[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 72 (Wednesday, June 5, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING ANTONIA PANTOJA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 4, 2002

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember Dr. 
Antonia Pantoja, who died in New York on May 24th. As a central figure 
of the Puerto Rican Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Pantoja's kind heart and 
brilliant leadership will always be remembered.
  Dr. Pantoja was born in 1922 to an impoverished Puerto Rican family. 
Though she spent much of her childhood hungry and diseased, Dr. Pantoja 
invested all her efforts in education and politics. She fought for a 
decent education and, in 1940, was accepted to the University of Puerto 
Rico. Two years later she received a degree in education and became a 
schoolteacher.
  After teaching for a few years in Puerto Rico, Dr. Pantoja moved to 
New York City. Working as a welder in a lamp factory, Dr. Pantoja 
suffered racism against Puerto Ricans at its worst. To fight back, she 
spread information on civil rights and how to organize a union. From 
that point on she dedicated her life to empowering the Puerto Rican 
community through organization, leadership, and, above all, education.
  Dr. Pantoja really did do what she set out to do. She completed a 
Bachelor's Degree of the Arts at Hunter College of New York, received a 
Masters of Social Work from Columbia, and was awarded Ph.D from the 
Union of Experimental Colleges and Universities in Yellow Springs, 
Ohio. Meanwhile, she founded a number of Puerto Rican-American 
organizations including ASPIRA, PRACA, and the National Puerto Rican 
Forum. She was responsible for the creation of the bilingual college, 
Universidad Boricua, and the Puerto Rican Research Center, each 
promoting youth education. In Puerto Rico, Dr. Pantoja set up PRODUCIR 
to help the rural community build up its economy.
  In recognition of her outstanding contributions to Puerto Ricans, Dr. 
Pantoja received numerous awards. In addition to the Hispanic Heritage 
Award, the Julia de Burgos Award and the National Mujer Award, Dr. 
Pantoja received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest 
civilian honor bestowed by the United States of America.
  Dr. Antonia Pantoja truly was the highest example for the Puerto 
Rican community. As a model leader, she valued education, civil rights, 
and equality of opportunity. Her memory will live forever in respect 
and dignity.

                          ____________________