[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1329-E1330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 HONORING MR. JOHN SEIGENTHALER OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE FOR A LIFETIME 
    OF OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 75TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BOB CLEMENT

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 23, 2002

  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor my good friend John 
Seigenthaler, a great American and an outstanding Tennessean, on the 
occasion of his 75th birthday.
  Throughout his career, Seigenthaler has been a consistent leader on 
free speech and civil rights issues and a staunch defender of 
patriotism and democracy. Because of his reputation for offering sound 
advice, he has served as an advisor to key national leaders including 
President John F. Kennedy, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and 
numerous

[[Page E1330]]

statesmen and women including members of the U.S. House of 
Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
  In 1949, Seigenthaler began his career as a cub reporter at The 
Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee. Eventually, he rose through the 
ranks to become editor, publisher, and CEO of the newspaper where he 
worked for some 43 years. An award-winning journalist, he currently 
serves as the chairman emeritus of The Tennessean and at one time 
served as president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
  Seigenthaler was named editorial director of USA Today in 1982, and 
served in that capacity for nearly 10 years. In 1991, he founded the 
First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University in order to inspire and 
create a national dialogue concerning First Amendment principles. 
Today, as an independent affiliate of the Freedom Forum, the First 
Amendment Center is world-renowned for its innovative discussions and 
initiatives with locations in both Arlington, Virginia, and Nashville, 
Tennessee.
  According to the First Amendment Center, it ``works to preserve and 
protect First Amendment freedoms through information and education.'' 
Further, the center ``serves as a forum for the study and exploration 
of free-expression issues, including freedom of speech, of the press 
and of religion, the right to assemble and petition the government.''
  Seigenthaler played an integral role in civil rights history by 
serving as chief negotiator with the Governor of Alabama during the 
Freedom Rides of the 1960s, where he was attacked by a group of 
Klansmen for his efforts. Briefly during this era, he worked for the 
Justice Department under Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
  He currently serves on the boards of trustees of The Freedom Forum 
and the First Amendment Center and hosts a ``A Word On Words,'' a 
weekly book review program which airs on public television stations 
throughout the nation.
  Additionally, he serves on advisory boards of schools of journalism 
and communications at American University, the University of Tennessee 
and the University of Maryland, and a $3 million endowment has been 
made to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) for a First Amendment 
Chair.
  His volunteer work also includes service on the 18-member National 
Commission on Federal Election Reform, and as a participant in the 
Constitution Project Initiative on Liberty and Security, which came 
about as a result of the Sept. 11th tragedies in New York and 
Washington.
  Seigenthaler remains active on the national scene as well as in 
Tennessee, where he often works tirelessly, behind the scenes, on 
projects of benevolence for the betterment of the community.
  Married to the former Delores Watson, the couple has one child, John 
Seigenthaler, of New York City, a weekend anchor for MSNBC networks.
  Seigenthaler is to be honored for his leadership, courage, and 
compassion at this milestone in his life. His life's work has impacted 
the masses and will continue to influence generations to come.

                          ____________________