspire, and to persevere.
  Mr. Speaker, in proper tribute to the legendary activist, Charles 
Spencer Pompey, I urge Congress to recommit to the goal of promoting 
improved race relations. We cannot allow the specter of segregation to 
haunt our institutions, and we cannot allow glass ceilings or lack of 
resources to impede the progress of our growing minority communities. 
Let us guarantee that an individual's right to vote is held sacred, 
regardless of his or her race. Let us not forget the past and abandon 
policies of affirmative action, which will ensure that our history of 
discrimination can be overcome and replaced by success for all in the 
twenty-first century. We have a duty to all American citizens to 
preserve the legacy and teachings of Charles Spencer Pompey, a true 
friend and a true American hero.

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