[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 19 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H637]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       COMMEMORATING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AS AMERICAN HISTORY

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on this last day of the month 
that we commemorate African American history, as I speak to my schools 
and community groups, I make the argument that we should celebrate and 
commemorate all of our diversities throughout the year because we all 
are Americans, and the history of African Americans is just that, the 
history of America.

                              {time}  1015

  I rise today to honor a local hero, Nellye Joyce Punch, who happens 
to be an African American soldier of good fortune for those who do not 
have. Nellye Joyce Punch has been someone who has worked in the fifth 
ward area for a number of years, and she fights against hunger in our 
community. Last evening, Target Hunger, an organization that she helped 
found, honored her. Well deserved. Because Nellye Joyce Punch when no 
one was speaking about the hungry in America, she was on the front 
line. She was someone who worked with my predecessor Mickey Leland and 
as well the Honorable Barbara Jordan. She has never left the fifth ward 
community. She is an educator. She is known as someone whose door is 
always open. She and her husband are both charitable and wise, and 
young people always know that when Nellye Joyce Punch is around she is 
there to be of help.
  What a great African American hero. What a great hero of America. 
What a great person. Nellye Joyce Punch should be honored by all of us 
not only this month but throughout the year.

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